EL RENO — John Benson could barely lift his arms at night. Fourteen-hour work days seemed to run together.

Constant bending, lifting, cutting and carrying two-by-four boards was taking its toll. Somehow, he persevered and kept returning each day to the job site. Benson, 17, was committed to a promise he made to a local charity. He would build a 12-foot-by-16-foot storage building in four weeks and charge the charity nothing. Benson is a home school high school junior who lives near Mustang. He enrolled in the Construction Trades program at Canadian Valley Technology Center with the work project in mind. Scouting is a big deal for Benson. Formerly involved in Boy Scouts of America, he switched Scouting affiliations a couple of years ago to Trail Life USA. Now all that stands between him and the Freedom Award, Trail Life's highest honor, is verification of a servant leadership project. Benson must submit a report detailing how he planned, fundraised and then built a service project. Founded in 2013, Trail Life is a faith-based Scouting organization for more than 26,000 boys nationwide. Achievement badges and awards may be earned for rank advancement. The 192-square-foot storage building was built on site at House of Healing for Teenage Soul Inc., a nonprofit charity near Britton and Banner roads that strives to equip teen girls to reach their full potential through care and mentoring.

Benson said project costs were less than $3,000, because he negotiated with area businesses for discounted goods and services.

He credits the skills he has learned in a short time at Canadian Valley Technology Center. The first project undertaken each year by new students is the construction of a deer blind that can be easily taken apart and placed in a pickup bed for transport.