Meet K4C microgrant recipient Jack (14) from MD! For his Eagle Scout project, Jack and team created, renovated, and added activities for eco camps and school groups that use Pickering Creek Audubon Center to learn about the outdoors and enjoy nature. 

1. What inspired you to start this project? Pickering Creek is an outdoor camp that I have attended since I was six years old. It is a special place to me and I feel that it is a really important area for kids to play outdoors and to learn about the environment around the Chesapeake. I really wanted to add something to Pickering Creek to make visitors’ and campers’ experiences really great when they go there. I worked with Pickering Creek to understand what would help visitors have better access to trails and for campers and students to enjoy their time outdoors more. I was really motivated to contribute to making Pickering Creek even more inviting than it already is!
2. While working on your project, what surprised you? I was really surprised at how quickly the work went when all my friends and community members came together. I anticipated it would take a lot longer to build a bridge and build the play area structures than it did.
3. What do you feel you learned from this experience? I feel that I learned how to delegate tasks and how to work together with people instead of just doing things myself. I also learned that everybody has different skills and things to bring to the table. I also learned that sometimes when constructing a plan, things won’t always go according to the diagram, and you have to figure out how to make changes very quickly. I also learned how important it is to plan ahead for big projects and have all tools and materials ready beforehand to make the project successful.
4. How did Karma for Cara impact your project? I would not been able to purchase any of the lumber without Karma for Cara funding. I didn’t realize how expensive treated lumber is and it would have been very difficult to raise these funds on my own while going to school. I am really grateful for the help on this project!
5. How will your project continue to impact others? I think my project will continue to impact others because the bridge will last a really long time and it gives visitors access to different trails and different parts of Pickering Creek that were not accessible as easily before the bridge. The play area apparatuses will be so much fun for students who come to visit at school and kids who participate in Pickering Creek’s EcoCamp. They are also built to be very sturdy and will be able to be used for many years!
6. How many hours did you spend on your project? 31
7. How many youth volunteers or students were involved in your project? 7
8. How many total hours did other youth volunteers or students spend on your project?  9