In the spring of the 2023 school year, North Andover High School student and Life Scout of Troop 87, Finn Donnelly, is planning to run an Eagle Scout project that will benefit his high school. This project is to help Sara Durkin who is the coordinator of the music department at the high school. Throughout this project, he will be refurbishing the chorus practice rooms. Donnelly has been unable to participate in the high school band because he's a violinist and violin instruction is not offered at this school.
According to Mark Donnelly, a Scoutmaster for Troop 87, an Eagle Scout project is “intended to help a scout mature in leadership skills and benefits the community as well.” This is achieved by leading a project that will help the community the scout is in. While the scout does not directly have to do work, they have to lead a group of adults and kids to get the job done.
Donnelly is planning on leading a group of 6-8 people to complete this task. His group will consist of two adults and 4-6 children. The people helping can be other scouts or even volunteers that are passionate about the project.
Donnelly wants the chorus practice rooms to be a usable space for students to enjoy. Throughout the project, Donnelly will be cleaning, painting, and building trophy cases. These trophy cases will be built in Donnelly’s garage and transported to the school when they are finished. They will be put into the freshly painted and cleaned rooms and filled with the trophies that are currently in storage. Donnelly expects that this whole project will take 6-8 weeks to complete.
Materials used to complete Eagle Scout projects can be donated or obtained by the scout. Donnelly says one of the main contributors is local hardware stores; if you inform them of your project, they can offer spare lumber or other materials.
Getting an Eagle Scout project approved is a difficult process. Not only do you have to get permission from the community, but also the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Currently, Donnelly has already received permission from the school board to complete this project and now has to put an application into BSA.
As next school year starts, we might have a new usable space, and projects like this keep the community turning. It is important to start other projects in our communities and make a positive difference in the world.