“Boy Scouts is important to me because it has given me many great experiences and skills that I will be grateful for my whole life. I have gone on many camping trips that most other people will never get to experience. I have also learned many great skills such as leadership and responsibility that will influence the rest of my life,” said Eagle Scout John Murphy.
Murphy, a senior here at Notre Dame Academy, has been a scout since first grade and recently completed his mandatory Eagle Scout project.
“The Eagle Project is a project that each scout wanting to achieve the rank of Eagle has to complete. It includes stages such as a proposal, a plan, fundraising and executing the project. It is a major requirement to achieve the Eagle Scout Rank,” said Murphy.
Not many scouts make it to the rank of Eagle Scout before they age out of the program.
“For my Eagle Scout project, I created a new sign for the Heritage Hill State Historical Park Print Shop. The project involved researching designs, designing the sign and finally building and painting it,” said Murphy.
Heritage Hill State Historical Park is where the old military base Fort Howard is and is now today a tourist attraction with many live re-imagines and re-enactments of what life was like back in the 1800s.
“The main way my project has helped others is by identifying what the print shop is. Before my sign, tourists would not know what the print shop was. Now that it is labeled, it helps add to the historical immersion of Heritage Hill and gives the tourists a more enjoyable experience,” Murphy said.
Heritage Hill was not the only thing that gained from the project, however, as Murphy gained things from it as well.
“ I put many of the skills I have learned in scouting into action. Using my leadership and communication skills helped make me a better person and leader in the future. I also gained an appreciation for the work that goes into creating something,” said Murphy.
“This project is important to me because it is something that I can look at and be proud of. I know that I made that sign, and if it wasn’t for my hard work it wouldn’t be there. It is also important to me because it marks my Eagle Scout rank,” Murphy added.
The senior also added words that all students and aspiring Eagle Scouts can learn from.
“The biggest advice I have for future Eagle Scouts is to start early. You may think you have all the time in the world, but you really don’t. Get things done as early as possible and don’t put things off,” he said.
