Connor King ’22 Earns Eagle Scout Ranking & Helps School Camp

Kudos to Connor King ’22, who has achieved the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank, Eagle Scout. For his culminating service project, King decided to create a much needed new dock at the Lawrenceville School Camp. “Scamp,” as it is fondly known, has provided a camping experience for local, underserved children for more than a century. Here, King tells us about his project.

For your Eagle Scout project, you built a dock at The Lawrenceville School Camp. What made you decide to devote your time to this project?

Eagle Scout projects are the culmination of the entire Scouting journey. We are guided to find a project that will improve our community in a meaningful and lasting way. 

I first learned about Scamp from my sister [Carolyn ‘20], who volunteered as a counselor. When I heard about Scamp’s mission, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to connect the dots between several of my interests -- Lawrenceville, the outdoors, community service, and Scouting.

I consulted with the Camp Director [Kelly] Wise and learned that the Camp’s existing floating dock was deteriorating and badly needed replacement. The dock is very important to the Camp because the campers used it to cool off and play games. I hope to be a counselor at Scamp this summer to see the fruits of my labor put to use.

Who did you work with to plan, construct, and/or install the dock?

I researched various types of floating docks and consulted the director of [another] summer camp for suggestions on what to build and how to build it. As part of the project, I was required to completely design the dock before seeking any approvals, so I sketched the entire dock out on paper, from multiple angles, and identified all of the materials I needed.  I also had to make sure that the design complied with all of the applicable laws and regulations, as well as Scouting regulations (which were actually tougher to meet). 

As the project took shape, I began to consult with my troop leaders, Ms. Wise, and eventually Mr. [John] Hughes [Lawrenceville Director of Experiential Learning]. Before I could begin gathering materials and volunteers, I had to secure final approvals and sign off from my Eagle Scout advisor, the Washington Crossing Scout Council, and The Lawrenceville School on my proposal.

The final step was finding volunteers.  One of the major requirements of the project is to demonstrate leadership, but finding volunteers in the age of Covid was a bigger challenge than usual. Most of my volunteers were members of my Scout Troop and I also got help from my family.

What materials did you use in the construction?

The frame of the dock is largely made out of pressure-treated pine, which is water-resistant and cost-effective. To meet regulations, I had to design the dock so counselors could see all the way under the dock to make sure the swimmers were safe.  We secured large air-filled barrels in the corners with galvanized chains to keep the dock afloat and added a turf carpet to the top of the dock to prevent swimmers from getting splinters. We also installed wooden posts on land in concrete to tie the dock to the land.

 When did you do the actual build and how long did it take?

The actual construction was the quickest part of the project.  We split the work across three different days, from September 2-5, 2020. I worked for about 15 hours during those three days, and we had more than 50 hours of volunteer work.

When was it installed?

We floated the dock to test it the day we finished it, but we then removed it from the water for the Winter.  It will be relaunched this Spring for the campers to enjoy.

How do you hope it will be used?

For fun!  I hope the campers use the dock to play games, cool off, and improve their swimming skills too, and I hope it can play a big part in their entire Scamp experience.

What does it mean to you to be an Eagle Scout?

Earning Eagle was a long road but it was fun.  It took over five years of involvement with my Troop, progressing from being one of the young scouts who were learning the basics about scouting to serving in leadership roles. I am proud to have completed the journey.

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.