Out of more than one million youth members of Boys Scouts of America, only about 6 percent will become an Eagle Scout - the highest rank attainable in the national organization.
Blake Fisher, a 2024 Grandview Heights High School graduate, established himself as part of that 6 percent by creating an addition to the outdoor recreation amenities that will last a lifetime.
Rather than lazily checking the required service project box by developing something simple to reach his Eagle Scout dreams, Fisher decided to pursue a project that truly benefits his hometown, one that ultimately took him four months to bring to fruition.
Blake Fisher
This past November, Fisher put the finishing touches on a walking trail he planned and developed in the hills of Wyman Woods, completing his service project required to become an Eagle Scout, and more importantly, making his mark on the community.
“It’s a lot of mental work, staying consistent on it was mentally hard,” Fisher says. “I would go to my dad’s office during my study hall and work for an hour and a half after school every day.”
Being such a unique and convenient location for outdoor explorers in Grandview Heights, Parks and Recreation Director, Mike Patterson, says Wyman Woods is a popular spot for exercising, playing and relaxing for all ages.
Patterson describes how fortunate Grandview Heights is to have such a beautiful and well-kept park in Wyman Woods and how Fisher’s project further embellishes the treasured green space.
“Wyman Woods is a very unique amenity that we have in our park district,” Patterson says. “Regionally, it’s an amenity that a lot of communities don’t have: a small forest within their city boundaries to experience nature and the outdoors.”
With the park’s popularity, specifically, the popularity of the many man-made paths scattered throughout the woods comes inevitable wear and tear from visitors traveling off the paths and artificial materials damaging the greenery.
Wanting to create an all-natural path that would not interfere with the beauty and health of Wyman Woods, Fisher used only natural resources such as logs, to establish trail boundaries while bypassing potentially harmful practices, such as laying cement or deforesting.
Wyman Woods path
“The goal of this path is to rein visitors back into a designated area and to allow understory growth and vegetation to reinhabit and continue to be prosperous as a wooded area,” Patterson says.
The walking trail is designated by logs and clearings in the brush that Fisher arranged himself, crafting a loop a quarter of a mile long. The trail bends up and down the hilly terrain, though Fisher says this is one of the few trails that is inclusive to all members of the family - from toddlers and dogs to parents.
Patterson worked closely with Fisher to develop the trail but his role in the partnership was in the background as Fisher took control of the project personally, completing everything from the planning and designing to the physical labor it took to build the trail.
“That's kind of the base of the Eagle Scouts, it’s their project and they own it,” Patterson says. “Blake did a great job truly owning the project, and so my portion was just being a guide and support system for him.”
Excited and proud to finally reach Eagle Scout status, Fisher is grateful for all the help he received from the city members, his extended family and his fellow Scouts.
“Being an Eagle Scout means being a good member of society and also being prepared for what life will throw at you,” Fisher says.
His mother, Kate, supported Blake the entire way and says this experience will help him grow and develop into a well-rounded member of society as he moves on to attend the University of Colorado Boulder.
“It taught him how to give back to the community and that there are more important things in life than just what you want to do, and how serving others is important,” she says.
Kyle Quinlan is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
