The final days of August traditionally may be the lazy, hazy dog days of summer, but for Troop 97 Boy Scout Eagle Scout Candidate Ben Ackert, there was plenty of work to do. At the end of August, Ackert was endeavoring to complete his Eagle Scout Service Project, a venture that had been months in the making.
An Eagle Scout Service Project provides an opportunity for an Eagle Scout Candidate to demonstrate the many skills acquired during his tenure as a Boy Scout, including those learned during leadership training. An Eagle Scout candidate must “plan, develop and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school or his community.” The Eagle Scout Service Project is a required element for and a major step towards the completion of the Eagle rank. Only 6 percent of Boy Scouts have achieved the rank of Eagle in recent years.
Last winter, Ackert decided that he wanted to do some type of landscaping project at Munsey Park Elementary School for his Eagle Scout project. Initially, the scope of his project included re-landscaping along the walkway into the east parking lot, together with leaf and litter clean-up. Ackert met with Dr. Jean Kendall, principal at Munsey Park Elementary School, to present his project plans. Dr. Kendall enthusiastically approved his proposal. After some further discussion, it was agreed to modify the re-landscaping aspect of the project to include the area by the auditorium doors where a large number of students enter the school building in the morning.
Ackert recruited a number of fellow Boy Scouts and Manhasset High School students to be members of his work team. Among the scouts eager to help was Forest Hills resident and Eagle Scout Michael Sweeney. Michael, whose Eagle project was the renovation of several trails in Forest Park, Queens said, “I was glad to come out and help Ackert. He was a volunteer with my project, and I am glad to return the favor. That’s part of Scouting, supporting and helping out your fellow Scouts.”
Work team members spent two days picking up and transporting the landscaping materials needed, including 120 bags of top soil and mulch. Favorable weather followed, allowing Ackert and his team to stay on schedule and complete the leaf/litter clean-up and re-landscaping on the Friday and Saturday before school reopened for students on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Dr. Kendall is very pleased with the end result of the project and happy that her students were able to start the new school year in such beautiful surroundings. She expresses her appreciation of Ackert’s leadership, determination, creativity, and hard work. Dr. Kendall is so impressed by the success of Ackert’s Eagle project that she welcomes inquiries about other possible landscaping projects from future Eagle Scout candidates.
Ackert extends his gratitude to Linda and Anthony Gurino of Manhasset for the use of their SUV and trailer to transport the over 5,000 pounds of materials and to Karen Hicks Courts of Hicks Nurseries, who made a community contribution toward the project and gave Ackert access to the commercial sales department. Special thanks to Hicks Donations Coordinator Ann Trimboli, who helped Ackert navigate the purchasing process.
For more information about the mission and programs of Boy Scouts of America, visit the website at www.scouting.org.
