Tristan Brauer wanted to come up with an Eagle Scout project that would stand out. The senior at Ypsilanti High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 290 is on his way to accomplishing that goal.

His idea was to refurbish children's bicycles, then give them out to kids who need a bike. So far, he's collected 38 bicycles all by donation.

"I passed out about 1,000 flyers in my neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods," Tristan said. "I also went on CraigsList, where I told people who were selling bikes about my project and got more than 15 bikes donated."

His goal is to collect 50 bicycles. He's learning bike repair the hands-on way and teaching other scouts, which is part of the Eagle Scout project.

"There's everything from busted pedals to a lot of brake and gear issues," said Tristan, who has also received some free help from mechanics. "People know what Eagle Scout stands for and are completely willing to donate their time, especially if you approach them kindly."

Eric Maes, Eagle Scout adviser for Boy Scout Troop 290, says that the success of Brauer's project is dependent on how he demonstrates leadership and how he can articulate that.

"Tristan has always been a behind-the-scenes leader in our troop," said Maes. "This is putting him more in the forefront of people and the leadership structure."

Maes says that time management is another key part of successfully accomplishing an Eagle Scout project.

"He must be 100 percent done with everything from inception to proposal to implementation to final reflection prior to his 18th birthday," said Maes.

Brauer will turn 18 in June and feels confident that he will be one of the 4 percent of all Boy Scouts to earn Eagle Scout.

He is working with the Salvation Army of Washtenaw County, which will help him with the distribution of the bikes when they are ready.

If you are interested in donating a children's bicycle to Bauer, email him at sontarble@gmail.com.

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.