Extreme Makeovers, Round 21: Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos

Note: This is the 21st in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here.


To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles are asked to include with their post-project report.

This week’s batch of 14 projects includes new shelving for an Illinois food bank, an outdoor physical fitness training center in California and a helipad for a North Carolina fire department.

What’s great is that you can multiply each individual act of stupendous service by more than 50,000. That’s how many Eagle Scout projects get completed every single year.

TIP: Click or tap and drag the slider below each image to see the change.

Eugene from Illinois

Who: Eugene, Troop 398, Hanover Park, Ill.

What: Eugene and his helpers built three identical shelving units for the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s West Suburban Center in Geneva, Ill. Each shelving unit has top and bottom shelves that are fixed, plus middle shelves that are adjustable. These shelves store snacks and supplies that benefit the hundreds of volunteers that visit the Food Bank’s West Suburban Center in Geneva during the 11 volunteer shifts each week.

Patrick from New Hampshire

Who: Patrick, Troop 86, Concord, N.H.

What: Patrick and his helpers dug up the existing, faded old path at a retirement home and replaced it with crushed stone. They pruned apple trees, cleared downed branches from various types of trees, cleaned a giant planter, planted more than 150 flower bulbs and installed a beautiful bench near the refurbished flower garden. This pathway is used not only by the residents of the retirement home where it’s located but by members of the community as well.

Kenny from Connecticut

Who: Kenny, Troop 1, Milford, Ct.

What: Kenny and his helpers rebuilt a wigwam (a traditional American Indian home) at the local conservation center, which will be used as an outdoor classroom for elementary school students.

Quinn from Illinois

Who: Quinn, Troop 42, Homer, Ill.

What: Quinn and his helpers renovated a picnic area at his church.

Jordan from New York

Who: Jordan, Troop 267, Fredonia N.Y.

What: Jordan and his helpers built a roof over an outside information display at the Dunkirk Lighthouse, ensuring the brochures don’t get ruined by the weather.

Alan from New York

Who: Alan, Troop 483, Hampton Bays, N.Y.

What: Alan and his helpers took the hole left in the parking lot after the kindergarten building was removed and turned it into a grassy meditation garden with benches, solar lighting and chess tables at Our Lady of the Hamptons School in Southampton, N.Y.

Cole from Indiana

Who: Cole, Troop 350, Advance, Ind.

What: Cole read an editorial about an abandoned/vandalized cemetery with more than 235 people buried there. He raised $3,000 and spent three months cleaning, repairing and rebuilding headstones with the help of more than 30 volunteers.

Phil from Minnesota

Who: Phil, Troop 458, Eagan, Minn.

What: Phil and his helpers cleared the dead trees from the woods (which were wood-chipped and used on the paths) and then built an outdoor classroom at his school, Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran School. A path was also built (not shown).

Triston from California

Who: Triston, Crew 318, Murrieta, Calif.

What: Triston and his helpers built an outdoor physical fitness training center for his high school’s Marine Corps JROTC program along with a Killed in Action memorial to honor two Murrieta Valley alumni who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the U.S. Army.

Jonathan from Colorado

Who: Jonathan, Troop 999, Arvada, Colo.

What: Jonathan and his helpers designed and landscaped the flag pole area at the middle school he attended and taught flag folding and etiquette to the students so they can conduct proper flag ceremonies.

Dylan from Nebraska

Who: Dylan, Troop 109, Fremont, Neb.

What: Dylan and his helpers designed, planned and planted a Rosary Garden outside his high school, Archbishop Bergan Catholic School in Fremont.

John from Kansas

Who: John, Troop 52, Lawrence, Kan.

What: John and his helpers renovated the porch of the main house for Lawrence Family Promise, a local charity. They installed two oversize gates in front of the stairs and the ramp, and replaced the weeds with flowers. His project improved the appearance so it is safer for children to play and more welcoming. Lawrence Family Promise is a local charity which houses and aides entire homeless families so they can get on their feet again.

Grayden from Wisconsin

Who: Grayden, Troop 147, Luck, Wis.

What: Grayden and his helpers upgraded an existing trailhead by adding bicycle features, a Fit-It Station and a log bike rack. They added a kiosk bench, regraveled the parking lot and added a path from the parking lot to the Gandy Dancer Trail. The trailhead had an existing Eagle Scout project on it as a rest stop for snowmobilers — the grey building on the left in the photos. It is named Two Eagles Trailhead because of the two Eagle Scout projects.

Michael from North Carolina

Who: Michael, Troop 25, Trinity, N.C.

What: Michael and his helpers raised more than $32,000 and designed and oversaw the complete construction of a helipad for Guil-Rand Fire Department.


Like these? See more here.

Have before-and-after Eagle photos I can use in future posts? Go here to learn how to send them to me.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.