Eagle Scout project dedicated to fellow Scout

There are 10 signs that show pictures and information about species of birds and the trailhead sign at the C. Bickham Dickson park in Shreveport. The project was to earn the rank of Eagle Scout for Tristan Davey, 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron son and a junior in high school, and for his troop, which is based out of King's Highway Christian Church.

"As a military brat, I know that only hard work and perseverance can bring about a job well done," Tristan said. "Using both, Troop 92 accomplished their goal of honoring a past scout.

Tristan said when it came to the quality of the product, his role as a military brat is apparent.

"Everything in the military has to be done right the first time or it's not worth doing, so I didn't want anything to go wrong with the project; it's going to have my name on it forever," Tristan said.

Tristan said his dad was an Eagle Scout, too, and he decided to pursue that rank when he realized he could keep it beyond the age of 18.

MaryBeth Davey, his mother, said scouting has been the one constant for Tristan. She added how the organization allowing him to keep his rank has helped his transition into a new troop during military moves.

Tristan had known Matthew in general, but didn't know much about him besides that he had been a Boy Scout, so he got more information from his Scout leader. Matthew had come to C. Bickham Dickson park for his first bird watch.

"I didn't want to make something temporary that just looks pretty, I wanted to make a usable memorial," Tristan said, adding there are the most species of birds available in that area, so it is a big bird-watching area.

Tristan had done an internship with LSUS in their life sciences division, and he worked through that school to get a permit to put in the signs.

"Tristan has a passion for biology, so it kind of fits both interests," MaryBeth Davey said.

Tristan did the measuring, the planning and the fundraising toward the project. The unveiling of the memorial and the bird signs came Aug. 9.

The most challenging aspect of the project for Tristan was not being able to do much of the hands-on work and had to let the Boy Scout troop do it.

"It's like telling me to plan something out of Legos without touching a Lego set," he said.

"The Eagle Scouts project is more about leadership — planning it and leading others to do it more than actually doing it," MaryBeth Davey said.

Matthew's parents also helped put the signs up.

"It was really interesting because the adults set up the first sign and then the Scouts helped more with the second sign, and it evolved so the last sign was done completely by the Scouts," MaryBeth Davey said.

The troop did fundraising at King's Highway Christian Church and Broadmoor United Methodist Church. The project was budgeted to be $540 and they received almost $1,000. A contractor, one of the Scout's dad, donated tools for the job and at first offered a discount, but then he chose to donate the plastic lumber signs, which cost $27 each.

With the money that is left over, Tristan plans to get a granite stone and have the Scout law routed into it and set up a scholarship for Scouts to attend camp.

Tristan passed a local board of review Aug. 21 and has submitted the project to a national panel for their review before he officially earns the Eagle Scout rank.

He plans to pin on the rank in a ceremony during his Christmas break.

Classmates Honor Late student-article in the times September 17,2008

I just wanted to share this..... As Matt's Birthday draws near its nice to know that there are still articles on him 7 months after his passing

This isn't your average school garden, and it's no outdoor classroom project. Rather, the new garden at Youree Drive Middle School is a memorial to one fallen classmate.

The Matthew Campbell Garden is a tribute to 15-year-old Campbell, born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, who died Feb. 3 from a mold condition after receiving a heart transplant in Dallas.

The garden was last year's eight-grade class project.

Youree Drive Middle Principal Victor Mainiero said it all started with an idea from Nicole Ayers, yearbook sponsor, who thought to buy bricks, engraved with students' names to honor Campbell.

Then, eighth-graders decided to take it on as their class project. Mainiero said half of the class purchased bricks, and the other students' names were inscribed by the school.

"Really, it grew when we started getting more and more bricks. Every eighth-grader's going to be on it," Mainiero said. "More and more students decided they wanted to buy bricks, so we tied it into our eighth-grade class project. So it grew and grew."

Mainiero said the whole school, in some way, had a hand in the garden. With the size of the garden, bricks are still arriving weekly, and one-third is currently in place. The next step is a pathway connecting the garden to the patio walkway.

"Phase II will be with Centenary friends and family," he said. "That will be a pathway leading up to the garden."

Matthew Campbell's mother, Francine Campbell, said he had undergone multiple surgeries before he was 18 months old. After that, his condition improved, and during his younger days, he played sports like most children his age.

Then, about three years ago, Matthew developed a protein-losing enteropathy and needed a second heart, which his body responded to well, Francine Campbell said.

But, that wasn't Matthew Campbell's only triumph. His birth was considered a miracle, as doctors thought he wouldn't make it, Francine Campbell said.

"He truly was a gift, and that's why we named him Matthew," Francine Campbell said. "And he truly was a gift."

His life, too, was a blessing to others, Francine Campbell said.

"Matthew never complained, never in his whole life. He was in band. When he was younger, he played baseball and flag football. He got out there and did everything everybody else was doing. Then he had his Boy Scouts, and that's what he loved. He was a tremendous kid," Francine Campbell said. "Matthew's story brought hope to a lot of people and strengthened their faith."

And there was an outpouring of response from people, she said.

"Matthew just brought a lot of people together. He just instilled a lot of hope in people," Campbell said. "I got cards. We received mail. People from all over the world were praying for Matthew."

Because of Matthew's great spirit, Francine Campbell is happy his friends and classmates have honored him.

"The eighth-grade class does a project every year, and this was their project (last year)," Francine Campbell said. "It's a huge garden between the seventh- and eighth-grade wing. The whole garden is in his honor. It makes me very proud and very honored to be his mother."

Francine Campbell, who started a scholarship fund at Centenary College after his passing, didn't want the inspiration he brought to end with his death.

She hopes maybe 20 years from now someone may find strength from Matthew Campbell's story.

"That's the main thing — is to tell his story."