Schools

Eagle Scout Projects Brighten Affton Campuses

Affton High scouts performed landscaping and campus improvement at district schools.

Affton school grounds are a little greener this year thanks to the volunteer efforts of several scouts earning their Eagle Scout ranks.

Alexander Chapie, Brandon Dennis, Matthew Heckenkamp, Michael Conner McNeil and Robert Klemme were honored in January by the Affton School Board for their service to the district, which included landscaping at and Rogers Middle and laying of a walkway at Affton High.

“It’s a program for training young men to be real men,” said Affton School Board President Michael McNeil, who is one of the troop leaders. “Scouting is a big deal for me. I’ve literally hiked hundreds of miles with some of these boys.”

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The younger McNeil performed his efforts in 2009 at Gotsch Intermediate, and the project grew to include the whole troop re-landscaping the majority of the front of the building. The actual approved Eagle project was the installation of two planters at the front of the building. The work progressed over two weekends, and around 30 people were involved.

In August 2011 Chapie, having assisted with McNeil's 2009 project at Gotsch, assisted Principal Smith with an additional retaining wall that was unfinished. About 25 people were involved and completed the project in one weekend.

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In September 2011 Dennis built a walkway from the Affton High School track to the press box to keep people from struggling in the mud. About 25 people were involved in the project and it took an entire weekend to complete. Dennis had to deal with drainage issues and plan proper construction techniques to span a drainage ditch.

led a crew that landscaped both sides of the driveway leading to from Mackenzie Road by designing beds and installing nearly 400 legacy stones.

Klemme said at the school board meeting that he was still working to design his forthcoming project.

According to Board President McNeil, each scout is responsible for designing, planning and managing his project. He has to gain permission of the principal or site owner, order material and schedule the labor. Chapie, Dennis and the younger McNeil have all been scouts together since the 5th grade, and all helped on each other's projects.

"It is quite an eye opening process for these young men as they see what it takes to make something happen," McNeil said. "It has been a wonderful experience to camp, backpack and hike with them as they have worked toward the goal of Eagle Scout... I was fortunate enough to be there through the whole process and I am very proud of them."


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