The 17-year-old decided to build a walking and jogging track around the school’s playing fields as her senior project. The project, a graduation requirement, must include hands-on work as well as a paper and oral presentation.

"I think it would be cool to leave a mark," she said.

Coghill said lots of students restore cars or explore hobbies they already have. She took her inspiration from a project to rebuild the high school’s outdoor basketball court by seniors in the class of 2000.

She envisions a red cinder rock path wrapping around the sports field. It would be open to community members of all ages.

David Lawson, a groundskeeper who supervises Coghill’s Job Council work, has become her mentor for this project. He helped her present her idea to school officials, who approved the project, and contact local businesses seeking donations of materials, money and time.

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Building a path that’s 1,900 feet long and 5 feet wide could cost as much as $10,000, Lawson and Coghill estimate. That’s how much they’ve sought for a community grant from Nike Inc. If they don’t land that grant, they will try to trim construction costs to $4,000 with donations and plenty of volunteers.

In the first month of collecting cash donations in jars at local businesses, Coghill raised $416. She plans to focus on fund-raising through the winter. She’s also contacting potential volunteers, from her fellow high school students looking for service projects of their own to local wildland fire crews, some of whom already have offered help.

People who want to help Coghill with donations of money, materials, equipment or labor can contact the school at 560-3653 or reach Lawson at 560-3635.