Students paint mural to inspire others, achieve Eagle Scout rank

 

Of the more than 100 million young men who have joined since Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910, slightly more than 2 percent have reached the organization’s highest rank—Eagle Scout. Franklin Habit III, a junior at Lakeside High School, is taking the final steps to join that exclusive club.

In addition to meeting numerous other requirements, including continuous membership in the organization, amassing sufficient merit badges, holding a troop leadership position and exemplifying that character called for in the Boy Scout code, candidates for Eagle Scout must complete a community project.

“The project has to be described in detail and approved at the regional level,” Habit explained. His was a mural for the gym at the Lucius Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia.

Habit said he had been interested in art since he was a small child and grew up doing illustrations of his favorite cartoon characters.

“He decided the community has enough benches and birdhouses so he wanted to do a different type of project. Applying his talent as an artist was a natural way to go,” said his father, Franklin Habit II.

The younger Habit first thought of placing the mural in Tucker, but when that didn’t work out, his mother, a friend of the Lucius Sanders Recreation Center director, arranged to have the art piece done there.

“Actually, it worked out perfectly. I wanted to do an inspirational piece and a lot of the boys who go to that rec center are struggling with a lot of things in their lives. I wanted to inspire them to keep going and achieve their dreams,” Franklin III said.

The focus of the 9-by-18-foot mural is the quote from sixth century B.C. Chinese philosopher Lao-tuz: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step.” It also incorporates the logo of the recreation center’s basketball team, which coincidentally is the Eagles. The young man designed the wall on a computer and had the lettering done at a specialty shop, then carefully transferred it to the wall. With help from family and troop members he completed the project in approximately 92 hours. He said his biggest challenge was working inside the gym while basketball tournaments were under way.

“It’s not against the rules to have help carrying out the project,” he explained. “In fact, that’s expected. Heading a project and directing others shows leadership.”

The artist said he had never before attempted a mural, but he is pleased with the results. “It’s just about perfect,” he said, noting that he used latex paint, which should stand up to the riggers of a gymnasium atmosphere. “It gets humid in here sometimes and balls are going to hit the wall occasionally, but I think it will hold up.”

Scout regulations require that candidates for Eagle Scout complete their community projects before age 18. Habit III came in just under the wire; his 18th birthday was May 17.

“I really wanted to do this,” Habit explained, “It’s a family tradition. Both my grandfathers were Eagle Scouts.”

There still are a few steps to be completed, including an essay and an interview with regional scout officials, but Habit feels he’s cleared the major hurdle.

“I didn’t know this was so complicated; it’s like writing a business plan to get funding for a business enterprise. I’m really impressed,” said Habit’s aunt Lynn Horton, who came from Houston, Texas, to spend his birthday with him and see his work of art.