BY LINDA SMITH 

As a culmination to earning their Eagle Scout Rank, McGuire Boles and Pearson Smith of Boy Scout Troop 890 (chartered by Lake Highlands United Methodist Church), took on a semester-long Eagle Project of reconstructing the pavestone blocks border and landscape around the  “LH” logo on the Lake Highlands High School campus.  The distinctive landmark on the grounds in front of the auditorium was originally part of an Eagle Project completed 12 years ago, according to Dr. Bob Iden, recently retired principal of LHHS.  “Dr. Iden told me he would like to change out the stone to match the rest of the new addition at the front entrance to the high school building, back in February of 2008 when I asked him for project ideas,” explained Pearson Smith. 

These two very busy junior-year students from LHHS took time out from their studies and extra-curricular activities in the LHHS Marching Band, LHHS Tennis Team, LHHS Choir, National Honor Society, and ongoing Boy Scout duties to recruit numerous volunteers to help with the project on Saturdays from July through December of 2008.  The project consisted of removing the pavestone blocks that encircled the “LH” logo and replacing it with one layer of chopped Austin Stone, topped with a custom-designed concrete cap in a block shape, and enclosing the logo in a field of black lava rock. Then, the two scouts and volunteers cleared and landscaped the area adjoining the square with Asian Jasmine and mulch. 

The concrete caps that were placed on top of the stone were custom cast inside a plastic gutter leaf guards that were used as molds.  Pearson and his father, Dean Smith, embossed the top of the caps with the “LH” logo and Wildcat paw prints before the caps dried, that would give the caps a sense of Wildcat school spirit.

The project consists of more than just physical labor.  An Eagle Scout project includes detailed planning, obtaining approval to proceed from school and Troop 890 authorities, collecting donations for the supplies of the project, recruiting volunteers from the community, and directing the volunteers throughout the completion of the project.  The donors benefiting the project were Greg Wyatt of Wyatt & Associates, Cole Smith, Jr. of Crow Bar Constructors, Cole Smith, Sr. of Smith, Ekblad & Associates, Inc., and The Home Depot.  The various volunteers included other LHHS students, boy scouts from their troop, and neighbors from the community that could give their time on Saturday mornings.   At the conclusion of the project, McGuire Boles offered, “Pearson and I say ‘thank you’ donors, our parents, Troop 890, the LakeHighlandsHigh School administration, and the volunteers for assisting in this community service project and for contributing to our success in achieving the Eagle Rank.”

Linda Smith is the mother of Pearson Smith and past President of Troop 890's Mother's Club