Scoutmaster Is Kevin Bullard, LES Principal Kristin Burke and Max Achtau IIIWhen Lawrenceville Elementary School students return to school later this month, a greenhouse will be one of the first things they see in the school garden.
LES has had its own garden for many years, but it did not have a greenhouse until Max Achtau III, a member of Scout Troop 27 and a former LES student, proposed building one to earn the Eagle Scout rank. The coed troop is sponsored by The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank that can be earned in Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America. Only about 4% of Scouts meet the requirements to become Eagle Scouts.
Scouts seeking to become Eagle Scouts must advance through the ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life. A prospective Eagle Scout also must earn 21 merit badges, including First Aid, Cooking, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving, Environmental Science or Sustainability, Camping and Family Life.
Achtau gave considerable thought to choosing a project to earn the Eagle Scout rank. When Scoutmaster Kevin Bullard suggested building a greenhouse at LES, Achtau jumped at the idea.
“I always knew I wanted to build something meaningful and impressive. I was especially drawn to working with wood. Many older Scouts’ projects involved carpentry, and that really inspired me,” said Achtau, who is a junior at Notre Dame High School.
Settling on a project was only part of the process, Achtau said. The next steps were designing and constructing it, both of which were made easier because his uncle is a retired carpenter. He helped Achtau design the greenhouse and guided its construction.
Achtau enlisted the help of friends and fellow Scouts to build the greenhouse. Work began in the fall, but completion was delayed by the weather. It is now in place in the LES school garden.
The greenhouse is the latest addition to the school garden, which was established in 2001 by teachers and administrators, LES Principal Kristin Burke said.
The school garden has grown and evolved over the years, Burke said. Relationships have been established with the Northeast Organic Farming Association and Snipes Farm.
LES students visit the garden during the fall and spring. Those visits allow them to engage in hands-on learning experiences that support science, environmental studies and nutrition. They also plant and harvest vegetables.
“For many of our students, spending time in the garden has become a memorable and meaningful part of their elementary school experience,” Burke said.
“Having Max return to LES to add the greenhouse has been an incredible addition to the garden. We are deeply grateful for his generosity and commitment to giving back to the school community that helped shape him,” she said.
For Achtau, constructing the greenhouse marks the culmination of a decade of involvement in Scouting. He joined Cub Scouts when he was 7 and a second-grader at LES, and joined Scouts when he was 11.
Asked what appealed to him about Scouting, Achtau said it is the sense of community and the experiences that he and other troop members have shared, from camping at Gettysburg to hiking at High Point State Park and attending Scout camp during the summer.
“Ever since I joined Scouting, becoming an Eagle Scout has been my goal. Seeing the older Scouts earn their ranks and proudly wear their merit badges (on a sash) was always inspiring. It motivated me to follow in their footsteps and work toward achieving the same honor,” he said.
“I have always believed I would reach Eagle Scout. It felt like the natural path for me, and I never considered giving up or slowing down. Working toward each rank and merit badge became part of who I am,” Achtau said.
