EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Thanks to Eagle Scout hopeful Mirabai Rickert’s project, Manz Elementary receives a pair of elevated gardens.
The elevated gardens will benefit the students of Manz Elementary, as Rickert and a group of volunteers complete her Eagle Scout project.
“An Eagle Scout project can be just about anything,” Rickert said. “Usually, they recommend that you put 100 hours of work into it total, but it can really just be anything that supports a non-profit in your community.”
In choosing her project, Rickert pursued a love of education with a sentimental twist: She is a former Manz Elementary student.
“It’s honestly kind of surreal getting to walk through the halls of Manz, and kind of see it with a different eye,” Rickert said. “I got to relive my elementary school experience with a completely different light.”
The gardens will be tied into Manz’s curriculum, with students exploring the world of gardening and vegetation.
“I think it’s very important for people to know where their food comes from,” Rickert stated. “Now that these elementary schoolers will have the opportunity to actually see where their food comes from, it’s really cool, and I’m super happy that I get to be a part of it.”
Reflecting back on her four-and-a-half years of scouting, Rickert credits her brother for paving her way.
“It has definitely been a long twisting road to get to be where I am today, but my brother, he’s here today, he’s also an Eagle Scout, and I’m going to be, and he’s been a huge inspiration,” Rickert said.
For students and families curious about scouts, Rickert notes the diversity and range of experiences it can provide.
“It’ll put you out of your comfort zone for sure,“ Rickert noted.
“You you have to be willing to try anything: Get on stage, do a skit, learn first aid. Scouting is such a journey of curiosity. It wasn’t all happy-go-lucky the entire time, but it was definitely something you couldn’t replace with any other experience.”
Thanks to the hard work of Rickert and the volunteers, the gardens were set to be finished on Saturday.
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