Kenny Wang, Eagle Scout
Total Volunteer Hours Worked: 105
For my project we removed the old worn down shelf that was being used to hold the majority of Ye Art Studio’s art supplies and constructed a new sturdier shelf with features requested by Ye Art Studio’s owner, such as wheels. This new shelf will be able to hold the same supplies as the old shelf and more due to its sturdier design, allowing Ye Art Studio to be able to hold more art supplies which can be used for the art classes and art exhibitions it hosts for the non-profit organization the Lumino International Center of Arts.
Observations and Challenges
The final result was very well made and satisfied the beneficiary greatly, and is currently being put to good use holding more art supplies than the old shelf. The turnout of volunteers, both scouts and adults, was also very high, as we had lots of scouts and adult leaders for both shifts and manpower was certainly not an issue.
They say no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and that was especially true for my build day. While we were able to successfully complete everything during the designated shifts, we ran into some hiccups with the fasteners and diagonal wooden supports. With the fasteners like the metal brackets and screws, I had initially purchased nails that would be used to fasten the vertical wooden uprights to the bottom board, however we had difficulties with this and had to go purchase screws instead. The screws we purchased were smaller than the nails, so we had to use some of the brackets intended for other uses on the bottom board, and had to recycle some of the brackets and screws from the old shelf to complete the new one. The diagonal wooden supports required very precise measurements to be able to slot into the spaces between the shelves, and we had to recut the precut lumber to get them to fit. Despite these two setbacks, we completed the project on the build day and it turned out great.
Changes (from original proposal)
We decided not to include diagonal supports between the top two shelves to save time and per the beneficiary’s request, as he did not want the shelf to be too heavy and unwieldy and did not plan to store anything heavy on the top layers anyways. We also had to change the layouts of brackets and screws due to the challenges described in the section above. We had to use some of the brackets to stabilize the bottom of the shelf and had to recycle some of the brackets from the old shelf to make up for the difference in brackets.
Leadership
As the overseer for my own project, I had to take charge of guiding the volunteers and making sure things went ahead accurately to the proposal. Since I was most familiar with the design of the shelf, I had to explain various parts of the design and building process to the volunteers in order for the shelf to be built. I also had to manage the jobs each person was performing, as it was a very large shelf and there were lots of things being assembled at once.
Having to juggle multiple different things at once was very challenging. When we discovered that nails weren’t going to work, I had to think of an alternative plan, keep progress going and people working, and figure out how to complete this new plan and how it would affect the rest of the design, all at the same time. Considering suggestions of the volunteers and managing their wellbeing during the project was another thing I had to devote lots of effort to, and I had to find a balance between sticking to the proposal and improvising based on their feedback.
Seeing the final result and the fruition of months of planning and paperwork was an immensely rewarding feeling that I hope to be able to experience again someday. Knowing that I was able to bring my envisioned project together with the help of a team I was responsible for managing filled me with a sense of accomplishment, and seeing all of the volunteers passionately working and celebrating when the project was complete made me feel like I did a good job, as the wellbeing and happiness of those around me is very important to me as a leader.
I learned that there are certain leadership skills that are necessities. The ability to quickly think on your feet and being able to adapt when you encounter hiccups is vital to keep progress moving and ensure you do not lose your goal. Being able to put your ego aside and be open-minded and listen to your team is another vital skill, as without a well-organized and passionate team that is as dedicated to your goal as you are, nothing can get done.These skills that I have learned from my project build day will be skills that I will take into my future life throughout and that I will carry into any endeavor.
Work days + finished product