Young eagle scout gives new life to children’s park
Eagle Scout Bray William Polkinghorne completed his eagle scout project at the young age of 14.
By Elizabeth Wood West; photo provided by Stephanie Monaghan/Sandy Puc’ Photography
Fourteen-year-old Bray William Polkinghorne is quite young to have achieved the rank of eagle scout. Perhaps the reason is because Polkinghorne joined the Boy Scouts of America in the first grade and learned what it meant to set and achieve goals, work as a team, and develop leadership skills by serving others early on. “I knew I wanted to be an eagle scout since I was a tiger cub. Reaching this rank has shown me that hard work and a good plan make it possible to achieve something you really want,” Polkinghorne said.
Polkinghorne worked with Perry Park Metropolitan District for his eagle scout project; the project was the revitalization of Wauconda Park, a children’s park located in Perry Park that had fallen into a state of severe neglect.
Polkinghorne said, “The project involved defining the borders of the play area using edging and rock to give it a more inviting appearance; removing hazards such as overgrown shrubs, dangerous overhanging tree branches, an old barbecue grill, and rattlesnake hideouts; repairing a vandalized bridge; and replacing a missing Little Tikes play horse. The park wasn’t used much anymore because of the rattlesnakes, so this project gave the kids their park back.”
Polkinghorne added, “The most challenging aspect of the project was the number of steps required to finish each area of work. It was hard to keep track of all the details, supplies, and organizing the work of over 40 volunteers. It was rewarding to see all of the people who came out to help and how great the park looked when we were finished.”
Polkinghorne is a Castle Pines resident, a freshman at Valor Christian High School, and a member of Boy Scout Troop 637 in Sedalia. One of his favorite scouting memories was a winter camping trip during which he and other scouts built and slept in snow caves. His future plans include “giving back to Troop 637 by staying active and helping younger scouts, to continue playing on the Valor tennis team, and working hard to get into a good college.”
