Eagle Scout: Caleb Waller
My eagle project involved the restoration of the Smith Switch station rest stop on the Washington & Old Dominion trail at Ashburn, VA. This station is an incredibly important and popular rest stop along the trail due its plethora of resources helpful to bikers. Despite its significance and popularity, the overall look of the area was unprofessional.
The restoration can be summarized as a beautification of the area. The project consisted of moving and transporting gravel in certain areas (e.g, notice board, water fountain) to the Porta Johns area as well as replacing old wooden beams bordering the areas with new ones. The removal of gravel helped to reduce the workload of my beneficiary for it is less work to maintain a lawn of grass and weeds than it is to maintain gravel that constantly ran off onto the sidewalk during every rainfall.
After the approval of the project proposal, I began working on the plan. The plan demanded more specific planning for how the project will be handled and carried out. The work included tasks such as developing the budget by figuring out what specific materials, supplies, and tools will need to be pruchased before the day of the project along with how many and where they will be bought. Other tasks included planning out the phases and steps of the projects and the specific workers required to do the specific tasks required to complete the project.
Observations and Challenges
The weather during the project was perfect. Not only did the light rain scare off bikers & other users of the trail but it provided water for the grass seed to grow under the wheat. The amount of workers during the project was also perfect, there were enough workers to complete and fulfill different roles while also not having any workers standing idly by because they have nothing to do. Because there were enough workers to perform different tasks, the project was able to be finished faster than expected. I expected the project to go all day but we ended finishing earlier.
Changes (from Original Proposal)
The biggest challenge was making sure the wooden beams flanking the Porta Johns area were leveled. By the time we found out the beams were unleveled, they had already been hammered into the ground so we had to deal with the rebar already placed into the ground. One of the wooden beams was placed on unleveled ground and had to be propped up using rocks the beneficiary provided.
Leadership
I demonstrated leadership by making quick and timely decisions. If someone was unsure where the project was going or needed me to make a decision concerning the placement of materials or gravel, I would efficiently communicate my wishes for them so that we were on the same page. I also employed my team in accordance to their wants and abilities. For example, When a scout volunteer displayed exceptional competence using the sledgehammer to hammer in rebar, I had him handled the duties to efficiently complete the project.
The most difficult aspect of being a leader was improvising when an aspect of the project didn’t go as planned. You have to be able to make good decisions on where to take the project while also making sure volunteers displayed competence, and confidence in your abilities as a leader. The biggest reward of leadership was successfully guiding the group of scout volunteers to effectively and efficiently accomplish the task at hand. When I looked at the completed project, I felt like, if I put my mind to it, I could accomplish any task I wish to do.
The most important skill I learned was the value of planning. The Eagle project was but a glimpse into how real life events and projects should be handled. You should always start with a proposal outlining the main functions and aspects of the project, then you should continue to develop and plan ahead of your initial proposal, then is the plan finally ready to be carried out with utmost efficiency and professionalism. Additionally, paying attention to details is an skill to develop. As I continued planning in the future, my plan must stand up to the scrutiny.