TYLER, Texas — Jack Benson, a former Tyler ISD student, visited Douglas Elementary school on Friday to celebrate his recent donation of $100,000 to the school.
“Douglas (elementary) holds a special place in my heart,” Benson said. “It shaped my childhood, and I always knew I wanted to give back.”
According to a press release, Benson's contribution will go towards transforming the school’s outdoor spaces into a hands-on learning environment which will include installing new playground equipment and creating a covered outdoor learning area.
The outdoor learning area will include water access, designed to facilitate student exploration of scientific concepts related to water, ecosystems, and environmental science. The area will also be equipped with microscopes and other scientific tools, in hopes of empowering students to engage in hands-on experiments.
“The vision for this outdoor learning space is to extend the classroom outdoors, benefiting children across all elementary grade levels,” Benson said.
The press release said by converting the outdoor space into an immersive learning environment, Douglas Elementary School aims to foster curiosity, inspire exploration, and cultivate a lifelong passion for learning among its students.
“I didn’t make this donation for recognition. I did it out of love for my school, hoping to inspire others to contribute to Tyler ISD and the educational institutions that shape our future,” Benson said.