Recent Grad Earns Eagle Scout Ranking

Every time he walked by the Wonder Garden—seven planter boxes along the western edge of campus—senior Eli Jacobsen noticed that the once-flourishing greenspace had begun to languish. And as a then-aspiring Eagle Scout, he saw an opportunity: to restore the garden for Westmark Lions to connect with the environment and one another.

The service project of sanding, staining, and resoiling the planter boxes would fulfill one of the key requirements for Eli, who began scouting as a kindergartner, to advance from Life Scout to the highest scouting rank of Eagle Scout. Eli first drafted a proposal that was approved by Westmark, his scoutmaster, and his scouting district. He then purchased the materials and scheduled two days in May to complete the project. 

“The most challenging part,” Eli reflected, “was getting everything done in the timeframe.” Eli’s team of fellow scouts, family, and a few Westmark staff were delayed by rain one day and experienced extreme heat the next, in addition to a few of their tools breaking in the process. “But we were motivated to finish,” he added. By the end of the second day, the team had realized Eli’s vision for the space.

With his service project complete, Eli attained the highest scout ranking of Eagle Scout in an online ceremony later in May. But he’s not finished with gardening at Westmark. He plans to return to plant seeds in the refurbished boxes during his college breaks from the University of Redlands: “The first day I get back, I’ll call the School!”