Jennifer Arntson

My name is Jaedon, I am a tenth grader in San Antonio, Texas. I have been a Scout since I was 7 years old. Over the years I have graduated from a Cub Scout to a Scouts BSA. It has been a wonderful journey, Scouting gave me an opportunity for outdoor adventures like rock climbing, kayaking, Caving, Camping, and many more things. The life skills I have learned along the way are invaluable. A combination of merit badges, meetings, and campouts has given me these necessary skills. For me, the most memorable part of scouting was the comradery it created between us Scouts as we went through the ranks together.

As part of my Eagle Project requirement, I was required to do a service project. I have been looking forward to a project that would be beneficial to society and at the same time use the skills I have learned along the way. I wanted the project to challenge me and extend beyond my comfort zone. Why don’t I do my project in India? India is a country that is still developing economically and needs a lot of help in its educational sector. So, I decided that was the direction I wanted to go in. Since my parents are from India, I also thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about my culture, and language, and spend some time making a stronger bond with my grandparents.

The Plan

The way I chose my project was quite a long road. I first got contacts to the Transatlantic Scout Organization from my counselor, Joseph Skop. They then gave me contacts to Asia Scouts, who then gave me contacts to the South Asia Scouts, and they gave me the Kerala Scout contact (southernmost state of India). Once I had that contact, they gave me contacts to local Scouts, and it would turn out by pure coincidence that their Scoutmaster was an ex-school teacher. So, he was able to link us with his school that could use some help.

The way it first started was with meetings with the school’s headmaster and finding out what the school needed and what we could reasonably do for it. Once we decided on that, we started with the details and logistics of each part. So we went back and forth between the headmaster and contractors, getting prices, dates, and any other information. We were able to do this because the timing of this project was perfect since it was during my summer vacation, This gave me the flexibility to make India calls that matched their convenience. India is almost 11 hours ahead of CST.

After we got everything set up, it was time to start fundraising. This was quite difficult for me, mainly because we were asking friends and family. I managed to get through this by an idea from my dad, which was to make a script and stick to it. I also sent a brochure with sufficient project information for them to peruse, before my calls. With this, I managed to raise more money than my initial goal.

Now everything was set, and the time had come to be there at the project location to execute. With the best fair we could secure, our travel itinerary called for 2 days in each direction. We went from San Antonio to Chicago to New York to Doha to Kerala. The round trip was three thousand per ticket. For such an expensive flight you would expect to get a premium trip experience. But no, it was a long and tiring journey with packed flights. On our return trip, there was a 20-hour layover at Doha. Even though it was challenging we still found a way to make it a memorable experience. Two of my dad’s classmates were living in Doha. We contacted them and requested to show us around the city and they graciously obliged.

On the Ground

Upon landing in Doha, we tried to get an exit visa, which usually should have been easy for an American citizen. However, since it was covid time, we had to go back and forth between immigration and the medical unit, to get our permit. Finally, the chief of airport security passed us through, and we were able to leave the airport. As promised, my dad’s friends picked us up, and showed us various sights in Doha including world cup soccer stadiums. Qatar is hosting the World Cup this year. The city looked much cleaner, and buildings were architecturally more interesting than that of New York. In the morning one of my dad’s friend showed us the FIFA command center, which was a state-of-the-art facility. It turned out that, he is the CIO of Qatar FIFA.

So, back to the project, over the last three months we had been talking with the headmaster, so I had become quite acquainted and close with him through our regular zoom calls. However, I had not met any one of them or the place in person prior to this. By then, I had all my plans ready, all contracts for material and labor were in place. I also had students, Scouts, and staff commitments to help with the project. As part of project preparation, I taught myself flooring the tiles, painting, electrical testing (India runs on 220 V electricity), building desk and bench models etc. We had scheduled some of the materials like sand, cement, and other supplies to be purchased and brought to the site prior to our arrival.

In India, buses, autos, taxis, and motorbikes are the most common modes of transportation. Not many people own cars. Our auto driver was a very helpful and resourceful man, if we ever needed something from town he would know where to get it. He would be like our personal chauffeur to the school, where he would drop us off and help us with any errands.

Getting Started

We arrived at the school on a Monday morning. The school was on a hill with a breathtaking view. The headmaster gave us a tour of the facility and introduced us to other staff and students. I got swarmed by the little kids asking questions, and one even wanted me to do their English homework! It was quite an interesting day. The original plan that we settled on with the headmaster was to renovate the cafeteria with A) a Drop ceiling B) Painting C) 10 Desks and benches D) Installing Windows panes with the extended goal of E) flooring and F) lights and fans. Our Plan was to finish the project in 2 weeks with an additional week for unforeseen delays and for any scope increases. We had collected funds more than we had planned for, even with the extended goal. On my tour of the school, I saw so many things that could help the school, so l included a few more to the projects like G) building 3 courts (Soccer, Volleyball, and Badminton) and H) Curtains for the school auditorium. The strong dollar (better exchange rate) during this time, also help me to take [on] these additional work [projects]. Each of these (A through H) formed mini projects and milestones.

When we arrived, some of the materials were already in place and students were ready to start the work. I gave a brief introduction of myself and laid out my plans for each of the sub-projects in detail with tasks, assigned team members, materials needed, corresponding contractor names, and when each item will be arriving. Each Project consists of multiple students from different classes so that they could take turns to help us during their free period. This allowed us to run the project continuously. Some of the tools were in school, some were brought from my home and some power tools were rented for the project.

We worked from 9 – 5 with a 1-hour lunch break and two, 15 minutes snack breaks. During break times we would do various things. I taught them sports, and they would show me what they do in India for fun, like what their favorite songs are. During lunch, we ordered nutritious and tasty local foods that the kids loved. We had first aid on site and sufficient water brought over from our grandparent’s home well. Every morning, we started our day by reviewing what was completed from the prior day (issues, pending work, and what went well), then we discussed what needs to be done for that day. At the end of the day, we paid contractors (once the work is completed or in increments) and any daily laborers we used. An entry was made into the accounting book, as soon as payment was made.

Every other day, we had a project review with the headmaster (Mr. Reji Pulickal), reviewing the progress, discussing the fund usage and balance, and adjusting the plans. In some of the discussions, members of the school management were also present. Once the cafeteria was fully furnished, we envisioned that it could double as a breakroom for board games and reading. We bought a few board games and 20+ books. At the end, we had a celebratory luncheon for the students and an inauguration attended by teachers, staff, students, management, local government officials, and parents without their help and support this would not have been successful.

During my project, we didn’t work on weekends. One weekend we decided to visit some family in Mumbai. I met my uncle, aunt, and my two cousins. We explored the city and visited so many cool places, like the Taj Mahal palace hotel and the gateway of India. I would definitely recommend going on a trip to Mumbai. Over my time there, I observed a few cultural differences. The way I would normally act in America is different in India. For instance, instead of “Mr. Blank,” you would say “Sir.” Shorts are not worn in a public setting. An Indian diet predominantly consists of vegetarian food and most people prepare food at home.

Reflections of the Project

I have been told that every good project has its challenges and problems. I didn’t believe this. I believed that if you plan thoroughly nothing can go wrong. I was sorely mistaken. My first problem occurred when the brother of the guy who was supposed to deliver the sand passed away, and because of that, he wasn’t able to deliver. However, we were able to quickly find another supplier at a lower cost with the relationship I had built by then. The next thing to go wrong was that the electricians called in sick, so we had to extend the project by a day. Another thing that went wrong happened when I got back from Mumbai. We found out that students were having tests and were not available for the next 2 days. Fortunately, I had a contingency plan, and I was able to re-sequence and brought in the Ceiling framers. So ya, no matter how hard you try to account for obstacles, there will still be unforeseen ones that sneak by and you have to be resourceful and quick thinking.

During my trip, I learned many new skills like accounting, detail planning, contract negotiation, project scheduling & coordination, team motivation, effective communication, and leadership skills. My father taught me how to keep records of expenses, and how to make contracts with workers. Before I went on the trip, I wanted to be able to speak a little better Malayalam (the native language of the state of Kerala), so I could communicate better. I took a two-week crash course before I went. I believe that having to adjust to a new culture, and being with people of a different language made me better at understanding and solving problems with different types of people and be more culturally tolerant.

Overall, this project planning took around eight weeks, and the execution, around 3 weeks. We had planned to raise $4,500, but thanks to many generous donors, we were able to raise $5,000. With detailed planning, careful accounting, creative negotiation, and the support of the donors, suppliers, staff, and students, I was able to deliver much more than the initial scope with budget and in time!

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