When Charles Hobby sees something wrong in the world, he wants to make it right.

While taking a tour of Robinson High School a few years back, he noticed the courtyard had become overgrown and ugly. When it came time to complete a service project for his Boy Scout Eagle Award, he started to think of ways he could improve the area. Four days, 350 plants, 200 people hours and 20 cubic yards of mulch later, the courtyard matched the school’s stellar reputation.

“The outcome was very nice,” says Charles. “You hear that you can make a difference, but it is nice to see that it is true.”

Charles began helping others when he was in second grade and would go with his mom to serve Meals on Wheels.

“I get satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from helping others,” he says. “It is something I enjoy.”

An active Boy Scout for 9 years, the high school sophomore now volunteers during the summer at Camp Woodruff in North Carolina where he teaches younger scouts outdoor skills.

“ I like the leadership aspect of scouts,” he explains.

Even one of his favorite hobbies has a sense of altruism to it.

“I started building robots in middle school,” Charles says. “Our robotics team won at the state level and went on to the World Cup in Kentucky. The robotics club at Robinson just started, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to use my leadership skills from Boy Scouts to help it grow. I enjoy solving problems to help improve people’s lives, and I see robotics as a way to do that.”