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Braille Posts

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The Trail

The Inspiration

The inspiration for my project came to me when I was helping my older brother Andrew with his braille trail Eagle Scout Project. As he completed installation of his project, I took a test walk to see how enjoyable it would be. After my first walk, I felt that it wasn't very enjoyable as it felt like a plain area to go through. However, many years later as I began to plan what I would do for my project, I decided to give his trail another try. Before walking through it, I realized that I must close my eyes in order to feel the adventure of the trail. With my eyes closed, I was able to utilize my other senses to navigate through the sounds and smells of the Tupelo Trail. After my walk, I realized that this experience I went through was able to connect me with nature and strengthen my other senses even though I couldn't see anything. I wanted to share this experience with everyone, including people with visual impairments. The Holly Hill Farm Trail for Blind Visitors is meant to provide people walking along with the same experience I felt working on Andrew's project, along with making the farm more accessible for people with visual impairments.

Who Did it?

My name is Nicholas Hoadley and I am a Life Scout in BSA Troop 28 Cohasset. I designed and developed each braille station and assistive technologies. 

With the installation of this braille trail, I hope to make the experience of visiting Holly Hill Farm more accessible in being able to learn about its history and how it operates.

I am currently a Senior at Cohasset High School and my other interests are finalizing a grant application with my research team for the MIT Sea Grant to examine the prevalence of dune grass on Bassings Beach island in Cohasset. I am also a volunteer at the Appalachian Service Project, a cello player, and competitive rower. I hope that with the completion of my project, I can offer visitors of the farm with a new and interesting way to experience nature.

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