Manhattan Student earns Eagle Scout honors

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John Ostermann and Cora Astin

Only 4 percent of all Boy Scouts accomplish a feat recently achieved by four Manhattan High students this year.

Out of 2.4 million Boy Scouts in 2015, only 54,000 were dedicated enough to go through the ranks and earn the Eagle Scout distinction. Seniors Drew Padgett and Thomas Kraus recently earned this award, along with two juniors who already have the award, Dylan Higgins and Nathaniel Chaput.

Becoming an Eagle Scout is not an easy task and it takes dedication and persistence from each applicant.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could get the Eagle Scout rank,” Padgett said. “It was more of me proving it to myself than any other reason.”

The largest factor in becoming an Eagle Scout is the service project they must do for the community, which cannot benefit the scouts at all. Padgett designed and constructed a prayer garden for Blue Valley Memorial United Methodist Church, where he is an active member. He had his Eagle ceremony on Saturday at the church where family, friends and fellow scouts were able to celebrate this accomplishment.

“It took me a while because I had to plan it on paper first and get that approved,” Padgett said. “Then I had to find a people within the community that would be willing to help with the project. After that we had to do the actual construction work and labor but I think it turned out great.”

Kraus went a different route with his project, deciding to reconstruct a bridge at Warner Park.

“There was this bridge and trail that goes through the back part of Warner,” he said. “The bridge wasn’t quite as long as it needed to be. So, we made [it] longer and out with a 135 degree bend in it. As well as put down gravel, where there needed to be gravel. Basically the trail there was kind of inaccessible. My team and I made it accessible. If you go there now you wouldn’t see it, you would think it was always there. I feel proud of what I’ve done.”

Each Eagle Project has its own set of challenges, including getting volunteers and materials together at the same time.

“It was hard for me to connect with other people to work everything all out so that we had a day with materials there with everything to go,” Kraus said. “That was really hard for me to do the phone calls, to do the emails.”

There are many things that a scout can do after he has made the final step in becoming an Eagle Scout.

“I am going to continue working with my troop and try to take a larger form of leadership,” Padgett said. “I would really like to stay involved and help the kids beneath me. Kind of be a leader and guide to them showing them they can do this.”

After the scout achieves the rank of Eagle they can choose whether or not to continue to receive their Palms and be part of the Order of the Arrow.

“I currently have three [palms] — I’m working on four — and I have enough merit badges to have five,” Higgins said. “I’m in the Order of the Arrow. I do some of the ceremonies for that and I’m currently working on the second stage for that.”

Being an Eagle Scout also offers many rewards through college scholarships and career opportunities.

“The Eagle Scout directly didn’t [help], but just being in the Boy Scouts helped me get the Army ROTC four-year scholarship that K-State has to offer,” Padgett said.

The scholarship offers awardees a book allowance for $1,200 per year along with additional perks if they achieve it.