FARMINGTON, Utah — What was once an underwhelming space at Farmington Junior High School has been transformed into a vibrant sensory room that educators, students and parents say is already making a meaningful impact.
The newly renovated room opened after months of planning, fundraising and community support. Special education teacher Kari Mathis said the project began as a dream that seemed out of reach because of limited funding.
"When we first got this space, I sat down with another teacher and went, 'Alright, what are we going to get?'" Mathis recalled. "As soon as we opened any kind of equipment, we went, 'Well, apparently nothing,' because we just didn't have the funding for it."
The school's previous sensory room offered few resources for students who benefit from sensory-based learning. Parents Kent and Maria Phippen saw the room firsthand while visiting their son, John, who is nonverbal and has a rare genetic condition and developmental disability known as ZNF865.
"We came to visit John at school one day last fall, and he was in the sensory room, or what was called the sensory room," Kent Phippen said. "I was a little underwhelmed by what was being offered in this space."
The Phippens believed the room could become something more and approached school leaders about making improvements.
"We just reached out to Kari and to Michael and said we'd love to do something here and see what we can make happen," Kent Phippen said. "We really just wanted to make it into a special space for years to come."
The idea quickly gained momentum.
The fundraising goal was $50,000. Donations poured in from the community, and supporters ultimately raised $130,000, more than double the original target.
"The response was overwhelming," Maria Phippen said. "Within the first hour, I remember getting an email saying they would pledge a huge donation, and we just went, 'Oh my gosh, this is going to happen.'"
The new sensory room now includes equipment and activities designed to help students regulate emotions, improve focus and engage in learning. Mathis said it has quickly become a favorite place for students.
"One was on the swing, one was on the pod, one was over here playing with some ribbons, throwing balls. It's awesome," she said.
Principal Michael Archibald said the room has become a source of pride for the school.
"The feel of the room, we showcase this room when we have visitors to our school, parents, students and personnel," Archibald said. "This is a room to be proud of now. Everything goes back to the students and education."
For families like the Phippens, the room's impact is already visible.
While waiting outside before our interview, they noticed John choosing the sensory room over leaving with his parents.
"He saw us and usually would attach himself to us wanting us to take him home," Kent Phippen said. "But he kind of just walked past us to get in here to interact with everybody and everything that's in here, which is exactly what we want."
With fundraising efforts exceeding expectations, the Phippens hope to help other schools and communities create similar spaces for students with special needs.
For the Phippens, the project is proof that a community can come together to make a lasting difference.
"To know that you have a space that your kid is going to come to that is safe and well thought out and a happy place is huge," Maria Phippen said.
As students continue to fill the room with movement and learning, school leaders say the sensory room is doing exactly what it was designed to do: help every student succeed.