(Sauquoit, NY – Jan. 2013
) The Doolittle Schoolhouse in Sauquoit now has a renovated wheelchair ramp along with other repairs thanks to Kyle Waldeck, 18, of Sauquoit. It was his Eagle Scout project. Through the delegation of his team and determination, his project was a success, and fulfills the community service requirement needed for advancing to Eagle Scout rank.
When asked about his project Waldeck said, “I learned a lot about leadership throughout my years of Scouting, which was necessary to complete this project. The Doolittle Schoolhouse is a historical site in our town. It is open to the public and elementary school students take fieldtrips there. The older couple who takes care of it was unable to make these repairs.”
Waldeck and his team of Scouts and adult leaders gathered all the necessary materials, scraped and painted the wheelchair ramp. There also fixed unhinged floor boards, screen doors and door handles. Lincoln Davies in Sauquoit donated supplies such as scrapers and goggles for this project.
When asked about what being an Eagle means to him, he said, “During my first years in Boy Scouts, I looked up to and learned from older boys in the troop who were Eagle Scouts. At that point I decided that I, too, wanted to become an Eagle Scout. I was told by many people that being an Eagle Scout requires a lot of hard work. I wasn’t deterred from trying, because I was also told how much that hard work would pay off in the end. Being an Eagle Scout is important to me because it has taught me life skills, such as leadership, perseverance, and cooperation with others. I, in turn, can use these skills to help other people.”
Waldeck currently attends SUNY IT Utica where he lives on campus. He is majoring in Electrical Engineering and plans to be an engineer when he graduates.