TEGA CAY, S.C. — A Fort Mill High School 10th grader, who’s also a Boy Scout, is on his way to joining the ranks of an Eagle.
To do this, he has to complete an Eagle Scout project.
George Atkinson and his troop are working together to complete a tree trail project.
With the help of his family and Tega Cay city staff, Atkinson and his troop created QR Codes and corresponding numbers on 48 wooden tree posts that can be seen at the beginning of Trailhead Park all the way through the Tega Cay golf course.
There are also numbers next to the QR Codes.
The idea is to use your phone’s camera to scan the code, which takes you to a landing page on the Tega Cay website with a history and description of that specific tree.
But this isn’t a new project. Posts had been there before but with brochures. That didn’t last because people took home the brochures or threw them away instead of returning them.
Atkinson said some of the posts had even been ripped out and vandalized, so he and his team of scouts dug deeper holes into the ground for the posts or replaced them entirely.
The soon to be Eagle Scout says he came up with the idea because he wanted to make an impact. He adds the tree project encourages learning and serves as a fun activity for families with kids.
“It’s still good to know what these are, especially if you have younger kids, or I mean, if you’re just out walking the trail, being able to scan these trees and learn about some of the native trees to our area, as well as some of the ones that have been brought over here from other countries,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson says some of the trees were planted, but most are native to the area. During the process, he says he’s gained leadership skills, managing a team and time management.
For now, he hopes the project remains alive to educate folks. He’s asking people to keep the posts intact.
