Former student solves Palatine baseball field's flooding problem

Former Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 student Tom Narey was recognized at Wednesday's school board meeting for flood-reducing improvements he made to a district baseball field as part of an Eagle Scout project.

Narey, now a junior in high school, said he wanted to incorporate baseball into his plan to give back to the community. The baseball field at Sundling Junior High School was a place he frequented as a District 15 student, he said, and he wanted to improve it for current and future students.

"I remember playing here on the third base side, and when it rained, it was always flooded," Narey said.

Narey led the initiative to install underground drain pipes next to the field's dugouts to reduce flooding.

But he didn't stop there.

"I thought, let's add in something else," he said. "I raised money and added in aluminum benches with backs on them."

Narey thanked the District 15 board for working with him, and hopes kids will appreciate the work he's done.