Local scouts earn Eagle rank through many hours of service
Five Odessa young men will be honored for achieving the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts of America, at an Eagle Court of Honor at 7 p.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5401 JBS Parkway Blvd.
A potluck dinner will be served at 6 p.m. The following honored scouts are:
Karl Cherokee Stringer
>> Karl Cherokee Stringer, 14, of Varsity Team 198, was elevated to the rank of Eagle Nov. 17, 2008, and has earned 37 merit badges (16 more than required).
Karl has exhibited outstanding leadership ability and completed more than 28 hours of service on a major project that he planned and organized.
Karl was watching TV one day when he saw a commercial asking for help from The Star of Hope Mission, an emergency shelter for women and children in Houston. The commercial inspired him and he decided he was going to do what he could to benefit this organization. During the next weeks he began collecting toiletries, shampoo, soap, razors, lotion, other hygiene items and clothing. When he delivered the items to the shelter the shelves were empty. The patrons had been praying for assistance and his project had answered their prayers. Though he was unable to take pictures of the women and children at the shelter for domestic reasons, the expressions of love and gratitude from each are images he will never forget. A total of 92 hours of service was rendered on behalf of the shelter.
Karl is a student at Nimitz Jr. High and a member of the orchestra and football team. He plans to study engineering in the future. He has served as the Deacons quorum president and currently oversees special activities within the varsity team. He also plans to serve a full time two-year mission for the church when he turns 19.
Robert Lamar Stock
>> Robert Lamar Stock, 15, of Varsity Team 198, was elevated to the rank of Eagle Dec. 12, 2008, and has earned 34 merit badges (13 more than required). Robbie has exhibited outstanding leadership ability and completed more than 22 hours of service on a major project that he planned and organized.
Robbie has developed a love for the outdoors during his scouting career, especially Lincoln National Forest.
He discussed many ideas with the forest department and finally decided that a conservation project to reduce the human footprint within the forest was the right project for him. Robbie arranged the meals and transportation for the long trip as well as the manpower. His work was primarily to turn an old, eroded, four wheel drive road into a single path trail.
His team toiled in the hot sun to restore a passable, nature friendly trail. Upon completion, a forest department worker said that they usually paid people to do the work that Robbie and his team had done and he had done the job twice as well and in half the time. His project required 206 hours of service.
Robbie is a sophomore at Odessa High School. After completing a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he wants to study military science and eventually design weapons to protect U.S. soldiers. Robbie has served as the deacon's quorum president and the teacher's quorum first counselor. He currently is responsible for high adventure and sports activities within the varsity team.
Logan Arthur Stringer
>> Logan Arthur Stringer, of Varsity Team 198, was elevated to the rank of Eagle July 22, 2008, and has earned 46 merit badges (25 more than required). Logan has exhibited outstanding leadership ability, and completed more than 18 hours of service on a major project that he planned and organized.
Logan helped an elderly woman in Houston with some much-needed repairs to her home.
He led a group of youth and adults in a time consuming project.
His team replaced and painted numerous door jams, rebuilt, weather-stripped, caulked and painted window frames, primed and painted the home as well as did some much needed landscaping. Many tools were needed including saws, hammers, paint brushes, shovels, scrappers, pruning sheers as well as materials like nails, wood, mulch, putty, primer and paint.
He organized the dates and time of the project as well as secured the necessary materials needed. His planning and leadership resulted in 618 hours of service rendered to the community.
Logan is a student at Nimitz Junior High, where he is a member of the football team. After serving a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan would like to become an air force pilot.
He has served as the Deacon's quorum president and as a counselor in the teacher's quorum presidency.
He currently oversees service rendered by the varsity team.
