We all would like to think that when we work hard a reward is waiting for us at the end. Sure that reward can be a trophy or a plaque, but sometimes, the greatest reward comes from a simple ‘Thank You’ and the fact that your work left a legacy for those who follow you. Senior Alex Hougentogler did not know that when he entered Boy Scouts in 4th grade that he would reap all of these rewards and more.
In the world of Scouting, the highest rank that anyone can attain is that of Eagle Scout. Achieving this requires not only years of dedication, but a firm commitment to both the community and their scouting program. And while 2.5 million scouts have obtained this rank, this amounts to only about four percent of all scouts since its inception in 1911.
Alex’s Scouting journey began when he made the decision to join a cub scout troop in fourth grade. By the end of his fifth grade year, he had become a part of Troop 456. Boy Scouts was a way for Alex to “have an activity to do outside of school.” Whether it be surrounding himself with other scouts, helping his community, attending meetings and completing projects, or in his words his favorite activity about boy scouts ‘cooking,’ he never imagined that he would come so far to obtain his Eagle Scout ranking.
Being a part of boy scouts has allowed Alex to keep himself busy outside of school. His dad mentions that his earliest memories start in cub scouts with their first time camping out, and it has been nothing but encouraging since these days have started. Because of his passion for cooking, some of Alex’s favorite memories include participating in the summer camp cook-offs with his father. “I could tell Alex was having a blast.”
Alex has completed many service projects for his community and has worked within the community; attending meetings, creating maps, and learning about the history of the country are a few of the many things encapsulated in boy scouts. Throughout a boy scout journey, a scout must obtain a total of twenty-one badges to fulfill the eagle scout ranking- Alex has earned forty-two.
Now that Alex is nearing the end of this journey, the idea was presented to his father that Alex could create a project for the transition center. When this idea sprouted, Alex jumped on the opportunity to give back to the community where he started this journey.
Alex worked day and night on his project to complete it. He started August 5, 2024, and his completed project was delivered to the transition center on October 19, 2024. A total of 2 months was spent on this project. Alex’s father explained that on his days off after a long school day, and even after marching band practice after school, Alex would work with his grandfather to complete this project. “I have created a kitchen island for the Hempfield transition center,” Alex said.
Even the community celebrated Alex’s accomplishment. His local church, family, and friends all worked together to donate supplies for the project. Other people within the community contributed to Alex’s efforts. He said, “We did a Frosty Shack Fundraiser over the summer.”
When asking Alex’s father his thoughts on this project and Alex accomplishing the eagle rank, he expressed great joy and pride for Alex. “Even if he didn’t go any further today, even if he stopped right here, all of us in the family are immensely proud of what he has achieved. It is great”
