Tell us a little about yourself.
I just turned 15, and I’m a Boy Scout in Troop 208. I was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois. My family moved to Iowa when I was almost 3 years old, but Chicago will always have a special place in my heart. I have two siblings, Alyssa and Lindsey, and two cats, Cinder and Biscuit. I play drums and piano in my free time, and I especially love playing 80’s music, such as Toto, on both instruments. I also have a job at the Waukee Fareway store, where I’ve worked for almost a year.
When did you first get involved in the Boy Scouts?
I started Cub Scouts in first grade, when I had no idea that I had just started a very long journey to Eagle Scout. I enjoyed Cub Scouts because of all the friends I made, the experiences I had, and the activities we got to do. In third or fourth grade, I learned about the Boy Scouts and what they do, and about the highest rank of Eagle Scout. I knew I wanted to get there someday.
You just recently completed an Eagle Scout project. Tell us how you came to work on that.
This past February, I started brainstorming project ideas. It took about three years of scouting to get to this point because of all the hard work I had to do with the six ranks below Eagle. For my project, I didn’t want to just get it over with and forget about it; I wanted it to mean something to me, and to be something I was passionate about. After about two weeks of searching, Matt Huth, the choir director at Prairieview School, pitched me the idea to construct drum and equipment carts for the show choirs in the Waukee school district. This idea was right down my lane since I’m a drummer, and I play drums for my grade’s show choir.
What was Mr. Huth’s reaction to your completed project?
Mr. Huth was very thankful, as will be the other choir directors in the district when their carts are delivered to them very shortly. And I am certainly thankful that this project is coming to a close after countless hours of planning, more planning, and finally executing.
We’re in the season of being thankful. What are you most thankful for during all your years in the Scouts?
I am most thankful for the opportunities and skills that scouting has given me. In the past six months, I was able to be the Senior Patrol Leader of my troop, which means I was pretty much the leader of our troop, which gave me a ton of leadership skills. I’ve also had the opportunity to do things I never would have imagined. For example, last summer, I went on a high adventure trip to Colorado where I climbed the tallest mountain in Colorado and went white water rafting the next day. I hope to stay active in my troop and have more amazing opportunities going forward.