Life Scout Zak Diethorn of Mars spent about 30 hours rebuilding an outdoor classroom at Mars Elementary School after third-grade teacher Mark McMonigal asked for assistance. Zak got help from his fellow Boy Scouts and his father. The classroom will be ready for use this fall.

MARS — Students at Mars Elementary School, 549 Route 228, might spend less time in the classroom and more time learning outdoors in the coming school year thanks to their teacher and a Boy Scout.

Mark McMonigal, who will begin his 18th year teaching third-graders at the school this fall, said he brought it to the school board when the outdoor classroom he pioneered around 2001 had started to become too dangerous for student use.

“Some (teachers) did get adventurous and go out,” McMonigal said. “But it was becoming so rundown I was worried about kids sitting on the benches and them breaking.”

With the board's help, McMonigal said he connected with Adam Diethorn, lead Scoutmaster of Troop 400 in Mars, and Adam's son, Zak.

“We met and I showed (Zak) what we needed and what we wanted and he was willing to do it,” McMonigal said. “It just took off from there.”

Zak, a Life Scout in his father's troop and a sophomore at the soon to open Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, said he planned the renovations to the classroom with McMonigal in the fall and completed the project in the spring. Zak and McMonigal said the classroom, which is on school grounds, is ready for the upcoming school year.

Close to 25 younger Scouts and 15 adult volunteers helped Zak.

“There were two project days where all the other Scouts came in, but me and my Dad came in here multiple times,” Zak said. “We personally laid down the wood and the podium, but the Scouts and their parents helped with laying down the gravel.”

Adam Diethorn said the Scouts lead their own Eagle projects, but he enjoys helping as needed.

“It's pretty fun,” he said. “It's rewarding to see the Scouts grow and they definitely gain confidence doing it.”

In total, Zak said he spent about 30 hours on the renovation project that McMonigal said makes the classroom more accessible to the school.

“I think the way it is right now, teachers will be more comfortable using it,” McMonigal said. “I was really happy that he wanted to do this so that it's up and running again. And I'm happy I could involve the Scouts with it and help them out, too.”

McMonigal said the outdoor classroom will be used for “anything and everything” while the weather remains hospitable, including classes, teacher meetings and quiet study time for reading or test-taking.

“It's just kind of nice to be outside and out of the classroom to do things, and the kids absolutely love it,” McMonigal said.