A West Hartford Eagle Scout candidate describes his project, which is now in place at all three of the town’s public middle schools.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

Submitted by Aaron Shamshtein, Troop 163

As an alum of the KP Jazz band program, a Life Scout in Troop 163, and a current sophomore and Jazz Ensemble member at Hall High School, I know firsthand how much dedication goes into the music program across West Hartford Public Schools.

When it came time to choose my Eagle Scout Service Project, I wanted to connect my passion for music with my gratitude to the WHPS band directors. To accomplish this, I designed and recently completed building band director podiums for each of the middle schools in town. These professional-grade conducting platforms at King Philip, Bristow, and Sedgwick would provide a reliable and effective way of leading students during concerts.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

The project didn’t turn out to be so easy after all. It required careful planning and decisions that would positively impact each band director. To ensure that the project could be carried out safely, I consulted a professional contractor and changed a few things from my original design based on his insights.

In late April of 2026, I started the project. Tile America of West Hartford contributed free pallets and Home Depot of Bloomfield provided a $50 discount, which greatly reduced the cost of the project. I partnered with my dad and the professional contractor to help carry out the construction phase, at which time I also learned new skills.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

Once the main platforms were fully assembled, a group of scouts from troop 163 helped me finish the remainder of the project. Together, we sanded down the rough edges of the podiums to eliminate any potential hazards and finished by staining the podiums to ensure they looked professional.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

The project was officially completed and I delivered each of the podiums directly to the middle school band directors with the help of my father and brother, Ethan. The band directors were thrilled to use the new podiums for their future concerts. Mr. Schofer, the Bristow band director, used it right away for their end of the year concert and publicly expressed his appreciation. Seeing it being used was an extremely rewarding experience. I felt as if I was contributing a piece of history to the town.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

Now that each middle school has a new podium, my last step of obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout would be officially completing the Eagle Scout Board of Review. This project taught me that if I am determined to reach any of my goals and don’t give up, I can accomplish great things. I am incredibly proud to leave a long-lasting mark on the community as a whole, and hope the podiums serve the directors for many years to come.

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

Aaron Shamshtein and a team of volunteers constructed podiums for all three of the West Hartford Public Schools middle school band directors. Courtesy photo

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