Way to Go! Calhoun student leads playground renovation

A Sanford H. Calhoun High School student recently organized the revamping of a layground at a church where he attended preschool.

Ian Conlon, a senior at the Merrick school, led the installation of a new swing set and other playground equipment on the property of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Merrick. The project was partially funded using $3,000 Conlon raised through a car wash as well as donations from family and friends.

Conlon, a Boy Scout, tackled the effort as part of a project for his Eagle Scout Award, the highest achievement attainable within the Boy Scouts of America. He is a member of Troop 351. 

"I definitely had a lot of great memories there, so when it came time to pick who I wanted to help for my project the first place I decided to reach out to was the church," Conlon said. "The first thing they said was that their playground was not in the best shape, so we brainstormed and over the course of a couple months came up with ideas."

The project consisted of first removing the previous playground equipment as well as adjacent fencing and eight benches, Conlon said. Some of the new equipment — including the monkey bars and slide — were funded through a "generous donation" by a parent and installed by Discount Playground Supply.

Conlon, 17, is also a member of his school's Art Honor Society, Art Club, Film Club and Racial Equity Club. 

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.