By Gabriella Brown
Newsroom@DominionPost.com
At the beginning of the academic year, John Knapp, a Boy Scout in Troop 93, noticed children were lacking something vital for virtual learning and decided to take action.
“I saw that many kids in my grade didn’t really have a proper workspace environment,” Knapp said. “I wanted to give that to younger children.”
For Knapp’s Eagle Scout service project, he hand-built and donated 40 desks to students at Eastwood Elementary School. He said he hoped to help provide a quiet and private space for children attending virtual classes from home.
Amy Garbrick, Mountaineer Area Council vice president of program for Boy Scouts of America, said she was first introduced to Knapp when she heard he was working on this project. She said when she learned about the project, she was proud of the work Knapp, along with his parents and Troop, were doing.
“It brought me to tears,” Garbrick said. “John saw a very timely need in the community, and worked to execute his plan for children who need desks in order to do their schoolwork virtually. In the midst of a pandemic, our scouts have shown they truly do live by the 12 points of the Scout Law. John and his fellow scouts are absolutely ‘helpful’ and ‘kind.’ ”
Knapp said he originally heard about the idea when he saw the project being attempted by another Scout in Virginia, while watching the news. Inspired by the importance of the project due to COVID-19, he decided to bring it to his own community.
With the help of about 16 volunteers and more than 100 person-hours, Knapp was able to pitch the idea, fundraise, plan, build, paint and deliver the desks in just a few months. Knapp said he had little wood-working experience prior to beginning the project, and had to learn along the way.
The cost of the project totaled about $1,000. Roughly $700 in materials were donated by Lowe’s, and Lazarus Restoration donated paint and supplies. The remaining costs were covered by donations from family and friends of Knapp.
Knapp said building the desks was a fun experience, but getting to see the difference his project made in the community was the most rewarding part. When he received photos of the desks being delivered, he was delighted to see the impact the project had on each student.
“I was really happy and enjoyed seeing them with what I worked hard for,” Knapp said.
Karen Davis, a STEM teacher at Eastwood Elementary, helped Knapp coordinate with the school and found which students were in need of a workspace.
During virtual classes, Davis said teachers would often see students working on their couches, kitchen tables or floors, which was negatively impacting their abilities to focus. On the day the desks were delivered, she said the children were thrilled.
“It felt like Christmas, giving those out to the families Thursday and Friday,” Davis said.
Knapp has been a Boy Scout for the past seven years, working his way up the ranks from Cub Scout. After completing his service project, Knapp is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the organization. He said there are still a few requirements he must complete before he turns 18 in May to qualify for the rank.
Garbrick said there are several steps to becoming an Eagle Scout, including a service project workbook, an application and carrying out a service project. While a Scout is at the Life Scout rank, he or she must plan and develop the service project, which benefits an organization outside of the Boys Scouts of America.
Tom Stauffer, Troop 93 Scoutmaster, said he has worked with Knapp since Knapp first became a Boy Scout. He said over the years, he has watched Knapp grow into a kind-hearted person.
“He’s more outgoing, he’s more inclined to take the lead on whatever is going on around the Scout meetings or projects,” Stauffer said. “He’s quite a nice and enjoyable young man to be around.”
As Knapp continues to work toward completing the Eagle Scout requirements, he said the years he spent in Scouting taught him valuable life skills. He said his experiences have helped him become the person he is today.
“It helped me grow up from my younger self,” Knapp said. “When I start working or go to college or whatever I choose to do, I’ll benefit from the fact that I can help people if they need it.”
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