Paul Kellerman, a 17-year-old junior at Oxford Area High School, recently received approval for his Eagle Scout project. The project will involve renovating the bathrooms at the Southern End Community Association (SECA) pool.

In order to receive approval for his project, Kellerman first had to present to the board members of Boy Scout Troop 13 and detail what his project would accomplish and how he would raise the funds necessary to complete it. Kellerman then presented his project to the Southern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce and contacted several local businesses to find sponsors for the renovation.

Kellerman will begin working on the project on Saturday, Jan. 28. Kellerman's first order of business will be to strip the walls of the bathrooms and clean the spaces to prepare for the renovation, and he has enlisted the help of his siblings, fellow troop members and adviser Bob Landis. Stripping the bathrooms won't require any fundraising, but Kellerman hopes to raise the funds required to take further steps in the project, such as replacing the valves for the toilets, repainting the walls, replacing shower heads and fixing the piping.

When deciding on his Eagle Scout project, Kellerman was drawn to the SECA pool, where he worked as a lifeguard last summer. Kellerman joined SECA's swim team when he was 9 years old and has continued to swim at the community pool in addition to swimming at Oxford Area High School. "I love the community around SECA. The people that work and the people who come to the pool create a positive atmosphere that makes it great to be there," said Kellerman.

Kellerman hasn't worked on a project of this exact nature before, but he will be assisted by Landis, who is a plumber. Kellerman has worked on various other construction projects through Troop 13, such as building a stand for a park map, assembling horse ties for Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Maryland and constructing a storage shed at his Scout cabin.

Kellerman has been a member of Troop 13 for seven years and credits his time in Boy Scouts with instilling values in him that he applies to the rest of his life. "You gain a lot of experience in leadership and working with others," Kellerman said. "Scouting makes you a hardworking person." Kellerman plans to join the Navy after high school but hopes to become involved with Boy Scouts again as a troop leader after his service.

For information on how to support the project, email bsa13treasurer@gmail.com.