Troop 1444 of Cleveland would like to recognize its newest Eagle Scout, Maggi Creel.
Maggi passed her board of review and earned her Eagle Scout.
Maggi is the 6th female scout to earn her Eagle in the Cherokee Area Council. She is the first female Arrow of Light to crossover from pack 3044 to Troop 444 to earn her the rank of Eagle.
Maggi’s Eagle Scout project was a sensory garden at Cleveland Middle School. She helped make a dream a reality for the students in the Extended Resources Classrooms. One of her former teachers, Karen Bunch, talked with Maggi during her time as a peer tutored in her class at CMS. She learned that building a sensory garden for the students would empower them to work on job skills, life skills, and improve their nutrition. She loved the idea and set to work writing her proposal.
Maggi said, "I wanted to do my project for the Special Education Department because I enjoyed getting to work with the students in those classes during my time at CMS. Sensory gardens are a great way to get students out of the classroom and it creates an immersive learning experience."
After receiving approval, she began taking donations from many local businesses: Home Depot, Jackie Evans Trucking, and Lowes donated all her wood, mulch, and gave her a discount on plants. She also received many donations from family, friends, and other scouters. Maggi held several work days to complete her project based on the needs of each step. The sensory gardens were installed on Oct. 7 with the help of Troop 44 and 444 along with other scouters.
Mrs. Carroll, ERC teacher at CMS, said, "I'm so blessed to have the garden that she built for our special education department. It has really given my kids the opportunity to thrive when completing their gardening jobs. So, thank you!"
Maggi has earned 45 merit badges and four Eagle Palms, the NOVA Award, the youth religious knot, and the Scout Strong PALA Challenge. In addition, she is a member of the Ceremonies Team in the Order of the Arrow. Order of the Arrow is an Honor Society inside of the Scouts BSA program. Maggi is also a member of Venturing Crew 2125. She looks forward to attending SeaBase this summer.
Maggi was recognized for her achievement at the December Court of Honor held at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church on Monday. An Eagle Court of Honor will be scheduled early in 2023 to recognize this achievement.