Chris King is seated on one of
the seven benches he helped create for an outdoor classroom.
In the background is a foot bridge spanning the creek
between the Gleason Envirocenter and the land lab, John
Conner’s project.
Envirocenter at Highland gets two new additions
Eagle projects include outdoor
classroom, foot bridge
By Rita Jean Wagar
GRANGER — Thanks to the efforts of Chris King and John Conners, a 2006 Highland High School graduate and a Highland senior, respectively, who have goals of becoming Eagle Scouts, the Gleason Envirocenter and land lab, located near the northwest corner of Highland High School, is even more beautiful and more useful.
An open space nestled between the trees, shrubs and plants in the Gleason Envirocenter seemed to King to be the perfect spot for an outdoor classroom, thus fulfilling the dream of the late Betsy Gleason, a popular high school chemistry teacher who died in October 2002. Her love of nature was well known among students and parents, and so the area was named in her memory.
However, seats of some kind were needed to accommodate an entire class. In keeping with the natural surroundings, seven rustic benches, with each being able to seat four students, were the obvious answer, King said.
The white oak logs, valued at $9,000, were donated by Otto Hazen, of Chippewa Lake, who delivered them to the home of Jack Scholz, on Remsen Road, where the work began in earnest. King and fellow Scouts cut the 6-foot-long logs in half lengthwise with a band saw and then debarked them.
The benches were then transported to the residence of Jack Loparo, the assistant Eagle Scout coordinator for Hinckley Boy Scout Troop 520, of which King is a member. The benches were sanded and legs were attached, after which they were hauled to the school.
Transporting the benches the 75 feet from the unloading area to the placement site required some ingenuity. King cut a rope into sections, made handholds and slung the ropes under the benches. Eight Scouts carried each of the 400-pound benches up the hill, where they were secured and ready for use by mid-May 2006.
King, who is now a freshman at The University of Akron, said in addition to his parents and fellow Scouts and their parents, he is especially grateful to Hazen, Scholz, Loparo and to Doug Loehr, of Pride One Enterprises, who donated $300 to cover the cost of miscellaneous items, including bolts.
For Conners, a bridge connecting the Envirocenter and the land lab was a project waiting to happen.
After Gleason died in 2002, it was decided the best way to honor her memory was to create a memorial garden near the existing land lab when the new high school was completed and build a bridge that would span the creek between the memorial garden and the 20-acre land lab.
The members of the graduating class of 2002 wasted no time in contributing to the effort. They donated $6,000 toward the proposed bridge project.
“However, the lack of a school building and, therefore, the lack of a garden, forced the money to sit,” Conners said.
Even after the new high school was completed in September 2004 and the garden was planted in the spring of 2005, the money still waited.
“When I came along, looking for projects, I was told of this opportunity, and I couldn’t pass up a project or a budget like that,” he said.
After receiving approval from school officials and leaders of Sharon Center Boy Scout Troop 411, of which Conners is a member, construction got under way. With the help of fellow Scouts, a concrete contractor, an engineer, a surveyor and truss builders, work continued.
By late September 2006, the 25-foot-long wooden foot bridge was ready for use.
The white oak trusses, valued at $9,000, were donated by Jeff Orr, a friend of the Gleasons. As a result, nearly $3,000 was left from the original $6,000. It was refunded to the class of 2002.
As for the contributions of King, son of Dale and Jane King, and Conners, son of Guy and Michelle Conners, high school principal Daryl Kubilus said, “We appreciate the leadership of these students and are glad they chose Highland High School as the recipient of these most worthy projects.
“Their service projects will benefit the Highland community for years to come,” he added. “Betsy Gleason would have been pleased.”
Below:
John Conners and Highland High School Principal Daryl
Kubilus inspect the newly completed foot bridge that
spans the creek between the Gleason Envirocenter and
the land lab. Photos:
Don Wagar
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