Eagle Scouts ready to soar
A Largo park benefits from the work of young men who are earning Scouting's highest rank.
By DOROTHY WEINBERG
Published May 28, 2006
LARGO - The four projects share two things in common.
They all spruced up the grounds of the Florida Botanical Gardens at Pinewood Cultural Park.
And they all cleared the way for their organizers to become Eagle Scouts.
n Mark Johnson, 17, of Largo and his friends in Troop 371 built an observation deck in the gardens at Pinewood Cultural Park for his Eagle Scout project.
n His 16-year-old brother, Keith, coordinated his own team to build planter boxes in the gardens along a creek. Keith hopes to become an Eagle Scout once the local Scouting council's Board of Review assesses his project.
n Lance Russell, 17, with the help of 14 other Scouts, spruced up the gardens with about 400 plants. He is awaiting his approval as an Eagle Scout.
n And this month, Matt Carter, 17, picked restoring McKay Creek to improve the gardens' drainage as his project.
Pinewood horticultural manager Vernon Bryant oversaw the projects.
"The boys worked like troupers," Bryant said. "I don't have enough staff to do what needs to be done around here. There's always a great benefit when the Scouts do projects. It helps to expand our maintenance effort without additional taxpayers' dollars."
Mark Johnson sees being an Eagle Scout as a ticket to future success.
"Being an Eagle Scout helps you in school or in the military," he said. "It helps to get higher ranks and works wonders on a resume."
His brother Keith added: "It was fun being a leader. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouting, and not many people achieve it."
Less than 5 percent of those who begin the Scouting program become Eagle Scouts, according to Boy Scouts of America.
Carter viewed his project as "a chance to use my own creativity."
Scouting gives these young men a chance not only to work on projects, but also to aim toward career goals. In Carter's case, that means becoming a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Scoutmaster Greg Papandrew of Largo became an Eagle Scout 25 years ago in the troop he now leads. He sees each Scout's Eagle project as a learning experience that will help them succeed as well as a lesson in "how to bring materials and people together for a project."
Aspiring Eagle Scouts have to come up with a plan, a tool list, parts and materials.
"It's a benefit for the community," Papandrew said. "At the same time, the boys leave their mark. They all had their own management styles. I think they all did a great job."