Eagle Scout Project
Technology Access for Refugee Students
An Eagle Scout Service Project focused on expanding technology access by refurbishing donated computers and teaching practical digital literacy skills to refugee students.
For my Eagle Scout Service Project through the Boy Scouts of America, now Scouting America, I organized and led a community technology project focused on computer access and digital literacy. I was 15–16 years old at the time, and I wanted to create a project that combined service, leadership, and technology in a meaningful way.
The goal of the project was to help refugee students gain access to computers and learn basic digital skills they could use for school, communication, job applications, and everyday life. Some of the students I worked with had very limited computer experience. A few were learning basic skills like using a mouse, creating an email account, browsing the internet, and working with common software for the first time.
To make the project possible, I collected donated Windows computers and laptops from members of the community. After receiving the systems, I checked each one to see if it was usable, repaired what I could, securely wiped old data, installed Windows 10, configured basic settings, and added everyday applications. These were not high-end computers, but I worked to make sure each one was reliable enough for common tasks like email, internet browsing, schoolwork, and document editing.
In total, I refurbished and donated six Windows computers to refugee students in the local community.
A major part of the project was teaching computer literacy classes. I created a lesson plan, but I had to adapt it in real time because each student had a different level of experience. Some needed help with the basics, while others were ready to move into email, Microsoft Office, file management, and online tools.
The lessons covered basic computer navigation, mouse and keyboard use, email setup, internet browsing, online safety, Microsoft Office basics, file management, and general productivity skills.
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to explain technical ideas to people with little or no background in technology. I quickly realized that being comfortable with computers was not the same thing as being able to teach them. I had to slow down, avoid technical language, explain each step clearly, and adjust my teaching style based on the person I was helping.
As the project leader, I coordinated donations, organized volunteers, managed the refurbishment process, planned the lessons, and handled logistics for delivering the finished computers. The project took approximately 120 hours of planning, technical work, teaching, coordination, and service.
This became one of the most meaningful projects I completed in Scouting because it showed me how technology can directly affect someone’s ability to learn, communicate, and access opportunities. It also helped me grow as a leader and taught me the importance of patience, communication, and adaptability when helping non-technical users.
