This month we are spotlighting a local teen who used living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), educating and inspiring others as his platform for his final Eagle Scout project. He chose to do a video about T1D and we asked him to share what the project meant to him. Here’s what he had to say:

“My name is Jonah DeWitt and I am a senior in high school. I have been involved in my high school’s theater, robotics, and student leadership programs, and I am currently making decisions about college. I’m your typical teenager, living out a normal life, but I, like you, have Type 1 Diabetes.

My journey with diabetes started a few days shy of my 14th birthday. In the beginning, I felt scared and utterly lost, despite having excellent medical care and a loving and supportive family. The pressures of daily diabetic management seemed overwhelming and I was sad and scared, so I sought out Isaac, a friend at my high school, who also had T1D, and started talking with him. His healthy habits, nutrition tips, overall diabetic lifestyle and positive mindset showed me that this new way of life was not only doable, but could be productive while enriching others around us. His mentorship gave me the hope that I too could live with T1D with confidence and pride, as I know we all strive to do.

I consider myself lucky to have had such an inspiring role model and friend to learn from, after I was diagnosed, but I know that not every newly-diagnosed diabetic is that fortunate. So when it came time for me to design and create my Eagle Scout project this past fall, I knew I wanted to create something that could recreate that relationship and mentorship that my friend Issac gave me. I wanted to help other T1D’s by setting them on a solid path to their own diabetic management, as well as support the community that supports them, like their family, grandparents, teachers, and coaches.

For those of you that don’t know about scouting, the Eagle Scout project is the culmination of a Boy Scout’s journey in the BSA program, and is the highest rank that a boy scout can achieve. I have been a boy scout for 13 years, and it had always been a goal of mine to become an Eagle Scout. A requirement to attain the rank of Eagle Scout is to lead and organize a project that will benefit a non-profit organization. I saw this as an opportunity to take the motivation that my friend Issac had given me, add my own creative theatrical spin on it, and create something that could benefit others. So I approached JDRF in my hometown, and they loved the idea, supporting me the whole way! My video entitled “Inspiration Through Education,” is very approachable, and walks the viewer through a day in my life as a diabetic. It creates a “can-do” attitude for the T1D individual, but also provides a framework through which loving family, friends, coaches, directors and teachers can learn how to help. Lastly, it can also serve as a model for young JDRF ambassadors who want to share their own personal story, or who are thinking they want to educate their community or school, but who might not know how exactly to get started.

As a young diabetic, I know how the pressures of daily diabetic management can be disheartening, which is why this project became such a passion of mine. When young diabetics learn that they are not alone, that others are not only living with diabetes, but living well and thriving as young adults – THAT is a pivotal and life-changing moment. I wanted to be a part of that moment for others, empowering young diabetics to learn more about their disease, and take charge of their daily management. It took my goal of attaining Eagle Scout rank for me to see how I could share my journey with T1D, and help others, but anyone can create a project to educate and inspire others in their school or community. Trust me, it is a truly wonderful experience you would not regret!

We’d like to thank Jonah for choosing JDRF and his T1D journey for his project and empowering others.

*JDRF does not provide medical advice. Any content accessed through JDRF.org is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Please see our full editorial policy.*