Two Scouts' projects helped beautify town
BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer

Spotswood's Brian Scott (from left), Jeffrey Drozd and Christopher Zawistowski each earned the rank of Eagle Scout after completing community service projects recently. Drozd, whose brothers Alan and Zachary are also Eagle Scouts, was featured in an earlier story in the Sentinel.

SPOTSWOOD - - It is now easier to enjoy tennis matches at the high school and watch butterflies at the Appleby School, thanks to two local Scouts.

Brian Scott and Christopher Zawistowski, both now 18 and graduates of Spotswood High School, not only achieved their Eagle Scout ranks last year - the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain - they also helped make their community nicer and learned some life lessons in the process. The Scouts worked with friends, family and fellow troop members to complete community service projects required to achieve the Eagle Scout rank.

Scott's project involved improving the area near the Spotswood tennis courts, known as the Mott Street courts, while Zawistowski refurbished the courtyard at the Appleby School.

Both teens were given their Eagle Scout ranks last year after completing their projects.

Scott, who now attends Rowan University, said he built seven 8-foot-long benches for the areas near the Mott Street courts. The courts are used for summer recreation programs, as well as by the boys and girls tennis teams at Spotswood High School.

In addition to building and installing the benches, he did some landscaping around the area, including putting down flower boxes.

Scott got his project idea from borough officials, who said there was nowhere for people to sit during tennis matches. Though he received help from fellow members of Troop 84, family and friends, he personally spent about 70 hours on the project. A total of 265 man-hours were expended on the project.

In addition to learning about hard work, Scott said he also realized how many people are willing volunteers.

"I learned … all you needed to do was ask and there are people out there willing to help you if you need to get something done," he said, recalling one rainy day in particular where the project was about to be canceled for the day, but the Scouts showed up to help and insisted the day's work go on.

Zawistowski, a freshman at Rutgers University, said the Appleby School courtyard was in disarray, so his project involved sprucing it up by building some butterfly gardens and constructing benches. The gardens tie in with the fourth-grade curriculum, and are now being used for educational purposes.

Various types of butterfly bushes and flowers were put down in the courtyard, which is rather large and forms a "J" shape in the middle of the school. The goal, Zawistowski said, was to have bushes and flowers that attract butterflies native to New Jersey.

He built two main butterfly gardens, one near the gymnasium and the other closer to the computer classrooms. Smaller gardens were built near some other classrooms, he said.

In addition, he built a memorial wall for the late former school principal, John Orlick.

"We planted the trees for him and did a ceremony," Zawistowski said.

Zawistowki also built benches and placed them near the gardens to make the area easier for people to enjoy.

"They're so the people of the Spotswood community and students alike can sit there," he said.

Zawistowki said he received a lot of help from fellow troop members, as well as family and friends.

"I learned a lot about leadership, how to be a leader, have good time management and organization," he said. "It takes a lot to pull off a project like this."

Zawistowski especially wanted to thank his parents and sister for helping with the project.