One of the successful experiences I had in making / creating / achieving something as a group would have to be my Eagle Scout Project. My project’s first stage was to scrub and wash a wood-shed, which is a component of the Oakley Farmhouse, a historical site dating back to the 1600’s. Afterwards it was freshly coated with a layer of white paint and primer, specifically chosen so that the farmhouse would be able to endure for future generations to come back and see the site. Additionally, there was a need to move several raspberry bushes growing along the shed to a secondary location on the property, so that they might be closer to the community garden. The historical site itself is home to several local historical groups and is used for wedding venues on occasion as well as a variety of other tasks. Besides the general up-keep of the site, the project also serves to supplement Elizabeth Oakley’s wish that the farm be preserved and saved for later generations to experience the farm. The project went at a faster pace than expected. Part of it was that we had a few more people than expected, who were very productive, which helped in terms of the rate. People who came along were very useful and compliant, quickly acting out upon my delegated orders. The scrubbing process went well, especially with the extra buckets brought along. When the preparations for handwashing and scrubbing became evident, using buckets from home, we filled them with water and added the algaecide. This allowed the team the team to work on multiple points of the wall and could be applied at the same time by different groups. The overall teamwork of the group went quite well in terms of chemistry, and the efficient and hard-working nature of the group was a big contribution. The moving of the bushes also went well and was completed by the time the scrubbers reached that side of the building, allowing them to continue uninterrupted. Although it was a group activity, it was an activity in which the presence of a designated leader in charge of delegation and management was essential.
Category: prep note
My high school friends and I had talked about taking a trip to see a concrete arrow for months. The group of us bonded over our love for our AP US History class, and we knew that if we made it to a concrete arrow (used for aviation purposes after WWI, before GPS), our teacher would put the picture in his PowerPoint presentation and we would be immortalized forever in high school history lore! Eventually, we decided to go to an arrow that was two hours north of us. We found a clear Saturday and packed into my friend’s car, building the perfect playlist as we went. But when we arrived at the spot, we found that the arrow was in the middle of a military base, and there was no way for us to access it. So we drove home, continuing our playlist-building, and vowed to plan a trip to southern Utah, where we knew there was an arrow open to the public. But a month into the summer, we hadn’t actually done anything to accomplish our goal. Then, out of the blue, one person started taking control of things and started asking questions about the logistics of the trip – when everyone was available, who had a car that could fit us all, etc. We followed his lead, and started actively planning the trip. It required a sacrifice from all of us; Tyler had to settle for only one day of hiking, Mauree and Emily had to deal with cramped sleeping conditions, Sam had the job of keeping me occupied on the road, Alli missed an event back home, and I drove eleven hours in two days to get there and back. We each gave up something good – convenience, good beds, etc. – in order to have an even better total experience, one we had dreamed of for so long. And if somehow we grow apart now that we’re all scattered across the world, at least we’ll always be together in the picture our teacher will show his APUSH classes every year, and beyond that, we’ll always have the memories that we made with each other in southern Utah.