There had been a stick. Wasn't there always a stick? I mean, they were everywhere, but sometimes, one just called out to you. So it was with 'the stick.' When JJ discovered it, leaning forlornly against a bunch of other deadfall at the edge of the North trail, the clouds had parted just so, and a beam of light had illuminated it as he had passed. Like Wart when he first sees the Sword in the Stone (a TOTALLY underrated Disney.) It had stopped JJ in his tracks, and he had reached for it instinctively. He didn't actually know what kind of wood it was (yet,) but it was strong, and light, and, even before the carving and whittling (which he was about to begin) it fit his hand perfectly. Just the right height for the perfect walking stick. 

At its base, it was a little under an inch in diameter. At the tip, it was a little over and inch and a half. It curved ever-so-slightly. JJ had picked it up on his first day, and when craft shop had been announced, he knew it was time to begin. He fetched the stick from under cabin F where he had left it, and marched over to the craft hut. The staff there had a bunch of different projects planned, but JJ declined, stating that he had a perfect walking stick / light saber / truncheon to work on. 

First the bark needed to come off. JJ started with a small whittling knife, but when one of the counsellors (NOT Megs) saw what he was up to, they showed him what a spoke-shave was, and how to use it. This made uniform removal of the bark much easier. Then came squaring and capping the bottom of the stick, which had been snapped off. This took a little more work, and also involved a saw, which was new for JJ. Next came the carvings. This wasn't explicitly necessary, per se... but come on! Who wouldn't put their own touches on a stick of such a fine pedigree?  

This part was difficult. JJ thought about starting into the whittling immediately, but he was too worried about screwing this up. He only had one shot at it. So instead, he started drawing out his design. It was part fantasy wizard's staff, part Star Wars hilt, part BMX handlebar. The stick lay on the table in front of him while he doodled.