After many years of community service and hard work, Boy Scout Troop 1130 of McLean, VA proudly awarded the Eagle Rank to seven scouts recently.
According to Scoutmaster Jim Ahlgrimm, to earn the Eagle Scout rank a scout has to master numerous scout skills, earn at least 21 merit badges of which 12 are required.
In addition, a scout has to perform many hours of community service and hold leadership positions in the troop. Finally, a scout has to plan, organize and supervise a major service project that will benefit a chosen organization. The project demonstrates the scout’s leadership and organization skills.
The scouts who reached the Eagle Rank include: Neil Stechtschulte, William Minor, Paul Feghali, Andrew Capon, Cameron Hudson, Aaron Ahlgrimm, and William Kiley. Neil Stechschulte is a 2012 graduate of Gonzaga College High School and attending Virginia Tech University.
Will Minor is a 2013 graduate of George C. Marshall High School. Aaron Ahlgrimm, Will Kiley, and Andrew Capon are 2013 graduates of McLean High School. Cameron Hudson will be a junior at McLean High School in the Fall of 2013. And Paul Feghali will be a senior at Bishop O’Connell High School in the Fall of 2013.
Scoutmaster Ahlgrimm described the boys' projects:
In August 2010, Aaron Ahlgrimm's project was to lead the improvement of a segment of trail on the Pimmit Run Trail to protect the trail from flooding during heavy rain. The project included creating a new trail paralleling an existing trail, but at a safer distance to flooding risk. Crushed stone was hauled by wheelbarrow to the trail site and used to fill the new trail path that was designed and dug. The improvements also included the repair & replacement of damaged culverts and drainage ditches. The old trail path was closed off and new trail boundaries and markers were also added.
Andrew Capon's project was to renovate a section of The Potomac Heritage Trail, thus making it safer for hikers, more functional to the surrounding communities and also preventing further erosion of the trail to decrease the level of soil runoff into the Potomac River. Scouts and friends assisted in repairing steps, re-grading eroded soil, shoring up steep sections of the trail and removing debris. This project was completed September 25, 2011.
Will Kiley completed his project at Lemon Road Elementary School in December 2011. The slope next to the school was unsightly and hazardous to the children walking to school. After identification of native and non native invasive plants, he lead the group volunteers to clean and remove the stumps, large rocks and invasive non native and native plants. The 5000 square foot area was prepped for future projects for the school.
In March 2012, Cameron Hudson led a project to landscape an interior courtyard at Longfellow Middle School. The landscaping succeeded in creating an outdoor classroom by directing over 70 volunteers in the clearing, moving, laying and grading of tons of rocks, gravel, mulch, and edging.
Neil Stechschulte completed his Eagle Scout Project in April 2012, at Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA. He helped the Park’s Visitor Center by placing a 54 foot fence around a tree in order to protect its roots. He placed another 30 foot linear fence to protect endangered plants and prevent people from falling into a deep ravine. He also replaced the plastic roof on a kayak shelter with a shingled roof. Neil would like to thank all those that came to his project for the hard work and to the Riverbend Staff for their assistance in designing the project.
Troop 1130 is sponsored by Charles Wesley United Methodist Church of McLean, VA. Anyone interested in additional information about Troop 1130 is welcome to contact Jim Ahlgrimm, Scoutmaster, at info@Troop1130.com.
