WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers ON THE RIGHT PATH—Earlier this week, Rio Mesa High School senior Jon Gettner sits in the middle of a labyrinth he recently built on the campus of Monte Vista Middle School. Gettner spent three weekends to lay the three tons of stone for his Eagle Scout project. A Rio Mesa High School senior recently provided a peaceful place for students at Monte Vista Middle School as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Jonathan Gettner, 18, was asked by officials at Monte Vista to build a labyrinth on what was formerly a large, open swath of dirt and grass.

"I was up for it," Gettner said.

Gettner designed and built the labyrinth after researching its history in medieval Europe.

"I was looking at so many designs I wanted to come up with something original," he said.

Gettner spent almost three weeks working on the project with more than 20 friends, family members and fellow Boy Scouts from Troop 243. The circular labyrinth has a circumference of 14 feet and contains around 550 pieces of blackandred-dyed paver stone.

Monte Vista counselor Gail Barrish thinks the labyrinth is a positive addition to the school.

"Most kids don't know what a labyrinth is, and they're curious to learn something about it," said Barrish, who has been a counselor at the school for eight years.

Labyrinths tie into the students' curriculum in history and geometry, Barrish said. Labyrinths were first built during the Middle Ages, which seventhgraders study in history class, and were used as places to meditate and worship throughout Europe during the holy wars, she said. Geometry comes into play because the stones are cut precisely to form a circular shape; putting it together was like "creating a big jigsaw puzzle," Barrish said.

Gettner plans to attend Moorpark College then transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study mechanical engineering.

His father, grandfather and uncle helped him prepare the stones by cutting them with a saw. After cutting and preparing the stones in Gettner's backyard, two pickup trucks transported the stones to Monte Vista.

"The whole process was pretty fun," said Gettner, who enjoys golfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, drawing and playing Hacky Sack. "I enjoyed bringing my own design to life. I wanted to do something that will affect the school and society."

Another Boy Scout, Robert Arbon, is expected to install two benches next to the labyrinth before the school's open house on May 20. Barrish hopes trees will also be planted nearby for added ambiance.

"We'd like to make it a peaceful area for kids to go," Barrish said. "If they're having a bad day, this can be a place to reflect. . . . Hopefully we can keep adding things to it."

Students can slowly follow the path of the stones, taking about 20 to 30 minutes to walk to the center and back, a "very contemplative, meditative walk," Barrish said.

"The steps are slow and mindful. You come to a labyrinth to work through a problem," Barrish said.