The sixth floor at my high school had been collecting dust for years. It was where people put stuff they didn’t need anymore: metal file cabinets, chairs, boxes, and old televisions. At the beginning of my junior year, I started to think that I could use this room to help the community. I reached out to lots of people in the school. But it was the athletic director’s idea that really resonated with me — to create a weight room for students. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is what a lot of students need: a place where they can get healthy by staying out of trouble, achieving fitness goals, and building confidence in themselves.

This then became my Eagle Scout project. The first step was to clear out the room. This was a lot of work. We recycled the wood and metal from the furniture and spent months lifting, hauling, and mopping.

Now we’re in phase two: fundraising. To make my dream a reality, we need money to buy squat racks, rubber mats, benches and weights. I want to make this room a beautiful space that students will want to spend time in.

I know what it’s like to have bad times. When my mother’s car was stolen, I didn’t know how to help. When my sister was mugged and got a black eye, it hurt me to watch her in pain. It’s the faith I learned at Old Pine that has got me through. I remember when I was confirmed and I read my statement in front of the congregation, something shifted inside of me. I realized that it was my faith that would allow me to push through the difficulties of life. I hope to have this faith passed onto students who may need it so that they can achieve their own goals.