Junior Jack Switzer leads effort to renovate courtyard between math, history hallways

Thirty-five friends answered Jack Switzer’s call to update the courtyard near Room 110 Lab on Saturday, April 22 for Switzer’s Eagle Scout project. Photo by Switzer.

Jack Switzer’s career as a Boy Scout began 11 years ago when a recruiting committee came into his first-grade class. Switzer signed up and has stuck with it ever since. From the very beginning, Switzer aspired to one day rise through the ranks and earn the title of Eagle Scout.

Now in his junior year, Switzer is about to do just that. All he has to do is complete his Eagle Scout project: to restore the courtyard between the math and history hallways.

“[The project] has to have at least 24 total man-made hours, and it has to benefit an organization that does not benefit the Scouts,” Switzer said

Fixing up a neglected courtyard not only met the requirements, Switzer said, but it seemed like a worthwhile thing to do.

“I had always walked past [the courtyard] during passing periods, and it just seemed very unkempt,” Switzer said. “I saw an opportunity for a good project to be done there, so I took advantage of that.”

Switzer had to get authorization before he could start his project.

“I had to talk to a lot of people,” Switzer said. “I had to talk to Mr. Garrison and then I had to talk to the Head Eagle Coordinator to get approval for it, and I had to get a lot of paperwork signed.”

Once Switzer was approved to do his project, he took the steps to make it happen. Switzer recruited a group of students to help him with his project. On Saturday morning, April 22, they assembled at the courtyard and updated the weed barriers and put all the excess dirt in the center to make a flower garden.

“I am very happy with the outcome,” Switzer said. “I think it looks very nice. I’m glad I was able to do it.”

Junior JB Faught was among the 35 students who helped Switzer with his project. After the McCallum Christian Community, or MCC, had their service day, Faught saw an opportunity to help Switzer with his project and thought it was a good opportunity for them to go out and serve.

“I love working hard jobs and improving our school,” Faught said. “It was a lot of fun. Lots of hands were needed, and I was happy to loan mine for the Saturday.”

Junior Sarah Kay Stephens also contributed to Switzer’s project. Stephens said that because Switzer is such a dedicated, hardworking person that she wanted to help him in any way that she could.

“I really like yard work and manual labor, and just getting to see a physical outcome of all the hard work that you put in,” Stephens said. “I think [the courtyard] is gorgeous, and I really hope that the administration will let it open up so we can start using it as a gathering space.”

Switzer was able to fulfill his Eagle Scout Project with the help from his peers, and once Switzer finishes filling out all of his reflection paper work, he will be able to attain the rank of an Eagle Scout.

Though this may be the end of his project, Switzer hopes to continue to work on the courtyard next year.
“I plan on starting a club next year that’s dedicated to the maintenance of the courtyard,” Switzer said. “And any other outdoor areas around the school.”