East Islip Boy Scout Earns His Eagle Scout Badge

Press release from The Boy Scouts of America:

December 8, 2020

December 7, 2020…. John James Lawn, East Islip, New York, successfully completed his Eagle Board of Review on June 3, 2019, officially making him the 82nd Eagle Scout of Troop 205 of Great River, East Islip, and Islip Terrace, NY. John’s Eagle Court of Honor will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, starting at 7:30PM at the Great River Fire Department, 108 River Road, Great River, NY 11739. A maximum of 50 will be present, all wearing facemasks during the ceremony.

John is a member of Troop 205, sponsored by the Great River Fire Department, under the direction of Scoutmaster Mark Businski. On his “Road to Eagle,” John has served Troop 205 as Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, and Troop Guide – working with his younger Scouts on their Rank Advancements. John was also elected by his fellow Scouts to be a member of the Order of the Arrow – Scouting’s Honorary Camping Society.

John has had many unique Scouting experiences and had an impressive 158 camping nights with the Troop. Some of his favorite camping experiences included being a Boy Scout Camp Wakpominee Camper for four summer seasons, a member of the Philmont Scout Ranch Crew Member in 2016 – hiking in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains in Northeastern New Mexico for 10 days, the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree at the Bechtel Summit in West Virginia, the 2015 Annapolis camping Trip, Montauk Fishing Trip, Camp Wakpominee Ski Trip, Harriman State Park Hiking Trip, Washington, D.C, Gettysburg Historical Trails, Camp Hero – Long Island, Philadelphia, Valley Forge, Mystic Seaport, Indian Island County Park Bike Hike, and the Suffolk County Council Camporee.

To become an Eagle Scout, a Scout must earn 21 merit badges, of which 13 are specifically Eagle required, progress through six rank advancements – from Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, then Eagle, and also plan, develop, and implement a major service project for the community. John has actually earned 24 merit badges.

The Service Project that John developed, planned, and implemented with the assistance of his fellow Troop members, friends, and family members was undertaking and constructing the radio cabinet at the Town of Islip Animal Shelter, along with benches for the use of employees and guests visiting the Animal Shelter. John’s Project was initiated for the love that John and the entire Lawn Family have for animals.

John has also earned the following awards and achievement in Scouts: Webelos Arrow of Light, Firem’n Chit, Tot’in Chit, Cyber Chip, and the World Conservation Award.

John recently said this: “The organization that helped me develop a good sense of leadership and character necessary in order to help other people is the Boy Scouts of America. Through the Boy Scouts, I have held leadership positions like Troop Guide. From this experience, I have learned the challenges in being a good leader.

He went on to say, “Another thing that Boy Scouts taught me was how to develop good character. Having good character means that you follow the Scout Laws. All of the aspects underlined in the Scout Laws are essential when helping people because with doing this, you are keeping in mind all the needs for yourself and others, while still helping them out.”

John is a June, 2019, graduate of St. John The Baptist Diocesan High School, in West Islip, where he was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars. He was a member of the High School’s Emerging Technology Club, the High School’s Caribbean Club and the Winter Crew Team. John was also nominated, as a result of his superior grades and performance in the sciences subjects to be a member of the National Congress for Future Medical Leaders, with their convention at the University of Massachusetts in June, 2018.

John has been in Martial Arts from the age of five, attending classes twice a week, including Kickboxing classes and had achieved the level of Blackbelt in Karate at the age of 16.

Volunteering has been a way of life for John as he has worked on many Eagle Scout Projects and has logged in an outstanding 149 community Service Hours through Troop 205. John has also served on the Youth Squad at the Islip Ambulance Exchange since January 2018, which has included responding to emergency calls in the ambulance. John Is now a full member at the exchange and is undergoing training to drive the ambulance. John has also served as a volunteer at the Vacation Bible School at his Church, the Trinity Lutheran Church in Islip, NY.

John is currently a sophomore at Hofstra University, Uniondale, Long Island, New York, where is majoring in Biology – working on pre-Med requirements, with his goal to be a Medical School Student. At Hofstra John Is involved with the ski club, Club Volleyball, and Club Badminton.

John is the son of Louise and Troop 205 Assistant Scoutmaster, Kevin Lawn, and is the older Brother of Bryan.

This press release was produced by The Boy Scouts of America. The views expressed here are the author's own.