Nathan Courtaney of Valparaiso recently finished two significant things – the eighth grade, and his Eagle Scout project. While many Boy Scouts are well into high school before they even begin thinking about their final project, Courtaney completed his while an eighth grader.
When choosing an organization to work with on his project, Courtaney chose Opportunity Enterprises. He had seen other Eagle Scouts successfully complete their projects with OE, and he also really liked the agency’s mission of enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing exceptional support and creating meaningful opportunities that allow its consumers to serve as an inspiration to the community.
When he began to work with OE Volunteer and Intern Coordinator Cathy Kuchenmeister to decide what his project would entail, they talked about what Courtaney liked to do in his free time. Once they discussed how much Courtaney enjoys playing games, including bean bags, building six complete sets of bean bag boards, along with 17 geo boards for OE clients to use, seemed like a great fit.
“Nathan was really excited about people actively using his project for the long-term,” shares Nathan’s mother Shannon, “and the more he learned about the people OE serves, the more excited he became.”
One of the most important aspects of any Eagle Scout project is the leadership and organization provided by the scout himself. Like all aspiring Eagle Scouts, Courtaney was responsible for all aspects of his project, including choosing an agency to work with, selecting a specific project based on the needs of the organization, designing the project, ordering materials, coordinating volunteers, delivering the finished project, and completing the paperwork required by the Boy Scouts. Courtaney received help on his project from his dad, other scouts and troop leaders from his troop – Troop #907 in Valparaiso - and even some of his friends who are not in scouting.
“The hardest part of my project was definitely the paperwork,” shares Courtaney. “It took awhile.”
But all the hard work was definitely worth it, giving Courtaney not only the satisfaction of helping OE with a project its clients will enjoy for many years, but developing skills that will benefit him for a lifetime.
“Scouts develop so many important skills while completing their Eagle Scout project,” shares Shannon Courtaney. “They have to be the boss – make phone calls, order materials, project management, being organized, communication skills, problem-solving – they do it all.”
Courtaney enjoyed his experience, and would encourage other aspiring Eagle Scouts to consider working on their project with OE.
“(OE) made the project a fun one, and they were very nice and willing to answer any questions I had,” he shares.
Courtaney plans to be involved in scouting throughout high school, and also plays the trumpet, is a black belt in taekwondo, and plays tennis.
Boy Scouts interested in completing an Eagle Scout project with Opportunity Enterprises may contact OE Volunteer and Intern Coordinator Cathy Kuchenmeister at (219) 464-9621, ext. 283 or cathy.kuchenmeister@oppent.org.
About OE
Since 1967, OE has been a non-profit organization which enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing exceptional support and creating meaningful opportunities that allow its consumers to serve as an inspiration to the community. Today, OE serves 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.
Photo: Nathan Courtaney posing with the Eagle Scout project he completed for Opportunity Enterprises