SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A memorial garden honoring a fallen Marine at Carmichael Elementary School has been restored to its former beauty, thanks to the dedication of a local teenager working toward his Eagle Scout award.
Ayden Barcley, a student at Buena High School, spent six months planning, painting, and planting to revitalize the rose garden dedicated to Corporal Phillip McGeath, who died in Afghanistan in 2018. McGeath was the son-in-law of a former teacher at the elementary school.
"It was run down. No one was taking care of it, and it's a garden dedicated to him, so it had to be restored," Barcley said.
The garden had withered away over the years without proper water access, but Barcley's Eagle Scout service project brought it back to life. The restoration includes meaningful touches like a lavender rose representing McGeath's Purple Heart and a yellow rose symbolizing "welcome home."
"We want to make sure that this rose garden is a place where people can come and remember him, but not only him, but all those who have given their life in service to our country," said Elizabeth Jimenez, principal of Carmichael Elementary School.
For Barcley, the project provided both personal satisfaction and community impact as he works toward completing his Eagle Scout award.
"It feels a lot of stress off my shoulders. It makes me feel good. I've helped my community," Barcley said.
The project created a usable space for students while honoring the memory of the fallen Marine. On Monday, Barcley unveiled his completed work to local veterans and the school community.
"To come back and give back to a school in our district, I believe that's meaningful for our students to see themselves through Ayden," Jimenez said.
Barcley is now in the final stages of completing his Eagle Scout award.
"I love seeing it done," Barcley said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
