Krishna Kootala builds kiosk in Black Rock Forest
(On June 25, five Boy Scouts from Troop 118 received their Eagle Award, the highest achievement in scouting. For several weeks, The Local has featured the projects each young man completed. This is the final project to be featured. JK)
Of the five young men to earn their Eagle, Krishna Kootala was the oldest of the bunch. While he completed his project at the beginning of his senior year in high school, participation in clubs and other sports delayed his receipt of the highest honor in scouting. Kootala recently started his sophomore year of college.
“I knew it was going to happen,” Kootala said. “I did a lot of extracurricular activities in high school, so I was busy a lot. After my senior year, I said, ‘let me just wait.’”
When it came to scouting in general, Kootala was a late bloomer. He didn’t join until he reached the sixth grade, following in his brother’s footsteps. Plus, it was another extracurricular activity to add to his resume.
In Oct. 2021, Kootala began formulating a plan for his Eagle Scout project. He reached out to Black Rock Forest Manager Matt Brady who offered a list of suggestions including trailblazing and building a kiosk at a vital point where numerous trails converged, making it an ideal location for a map to guide lost hikers back on track. Wanting to build something, Kootala chose the latter.
The Scout worked with Brady to develop plans for the kiosk, which was to be located about four miles into the forest, but easily accessible by vehicle from the upper parking lot. By the end of October, Kootala was able to present his project to the Boy Scout Council, which granted approval with no changes. The panel only emphasized meeting the necessary man hours required to earn Eagle.
Brady provided most of the materials needed to complete the project including tools, wood beams, and concrete, which Kootala said he had to buy from the forest manager. Kootala bought roofing material, and the screws and bolts needed to hold the kiosk together. No fundraising was necessary as he worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant and used the money he earned to pay for the supplies.
Work began in late October and the project was completed by the end of November/beginning of December. Between school and club activities, Kootala could only schedule work sessions on weekends and averaged about four volunteers each session.
Work entailed digging six-foot holes and pouring concrete to hold the posts in place. Then it was a matter of cutting and attaching the beams to the approximately six foot wide and eight foot tall kiosk. Finally a roof with shingles was added to complete the project.
The project required Kootala to take on a leadership role, but having been a patrol leader, it wasn’t something he hadn’t experienced in the past.
“Using everything I learned and applying it to my Eagle Scout project, it went pretty smoothly,” he said, “especially since I had a lot of respect from the younger Scouts.”
Kootala faced few challenges throughout the execution of the project, but said he had difficulty finding the specific roofing shingles he wanted and had to go out of state to purchase them.
“I embraced the responsibility of commanding and organizing the project, ensuring that all necessary resources were gathered,” he said looking back on the project. “It was a remarkable journey that showcased my ability to lead and coordinate a team. Witnessing the completed kiosk standing proudly, I knew that I had made a lasting impact on the community.”
Looking ahead, Kootala said he’s unsure about his future in Scouting, but said he’d like to volunteer and help out his troop when he’s able.
