David Clark knows the anxiety and discomfort of receiving infusion treatments. At a young age, he was diagnosed with a chronic condition that required frequent IV therapy at the hospital.
After one such treatment, David got the idea of how to make the experience a little less stressful for other children.
“This project was deeply personal, inspired by my own experiences as a patient,” says the 16-year-old from Troop 57 of Palo Alto, Calif. “For many, these treatments aren’t a one-time event. They’re a regular part of life.”
Over nine months, he recruited 223 volunteers who put in nearly 1,200 service hours building, painting and decorating wooden platforms called “lily pads” for kids to sit or stand on while they receive treatments.
“These IV lily pads are more than just pieces of wood,” David says. “They’re a moment of escape — a way to make something scary a little more fun.”
He donated the 110 lily pads to the same hospital that had helped him: Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, part of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health network, which treats 8,000 kids a year from all over the United States. For his exceptional efforts, David received the 2026 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award.
A project in multiple phases
Since 2010, the Adams awards have recognized outstanding Eagle projects. This year’s awards, which include 14 territorial winners and one national winner, honor young people who earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2025. The national winner receives a $3,500 scholarship, which they can use for their future education or to attend a national or international Scouting event.
David started his award-winning project by using a GoFundMe page to raise more than $5,500, which covered most of the funds needed for supplies. He also sold boba tea during a swim meet.
A big challenge for David was figuring out he and his helpers could make the lily pads work with hospital equipment and last for years. He made several physical prototypes before hospital staff approved the final design, which are built to move with patients as they’re wheeled through the halls by a parent or nurse.
David purchased plywood boards cut so that they’d fit around an IV stand. Then he scheduled a day for volunteers to sand and prime the boards.
After that, he recruited more volunteers from local troops, high schools and an art center foundation to creatively paint the boards to look like slices of fruit, flowers, cute insects and cartoon characters.
Another workday involved applying sealant to each of the boards.
Finally, the hospital hosted a ceremony where David donated the lily pads.
“That little time they spend out of their room or out of their bed makes a big difference,” says Jesus Cepero, chief nursing officer at the hospital. “That’s why this was a wonderful project.
After the ceremony, David took three of the 110 lily pads to young patients to use.
“Seeing the young patients’ smiles made every hour of effort worthwhile,” David says.
Not done yet
After the Eagle Scout project was completed, the hospital provided a $7,000 grant to David, which he’s using to build 25 more lily pads.
But the patients at Lucile Packard won’t be the only beneficiaries for this second phase. David has already begun partnering with hospital groups in Florida, Tennessee and Washington D.C., and plans to keep the project going for the next few years.
He’s also compiled a 25-page guide available upon request to people who want to construct lily pads for their local medical facilities. The guide includes instructions on how to design a lily pad, a materials list, descriptions on how to complete each step, and lessons David learned to help save time.
How to nominate an Eagle Scout for the Adams award
If you know an Eagle Scout whose project is worthy of consideration for the Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award, please nominate them.
You can find a nomination form, judging criteria and more information here.
Eagle Scout service projects may be submitted for award consideration by the Eagle Scout, their parents or guardians, or any registered volunteer — with the Scout’s permission. To be eligible, nominations must be submitted to the Council NESA committee where the service project was completed no later than Jan. 31, 2027.
For example, an Eagle Scout who completed their board of review in 2026 must ensure their project is nominated by Jan. 31. Councils are then responsible for submitting the nomination materials to the National Eagle Scout Association by Feb. 28. For all details and requirements for submission, visit the Adams award page at nesa.org.