Archives > Flower Mound Leader > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Scout uses latest technology to create a path to parks
By Stefanie Ackerman, Staff Writer
By combining technology, a love for games and the Flower Mound Parks and Trail system, Evan Kirkham created an interactive way for people to enjoy and learn about the towns parks.
Kirkham, a sophomore at Marcus High School created the “GPS Adventure” for his Eagle Scout project as Troop 709 out of Bridlewood Elementary. Kirkham still has three merit badges to obtain before he receives his Eagle Scout designation.
“I thought it’d be a real cool idea if we did a virtual course so a family could get out and see the parks,” said Kirkham, 15.
“It’s the whole GPS go find something concept that translated over,” Kirkham said.
In Kirkham’s game, which he developed with his dad who is more involved in geocaching, the participant has a score card with longitude and latitude coordinates of a marker the player is to find. The marker, a 4 by 4 inch orange and white square with a letter on it, is placed in one of the 15 parks throughout Flower Mound. A player will type the coordinates into the GPS and steer to the marker.
“It’s a really fun way to get out and explore 15 of Flower Mound’s parks,” said Recreation and Leisure services Manager Jackie Jones.
Kirkham even raised the money to buy a GPS that he donated to the town’s Park department so residents could borrow it to play the interactive game. Kirkham coordinated his troop in a car wash at the Tom Thumb grocery store at the corner of FM 3040 and FM 2499. The troop raised the $80 for the Garmon GPS in about three hours, he said.
It took about five months to execute and harmonize his troop to help with the different aspects of the project.
“He’s well respected within the troop,” said Scout Master Jim Moll, who has headed up the troop since its inception in April 2001.
Moll added that there was a great response from the troop in helping out with the development of the project.
“It’s one of the few [Eagle Scout projects] I can point to that is very interactive,” Moll said. “What made this more unique is that he had to go in front of the town to go get it.”
Kirkham, who also participates in cross country, hockey and the debate team in school, said getting the project up on the town’s website took a while.
In the end, the hopeful future lawyer, said, “It’s really taught me to be a leader and step up in front of the group and just lead the pack. When you have a lot people counting on you, getting through the rank, that’s a big responsibility.”
The requirement for the Eagle Scout project, said Kirkham, was to benefit the community, not the individual person.
“I had fun exploring them [parks] so I hope others do,” Kirkham said.
Contact staff writer Stefanie Ackerman at 972-538-2117 or sackerman@acnpapers.com
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
