“I think the most important thing I learned is leadership of the project, giving instructions,” Morgan said.
The Presbyterian ties to his ecological efforts are strong. Morgan is the son of Dr. David L. Jones, a Presbyterian minister and affiliate professor of pastoral theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, and Dr. Jennifer Jones, an Austin pediatrician.
First Presbyterian of Austin, where the troop meets, is among member churches of the Synod of the Sun that are reaching out to their community by supporting and providing space for community organizations. First has been doing it for a long time. Troop 1was chartered by FPC in the 1940s. The troop got its start much earlier, in 1911, just a year after the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.
“The church feels like all the youth programs, including the Scouts, are a very important part of our mission,” said Steven Sletten, a ruling elder who is the church’s liaison to the troop.
The idea for Morgan’s project came from a day of fishing with his Dad at Camp Mabry, where they noticed a rotted duck box. Morgan researched wood ducks. With the help and cooperation of the camp, two carpenters and volunteers, Morgan and his team constructed six wood duck boxes, two of which are mounted on posts in the water. The four others were placed on trees near the shore. Morgan built an educational site that that holds a colorful educational sign so that visitors can learn about wood ducks and their habitat.
The Eagle Scout district representative noted that Morgan’s project was so rigorous that it equates to several Eagle projects.