Eagle Candidate Builds Woodlands Bridge

After months of doing paperwork, Jackson Landsberg ‘22 started his Eagle Project, the service project a scout must do to get his Eagle Scout rank. Only 4% of scouts who enter the program manage to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

“My Eagle Scout project is a 14-foot-long, 4-foot wide bridge across the creek at the beginning of the Holly Hill trail on the Woodlands trail system,” said Landsberg. “I wanted to do something for the school, and I thought the Woodlands trail at school would be a good place for a project. I talked to Mr. [David] Small and he gave me a few ideas. Then I decided on building a bridge over the Holly Hill creek,” he said.

Like most Eagle Scout projects, it had some challenges. First, he had to get permission from FCHS Administration, which was quickly granted. The hardest part of the project, Landsberg said, was leveling out and assembling the frame of the bridge. “We had to place concrete blocks under the joists to keep them level and then we attached the front and back aprons and supports to secure the frame together,” he explained. “I had a basic idea of what the bridge would look like, but I also went out to the site and took measurements and drew up multiple designs. I conferred with my dad about the best way to design the bridge for durability and cost savings,” he added.

With the constantly rising cost of wood, one of Landsberg’s biggest challenges was raising funds for the construction. “[My] family and family friends were gracious enough to fund the materials for the project,” he said.

For students and staff, the sturdy bridge now provides an easy way to get over a creek that had previously been challenging to cross. As for Landsberg, all that is left to get his Eagle rank is his upcoming Board of Review.