Extreme Makeovers, Round 37: Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos
This is the 37th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here.
COVID-19 note: Some of these Eagle projects were completed before the pandemic, meaning the photos may not necessarily depict coronavirus-related health and safety protocols.
To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles are asked to include with their post-project report.
The latest batch of 15 projects includes an 1800s-style entrance gate in California, a butterfly house in Maryland and a shot put pit in Ohio.
What’s great is that you can multiply each individual act of stupendous service by roughly 50,000. That’s how many Eagle Scout projects get completed every single year.
TIP: Click/tap and drag the slider below each image to see the change.
Blake from North Carolina
Who: Blake, Troop 198, Charlotte, N.C.
What: Blake and his helpers built a gazebo for residents of the town of Harrisburg, N.C. The gazebo is a place to relax, hold small concerts and host visits with Santa during the annual Christmas tree lighting.
Aryan from New Jersey
Who: Aryan, Troop 46, Montgomery, N.J.
What: Aryan and his helpers created an outdoor sketch area for the art department at the middle school in Montgomery.
Joseph from Georgia
Who: Joseph, Troop 5, Clarkesville, Ga.
What: Joseph and his helpers prepared a 157-year-old hemlock slab for display at the Old Clarkesville Cemetery. The group placed dates on the hemlock slab to note major historical events in American and Clarkesville history during the life of the tree.
Matthew from Maryland
Who: Matthew, Troop 355, Baltimore, Md.
What: Matthew and his helpers built a butterfly house. It allows visitors to Marshy Point Nature Center to interact with the butterflies they now keep on exhibit.
Marco from California
Who: Marco, Troop 985. Whittier, Calif.
What: Marco and his helpers built a bench and rest area at East Whittier United Methodist Church. They also trenched, installed sprinklers and planted succulents to help beautify the space and provide a nice shady spot.
Arjun from California
Who: Arjun, Troop 939, Livermore, Calif.
What: Arjun and his helpers designed and installed an 1800s-style ranch entrance gate at Hagemann Ranch for the Livermore Heritage Guild.
Connor from Rhode Island
Who: Connor, Troop 152, North Kingstown, R.I.
What: Connor and his helpers removed rotted and dangerous planks over wet areas of Beaver River Preserve in Richmond, R.I., for the Nature Conservancy. They built three bog bridges and one custom foot bridge over a small stream. The bridges helped make the hiking trail safer and more accessible.
Mason from Georgia
Who: Mason, Troop 170, Macon, Ga.
What: Mason and his helpers built a bridge over the spillway at the running trail located at First Presbyterian Day School in Macon.
Daniel from New York
Who: Daniel, Troop 298, New Hyde Park, N.Y.
What: Daniel and his helpers landscaped and beautified an area of Averill Boulevard Park in Franklin Square, N.Y., and erected a monument to first responders.
Toby from Germany
Who: Toby, Troop 240, Vilseck, Germany
What: Toby and his helpers built an awning over the entryway of a church that serves the American military community stationed at Rose Barracks, Germany.
Dylan from Michigan
Who: Dylan, Troop 33, Hamilton, Mich.
What: Dylan and his helpers installed a patio and revitalized the landscaping around the flagpole at Riverside Cemetery in Hamilton.
Wyatt from Washington
Who: Wyatt, Troop 1506, Tracyton, Wash.
What: Wyatt and his helpers built and installed a fire pit and four benches at the Seabeck Community Center in Seabeck, Wash.
Dylan from Illinois
Who: Dylan, Troop 43, Mt Zion, Ill.
What: Dylan and his helpers created a prayer garden at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Decatur, Ill. The project included stonework leading up to two hand-built cedar benches and a repositioned birdbath adorned with flowers that faces the stained glass windows of the church. They also created a custom-built shrine for the crucifix selected for that purpose and paid for with money Dylan raised for the project. Excess funds were used to landscape the surrounding area as well as replace the concrete sidewalk, which served as inspiration for a generous donation to replace the concrete steps and landing.
Evan from Ohio
Who: Evan, Troop 101, St Henry, Ohio
What: Evan and his helpers refurbished the local high school’s shot put pit by replacing wood borders with concrete curbs, adding a landscaping mat to prevent weeds, and power-washing the existing concrete throwing slab.
Nico from Virginia
Who: Nico, Troop 1396, Lake Ridge, Va.
What: Nico and his helpers updated the existing outdoor area at Alternative Paths Training School (ATPS) in Fredericksburg, Va., ensuring that staff and students can reap the benefits of growing their own produce.
See more in this series
Like these? See more here.
Learn how to submit your photos
Have before-and-after Eagle photos I can use in future posts? Go here to learn how to send them to me.
Read about the Adams award for outstanding Eagle projects
The Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award honors outstanding Eagle projects.
An Eagle Scout, their parents, or any registered BSA volunteer (with the Eagle Scout’s permission) may submit the Eagle Scout service project for consideration by filling out the nomination form found here.
Visit the Scout Life Eagle Project Showcase
For even more great Eagle projects, check out the Scout Life Eagle Project Showcase.
Photo credits
All photos are courtesy of each aspiring Eagle Scout and their family.