Last fall, Mitchel Schnaufer completed his Boy Scout Eagle Scout project by building raised garden beds and creating signage for plants to be added along the walking trail at Vets Park. The Eagle Scout is the highest rank in boy Scouts. Mitchel has been involved in Scouting since kindergarten with Troop 603. Along his journey he has enjoyed scout camp, 50-mile bike rides, many service projects, working with younger boys as they discovered scouting and earning 30 merit badges!
For his project, he worked with the school’s NACT members to decide what plants would be planted so that signs could be created with the Seneca names for the plants as well as some uses of each plant. On a rainy October day, several friends and family members helped Mitch to install the signs and raised beds. This spring, Mitchel worked with Dr. Beehler to get the plants ordered and Mitchel planted seeds and live plants in the beds and along the trail. This was above and beyond the scope of his Eagle project. Weekly, Mitch goes to water and tend to the plants until he leaves for college in August.
This past week, he worked alongside the Summer STEAM camp garden campers to weed and mulch along the trail. He will be turning over care of the trail to the school’s garden clubs this fall.
Mitchel’s court of honor was held Saturday, June 29th at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Several members of Mitchel’s family participated in his ceremony as previous Eagle and Life scouts. Several members of Troop 603 also participated in the Court of Honor, recognizing Mitchel’s achievement.
