Literature Specialist Amy Mayne’s son, Trent, was quite busy last winter with his Boy Scout group building an outdoor kiosk with Simpson Strong-Tie products. 

Last winter, as part of his membership with Boy Scouts of America, my son Trent chose a project to give back to his school district, as well as help him earn his Boy Scouts Eagle Award. Trent rebuilt the kiosk at the Bloom Carroll High School Arboretum.  

He worked with Columbus inside sales manager Sean Clark to have our products donated for the project. Sean helped Trent choose the correct materials for the various applications in both concrete and wood. Trent then organized a team of fellow scouts and fathers to help him build the kiosk.  

Despite the December weather, they made the most of it with some carpentry skills and a team effort to get the Eagle project constructed, showcasing Simpson Strong-Tie’s Outdoor Accents® decorative hardware products.

I helped stain the project once it was built. The kiosk provides information about the trees in the area, offers seating for visitors, and, when weather permits, serves as an outdoor classroom for students of all ages. 

Since this build, Trent has officially become an eagle scout. He now works full time at  Ohio State University in the maintenance department and is taking online classes at a private college. Thanks to his Eagle Scout background and experience from working on projects such as the arboretum kiosk, Trent’s skillset allowed him to stand out and land a job with a construction company. It’s fantastic how innovative hands-on projects not only allow young people to further their personal growth, but also can help them stand out among prospective employers.