By Jessica Park
Senior Sam McCallum helped beautify the East school entrance this past summer by leading a garden improvement project as part of his Eagle Scout Project. Sam organized a group of volunteers to repair and paint the school’s flower boxes and plant new perennials. Their work refreshed the entrance garden near the flagpole, creating a welcoming space for students, staff, and visitors.
The new garden includes Echinacea, primrose, lavender, Shasta daisies, and several other species. Sam said the plants were selected with both appearance and local environmental benefits.
“When we chose our plants, we chose mainly pollinators—friendly plants not only for their hardy nature and attractive colors, but also for the benefit they provide to our local pollinator species such as honeybees, bumblebees, and monarch butterflies,” McCallum said.
Sam recruited volunteers through Scout Troop 457, social media posts, and communication with school faculty. The work was organized by task, with teams tackling different parts of the project each day.
One of the most memorable parts of the project was, McCallum said, was seeing the response from the school community.
“What really stood out to me while we were doing the project was how excited the students, faculty, and district officials were about the project once we got started,” Sam said. “I continue to get a very surprising amount of positive feedback about how amazing the beds look and how surprising the transformation is.”
After the project was completed, Sam said he felt “immensely proud” of the improvements they had made to the front of the school and was excited for the gardens to be enjoyed by the community. He hopes the project will have a lasting effect on those who pass by the entrance.
“I hope everyone who walks by the gardens feels pride in their school and finds the same joy I do when admiring the beds and their contents,” he said.
McCallum also offered advice for students considering similar service or improvement projects.
“I’d strongly advise you to do your research before undertaking any improvements and make sure to pay attention to detail,” he said. “Littel things add up and can totally change the way the work turns out.”
The school’s Garden Club plans to continue caring for the front gardens while restoring the back gardens and creating new garden areas. Sam McCallum is already looking forward to what comes next.
“In the Garden Club, we have already started discussions about redoing flower beds in the rear of the school and maybe doing a bird habitat area,” he said. “I’m very excited to see what we can do.”
The Garden Club offers students a chance to contribute to the school grounds while participating in community service. Students can earn volunteer hours for government class and the Seal of Civic Readiness through participation in the Club. Anyone interested in joining the Garden Club should contact Mrs. Caller.