Baltimore County Eagle Scout Makes A Difference One Step At A Time
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- A Baltimore County Eagle Scout is getting recognized for a community project that makes it easier for people to get around.
Ethan Earle and fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 732 built a 50-foot stairway on the Indian Rock Park's Northeast Trail in Nottingham, not far from Perry Hall High School.
The goal of the project, Earle told WJZ, was to make the path easier for people to negotiate.
"I took (the project) up because it was something a little bit different," Earle told WJZ.
Before the stairway was built, a stretch of the trail was muddy and the terrain wasn't the easiest for people to use.
"Once I found that and the fact that there are actual students going through this messy, muddy hill, I decided, 'Why not improve it and make it a more accessible area for the community?'" Earle said.
The troop cut pieces of lumber and assembled them into individual steps, then placed them along the path. Once that was complete, they filled in the steps with gravel.
The finished product became an instant hit with the community.
"I've also seen an uptick in community members using it as well because now it's easier access," resident Patty Warren said.
The stairway also earned Earle some well-deserved recognition from his peers.
In fact, the Baltimore Area Council of the Boy Scouts America named the stairwell its Eagle Project of the Year, setting it apart from hundreds of other submissions.
Earle will be honored Thursday evening at the Boy Scouts' annual Gathering of the Eagles dinner, a networking opportunity that brings together hundreds of Eagle Scouts.
The teen's troop leader is among those who are proud of Earle's accomplishment.
"To me, it means that the boys are working hard," Boy Scout Troop 732 Scout Master Bob Jones said. "They're out volunteering in the community and they're doing projects that are worthwhile and help people in the community, as Ethan has done."
Earle, who said he was humbled by the honor, said the skills he's acquired as a scout are helping him prepare for life as an adult.
"It also shows that you're willing to put in everything that you've got, shows you have determination and will," he said.