Back in the 1980s, a senior prank gone wrong resulted in a punishment from the seniors having to dig a hole in the Gunston courtyard. The hole, neglected until 2022, has now been transformed into a beautiful and flourishing pond with live animals, such as turtles and fish. Leading the pond’s makeover, teachers Mr. Lawrence Cooper and Mr. Josh McFarlane work tirelessly year-round to continue to care for the animals and keep up maintenance on the pond. Under their guidance, students in the Cat B program helped make the pond restoration process a smooth and educational experience.
When first taking over the pond in 2022, Mr. McFarlane and Mr. Cooper faced years of neglect reflected in the pond, leading to thick sludge accumulating on the walls. Both teachers work with students in the West Po CAT B program, which is associated with the Pulley Center which provides students opportunities on school job sites that allow them to work during the day, building and learning work skills. Together with the CAT B students, they worked with used toothbrushes and baking soda to clear the ancient sludge out of the pond.
“When we first took over the pond, it was nasty. You could see the mosquitoes just flying around in the air,” Mr. McFarlane said. “We worked with the Cat B kids, scrubbing down the liner in order for it [the pond] to function.”
Once the pond was clear and clean, animals were able introduced to the water including the turtles.
“I had known a friend of mine working in Norfolk, and he brought baby turtles. They were barely six weeks old, these little things,” Mr. Cooper said. “One of the ones that have survived from that batch included Connor.”
Named after the famous wrestler, Connor McGregor, the turtle is the protector of the pond. Whenever Mr. Cooper or Mr. McFarlane attempt to clean out the pond, they are met with the presence of Connor. The fierce turtle will bump into the teacher’s legs and sometimes even bite.
“He just kind of owns the place to make sure that nobody was getting the babies. We discovered dead birds in the pond, and it turns out Connor was snatching them up and out of the sky,” Mr. McFarlane said.
The pond also houses six other turtles, along with two koi fish, Lawrence and Josh, named after the teachers who look after them. The teachers have noticed that each animal has its own unique personality trait, letting them identify which turtle or fish they may be dealing with.
Keeping up with the animals’ feeding schedule is not as rigorous as one may think. Mr. Cooper usually feeds the turtles once on Friday, Monday, and Wednesday. During the winter, the turtles stay in the pond, going into a hibernation-like period.
The turtles don’t receive much of a summer vacation, staying back at West Po while students and faculty are away. Mr. Cooper and Mr. McFarlane both return to the school in order to feed and care for the animals. Other students also participate in helping with the upkeep of the pond. Connor’s Garden Society and Global Care Club regularly assist the teachers and CAT B students to further build on the progress of the pond and its surroundings.
Lila Rogers, a senior at West Po, plays a vital role in the Global Care Club acting as its Vice President.
“Mr. Cooper has shown us the turtle tank and how the turtles are cared for, which makes me aware of them,” Rogers said. “I think the pond is a nice place for people to go to because of the calming environment it provides.”
