“Earning my Eagle is something I always wanted to do. It takes a lot of work and it’s definitely not easy,” he said.
Watson said he knew he wanted to do a project that would be beneficial to the community. When his family moved to Middleville, his mother often brought him to the library and it became a place where he felt welcomed.
“Now, I just always see kids gathering around out here in the open space by the library and I thought it would be a good idea for my Eagle project. When the library isn’t open, people can still get books here. I know there are kids who wait out there after school, too, so I thought it would be good to add some benches.”
Completing the project was no easy task. First, Watson researched how to build a Little Free Library and scanned through the Internet for designs. He also researched building permanent benches that would be securely anchored in the ground and that would stand up to all kinds of Michigan weather.
Next, he wrote a plan for the project including all the materials he would need from screws to paint and lumber, estimated costs, and found ways to pay for the project. He also presented his plan to the school and worked with the schools’ facility director for proper placement of the Little Free Library and benches. Finally, he enlisted the help of fellow Scouts and parents to work on the project while he oversaw the progress. He and his team finished building and installing the project this summer.
“I learned a lot from it. I learned leadership is about more than just showing up and doing the work. It's about pre-planning everything. The project was a lot of work, but it was worth it. I’ve seen that people have taken books and put new ones in, and I’ve seen kids sitting on the benches,” he said.
Completing this project is the culmination of years of scouting. Watson is a member of Middleville Boy Scout Troop 105 and has been involved with scouting since about third or fourth grade.
“I like the opportunities we get in Boy Scouts to help out in the community. I like camping and learning about all the outdoor skills,” he said.
Throughout the years, Watson earned a variety of merit badges with his favorite being his wilderness survival badge. “We had to hike about 2 ½ miles away from everybody, set up a wilderness camp, and sleep there alone overnight,” he said.
He’s attended the summer weeklong Boy Scout camp several times and has been active in many community events including serving hot chocolate at the holiday Holly Trolly night in Middleville, picking up trash in the troop’s adopt a highway, and participating in official flag retirement ceremonies.
His parents, Kate and Clyde, say they are extremely proud of their son for all he has accomplished. His father also is an Eagle Scout and said it’s something he always wanted for his son.
“I remember when he first started in Cub Scouts, and I wanted to encourage him to stay with it, but not push him. It was definitely on my mind about how neat it would be if he got his Eagle, too. I know it has been a tremendous learning experience for him.”
Clyde’s mother said she was also glad that her son chose to do something at the library. “When we moved here 11 years ago, we didn’t know anybody. The library was a welcoming space to take our two small children. Ms. Hubers made us feel at home and like we were part of the community here in Middleville.”
She said it was a project that means a lot to all of them. “He’s worked very hard even when he was a young Scout. It took a lot to get to this point. We’re very proud of him.”
Eagle Scout is one of the most coveted ranks in the Scouts BSA program. Since its inception in 1911, only about 4 percent of all Scouts have earned this prestigious rank. In addition to an Eagle community service project, scouts applying for the Eagle designation must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, 14 of which are mandatory. Scouts must also be active in their group and hold various leadership positions within their organization.
In addition to Boy Scouts, Clyde is a member of the TKHS symphonic, jazz and marching bands as a drummer and this year served as drumline co-captain in the marching band.
He has applied to several universities already but has not made a decision on where he will attend next year. He hopes to pursue a mechanical engineering degree. Later, he hopes to continue his education and earn his doctorate in physics to become a physics professor. He also hopes to continue music in college either as a member of the marching band or in a small private band.
“If I were talking to somebody considering joining scouts, I would tell them it’s a really good experience and you learn a lot about yourself and about leading other people. You learn what it means to be a leader and you make a lot of good friends you will have for life.”