If you have driven or walked along the southwest corner of campus, at the intersection of Calle Arroyo and Rancho Viejo Road, you might have noticed something new on the corner. Specifically, a new area landscaped with ground cover, trees and bougainvillea creates an impressive setting for a monument reading “St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church and School.” This impressive improvement is due to the hard work and coordination of St. Margaret’s student Shane Spaethe, grade 8, as his Eagle Scout Community service project.

In addition to the foliage and installation of the sign that had been in storage since the installation of its matching pair at the intersection of La Novia and Ortega, Shane has attached screening to stop stray footballs. The installation is the culmination of a effort involving fund-raising, obtaining permits from the city of San Juan Capistrano, and coordinating volunteer efforts.

Shane was interested in using his Eagle Scout project to benefit San Juan Capistrano and St. Margaret’s, and he contacted Mr. Art House and Mr. David Bush to determine where best to devote his time and effort. When Mr. Bush showed Shane the St. Margaret of Scotland monument, which had been in storage for more than 10 years, Shane decided that improving the southwest area of campus and installing this sign would be a beneficial use of his efforts. After that, Shane explains, “I drew up computer renderings of the project, made a budget, how I was going to raise the money, sourced where to get materials, organized the labor I needed from Troop 12 and other sources. Mr. Bush reviewed and approved the plan and offered help from the school by allowing us access to the area and taking care of the building permit.” A crucial part of the project was to obtain approval from the City of San Juan Capistrano, which offered feedback on several occasions, leading Shane to reconsider some of his original ideas for plants, instead switching to drought-tolerant varieties. Shane expresses, “Even though this was a long process, the city was happy to have new landscape that complied with their standards, and the school will benefit by having to use less water and having a lower water bill.”

Shane believes that this project is a successful culmination of his own values, the mission of St. Margaret’s, and what he has learned by participation in the Boy Scouts of America. He explains, “The purpose of the Eagle project is to take what I have learned over the past three and a half years in Boy Scouts, and to use those skills and to my demonstrate leadership ability no matter what difficulty I may come up against as I complete the project. It has taken a long time to plan and coordinate this whole project including raising the funds to build it: To date, it has taken approximately 430 hours, and not including the labor, the project totaled over $3,500, all paid for by fund-raisers, and work that volunteers and I did, and by products and time donated by local businesses.”

If you have not had the opportunity, stop by and view the monument, a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and commitment to community service shared by St. Margaret’s students. Congratulations, Eagle Scout Shane!