CANTON — Six months ago, the Canton School Board had received an offer from one of its students: then-sophomore Robert Pidcoe of Scouts BSA Troop 33 wished to repair the outdoor pavilion near the elementary school as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Now, Pidcoe addressed the gathered board to report his mission a success.
“I started by tearing up the old shingles,” Pidcoe began, “Some of them were starting to decay and we put a metal roof on it.”
Pidcoe referred to a slideshow of before and after photos he’d taken throughout the project to give the board a sense of the work.
The wooden pavilion also had sections of wall and support that were rotting away. Pidcoe replaced it all and painted the new wood red to match the school’s colors. Every baton on the walls, more than 97 in total, was replaced with new wood, according to Pidcoe.
Pidcoe’s final steps included painting and sealing the concrete floor. He thanked his family members for supporting his efforts and helping with the project.
“It was a lot of work,” Pidcoe closed, “but it looks good.”
The board and members of the public gave him a round of applause for his hard work.
Superintendent Dr. Amy Martell reported that the school’s Giving Tree program is up and running, and those interested in helping can contact the school.
Mrs. Essek is currently organizing a canned food drive for the Canton Food Pantry, according to Martell.
Lucas Drever, a senior, was recognized by the board for his exceptional finish at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Drever and his teammates had traveled to Indianapolis to compete in the Environmental and Natural Resources competition.
Canton’s team took 15th in the nation, while Drever himself placed 3rd overall in individual scoring.
Jennifer Ports, a representative from the Pennsylvania School Board Association, came to Canton to recognize the long service of some of Canton’s school directors.
Bill Holland, for serving 12 years on the board, Gary Black, for serving 16 years, and Denny Sourbeer for serving 33 years were recognized for their services to the school district.