Frisco teen raises $30,000 for Eagle Scout project to make garden ADA-accessible

FRISCO, Texas - A 15-year-old received tens of thousands of dollars in donations for his Eagle Scout project to make a Frisco community garden more accessible.

Jonathan Eaton's project, which started with just one ADA-compliant garden bed, quickly grew into a complete transformation of the Harvest Community Garden in Frisco Commons Park.

"I hope that I can transform this space into a place that is welcoming to everybody and just shines in this park," Eaton said.

Eaton has been a member of the Scouts since he was in first grade.

His green thumb sprouted four years ago when he started a garden in his backyard.

"My parents and I, when we first started our garden at home, we had an abundance of lettuce, and you’d come inside and there’d just be lettuce all over the counter," Eaton recalled.

It's a passion that runs in the family.

Eaton's grandfather, who recently passed away, shared a love for gardening.

He was also an Eagle Scout. Eaton dedicated this project in his memory.

"He talks about scouting every day and how it impacted his life. So, I feel like today he’s just smiling down at me from heaven and just like, ‘Man look at my grandson go!’ And I just can’t wait to see him one day," Eaton said.

Eaton raised $30,000 for the project through donations and sponsorships.

The finished design will include four ADA-accessible garden beds, two pergolas for shade and a new compost area, among other additions to make it more inclusive.

"They have the accessibility to roll up right here in their wheelchairs and just be able to garden right here without having to turn sideways and struggling to get in here," he explained.

His mom, Susan, says the entire project took 6 to 8 months to finish.

"Being 14, 15 years old working on a project like this takes a lot of patience. So, we’ve seen a lot of that come out and just resilience," she said.

Tuesday morning, volunteers, friends and family will help Eaton complete it.

"I’m just so happy to see my vision come to life," Eaton said. 

People are expected to come to the big build tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.