Virgil Wayne (VJ) Evans Jr. had the idea to make planting tables for his Eagle Scout project, the biggest and final project in Boy Scouts, but it grew into not only his Eagle Project, but also his Senior Project.

Evans came up with the idea to make planting tables when his Boy Scout leader introduced him to an organization called Tucson Village Farm- a group that also works with the University of Arizona. “Tucson Village Farm pairs with people of all ages to farm, conservation, and life,” Evans explains. He visited the farm and decided to donate four planter tables, tables that hold plants, to the Tucson Village Farm.

All together the materials to make the tables cost $481.00 dollars before the donations came in. Lumber, which was the most abundant material used for the tables, was generously donated to the project by Lowe’s.

January 16th and 17th were the building days. On the building days there were 26 people that came to help him build and set up the tables. VJ was in charge of every single person there. “I set up different stations to get the tables put together,” Evan said as he explained the process to make the tables.

In the end, VJ submitted his project to the board of the Eagle Scouts, and was accepted. The board was very impressed with his leadership and the amount of effort he put into donating these tables to Tucson Village Farms. VJ is now an Eagle Scout for the remainder of his life, and he plans to continue working with the Boy Scouts for the foreseeable future.

Today the planter tables are being put to use at Tucson Village Farms by students of all ages. “I learned that leadership and learning are different for everyone, and leadership is hard,” Evans concludes.