Read All About It

"If you're going somewhere always bring a book."

It's a motto Sam Lawrence grew up with and one that will ultimately help him achieve his Eagle Scout rank.

"Now is the time libraries need to be used so we don't lose them," said the 17-year-old Grayslake North High School student.

Lawrence has been going to the library since he was young. He describes his family as a family of readers, and says kids today don't realize how much the library has to offer. A Boy Scout since he was seven, Lawrence has always wanted to finish the program and earn the highest rank possible.  

In May, he came up with the idea to use the library to do that. Lawrence has organized and will run the children's story time in conjunction with the bi-annual book sale next weekend. 

"I'm going to push on and do the best I can do," he said about the planning process.

The requirements are to organize and plan a community service event. Lawrence has put in nearly 20 hours of work writing proposals and plans, getting the commitment of guest readers including school and city officials, getting the approval of several scout leaders, securing refreshments, publicizing the event and working closely with the Friends of the Library to help with the bi-annual book sale. Lawrence is also planning a book drive for mid-November. He hopes to collect 250 used books that will be used for the spring book sale.

"He seems to be an exceptional high school student," said Roberta Thomas, director of the Grayslake Public Library. "He seems to have it all under control. He has the ideas and he can follow through with them."

It is a lot of work for an already busy teen. Lawrence is a theater buff just finishing as one of three directors for the One-Act plays put on by the green room Theatre Company at GNHS. He also emceed the Live for Music event at the high school with American Idol finalist Shaun Barrowes last weekend.

Now Lawrence is working on learning lines for his role in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing that will run in November. Lawrence began a Teenage Republicans student group at the high school and is also working at applying to colleges for next year, writing entrance essays about the leadership and perseverance Boy Scouts has taught him. He plans to major in Political Science.

"It is a lot of work and you don't realize it until you go through it," says his mom, Susan Lawrence.

The book sale will be at the Grayslake Public Library located at 100 Library Lane on Friday, Oct. 22 from 2:30 – 6 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m. The drop-in Children's Story time will take place on Saturday from 2 – 5 p.m. No reservations are needed. Refreshments will be served.