‘We needed him to be remembered’: South Beloit school completes story garden dedication to teacher’s son

SOUTH BELOIT, Ill. (WTVO) — The family of Jack Baumann complete the Jack Story Garden Dedication at a section of Prairie Hill Elementary School in his honor.

“We needed him to be remembered,” shared mother Valerie Baumann.

In 2022, Jack Baumann tragically died at four-years-old after being hit by a car.

His parents, Valerie and Brandon, formed the Jack Baumann Memorial Foundation. The foundation helped fund 10 preschool educations for children and gave scholarships to vigorous teachers.

“I’m incredibly proud, but more so I’m thankful,” said Bauman.

Since Jack’s passing, Bauman’s friends and the community formed the idea of Jack’s Story Garden Foundation, giving those a chance to experience his love and joy.

“When you give someone an education, you have changed the trajectory of that life. And with this space, like this is a permanent space, it’s permanently attached to this school that our kids, we’ll have a cool place to learn, and our community will have a nice, safe place to come,” shared Baumann.

The finished story garden is an outdoor classroom space for students to thrive and learn in, just how Jack did.

“Being able to freely wiggle and move around and be yourself and be, like, authentically you. And I hope that this more natural space can provide that opportunity for them,” explained Baumann.

Teacher and foundation member Makenzie Wagoner said she never got to personally meet Jack, but the moment she met her fellow teacher Baumann, she was instantly drawn to him.

“I also like that it always reminds us of Jack too, because every time you drive by it, it’s the first thing you think of all the blue ribbon. So, I love that it keeps his name alive and no one’s going to stop saying his name ever,” shared Wagoner.

Baumann looks forward to spending the new school year at the Story Garden with her students.

“Be able to come out here and to be able to read to them, to be able to do our phonics work on the cement with a piece of sidewalk chalk and get messy it means we’ve worked hard, we’ve played hard, we’ve had some fun,” said Baumann.

The Jack Story Garden Dedication will hold an Open House for the community on September 6 to officially dedicate the space.