By Staff Writer: Lexi Petroi
Howell High School’s Freshman Campus recently received a makeover, thanks to sophomore Joe Senecal, as a part of his Eagle Scout project.
“When I met with Ms. Goodwin she was actually the one who brought up the courtyard and I was interested in helping her out. The courtyard looked terrible so I decided that was the project I wanted to do,” says Senecal.
Before beginning, Senecal had to create a project proposal that showed the overview of the work that would be done. Senecal spent from February until June of 2013 planning and designing the landscaping. Once the final plan was approved, Senecal gathered his team and began their work weeding, staining picnic tables and decks, trimming and removing over grown plants, relocating perennials, laying down weed blocking fabric and spreading new mulch and gravel. Senecal also built four new wood benches and installed them around the courtyard.
This project was completed with the help from the Howell High School Interact Club, members of Eagle Scout Troops 362 and 364, Senecal’s family, and some members of student council. The Howell High School football team also helped Senecal by moving 44 thousand pounds of gravel from the school’s parking lot, down the hallways, and into the courtyard.
“My favorite part was learning how to be a leader. I learned how to coordinate and to get things done on time. It was just a ton of fun,” says Senecal.
Senecal bought most of the materials from Home Depot. Lucy’s Landscape supplied the gravel and mulch and Irish Construction donated other tools and wheelbarrows to help with the heavy lifting.
This was definitely not an easy task, considering the fact that Senecal and his team worked all throughout summer in Michigan’s humid weather.
“The hardest part of this project was the coordination of schedules between all of the groups that helped me,” says Senecal.
Senecal is recognized throughout the entire school for his wonderful achievement.
“Many teachers have come up to me and congratulated me. But I have also received a lot of respect from the kids my age and older,” says Senecal.
Senecal enjoyed this project because this was a way that he could improve the school and make it a positive environment for the students this year and for the many to come.
“I just wish more people would step up and help out. I do a lot of things and I’m busy all of the time but I made time to help others out. Anyone should be able to do that. I think I had a total of 277 service hours put into this project, and I would like to thank everyone that helped out,” says Senecal.
