Outdoor Science Space Honors School Staffers

In memory of two much-loved members of the John M. Marshall Elementary School community, school officials on Friday dedicated the newly revamped outdoor science classroom to Queen Davis Parks and Helen Hayes. Ms. Parks, who died in 2011, was a teacher; Ms. Hayes, who also died in 2011, a custodian.

The entire student body gathered in the courtyard at the new classroom to watch the ceremonies. The school unveiled a new birdbath surrounded by just-planted flowers, and a plaque honoring Ms. Hayes and Ms. Parks “for their dedication to our school, our students, and our community.”

“We are so proud to honor Queen Davis Parks and Helen Hayes, and to cherish their memory by attaching their names to this beautiful outdoor learning space,” Beth Doyle, the school principal, said.

Friends and family members of Ms. Davis and Ms. Parks joined the students and school officials. Olivia Brooks, a former school librarian and a friend of Ms. Parks, called her “a no-nonsense teacher who loved the creative process” and fought hard for children of all backgrounds. Her re-enactment of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad will not be forgotten, she said.

“Queen was a loving woman as well as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and teacher,” Ms. Brooks said. “Her generosity and kindness stretched to all corners of our community and especially to her students at John Marshall school. She loved each and every one of them.”

Anthony Hayes, John Marshall’s head custodian, who is a nephew of both Ms. Hayes and Ms. Parks, thanked the school on behalf of the Hayes family and said he was “honored and appreciative” of the occasion and the memorial to his aunt.

“She was a wonderful wife, a great mother, and just an incredible human being,” Mr. Hayes said. “She had a heart of gold, and anyone who came in contact with her would know that right away.”

The outdoor classroom has a rain barrel to collect water for gardening, and raised garden beds for growing plants. A circle of tree stumps serves as seats for classes that use the outdoor space for lessons related to weather, botany, and more. The dedication was the idea of the school’s Culture Club. East End Trophy provided the plaque, Charlie Whitmore and Sons provided the flowers and plants and did the planting, and Wittendale’s donated the birdbath.