Origin of the Terry McCoy Walking Track

Last week, The Expositor shared news of the new Terry McCoy walking trail and playground built by White County High School, but there was one piece missing: the man behind it all. Adam Shaw, a senior at WCHS, has been spearheading the project at every stage, and he wanted to share how the experience affected him, his motivations for the project, and the good it will do for the community moving forward.

Adam Shaw has been working towards his Eagle Scout rank for some time, a feat that on its own requires hours upon hours of work. The last requirement needed was a service project, and Shaw quickly knew what he wanted.

“For Eagle Scouts, they want you to do something beneficial,” he said. “And I knew I wanted more than just a bench. I wanted something that was both beneficial and getting the community active. I see people walking in just the parking lot or at the tennis games. So, this new trail, super beneficial as a whole, actually giving them a path near everything else on that side.”

After going through the paperwork process, Shaw brought his project to the County Commission, which approved. With the help of Jerry Sawyer from the Highway Department, Kyle Goff, and Executive Denny Wayne Robinson, Shaw was able to bring this vision to light. As the project has gone along, he has remained the main voice on the project and how it has proceeded. Jerry Sawyer said that whenever his department had any questions during construction, Adam Shaw was the first man they asked.

Now the walking trail and playground stand largely finished, so what is next for Adam? He says the project has helped him tremendously with his plans for the future. He said, “Working with Jerry and Kyle has helped a lot because I want to get into political science at college. I’ve enjoyed working on the project. Jerry Sawyer, Kyle Goff, Denny Wayne, and the County Commission, I’ve found the entire experience gratifying and helpful to my future career. Getting to see kind of the inner workings of a project like this.”

Soon, there will be a dedication day for Terry McCoy for the new trail. McCoy was a former teacher in White County who passed away back in 2021. When Adam Shaw gets that Eagle Scout badge, he can hold his head high knowing his service to the community will have a visible impact for years to come.