BY ALBINA BASSARAB
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Freshman Garrett Smith is currently improving Roseville High School’s theaters in order to become Eagle Scouts.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting division. The Eagle Scout Project is the opportunity for a Boy Scout to demonstrate his skills, while performing a beneficial project for his community.
“It pretty much completes being a Boy Scout,” Smith said.
Smith will be painting the J.B. Gale theater in order to make it a black box theater. According to Smith’s dad Scott Smith, Garrett Smith wanted his project to coincide with the campus.
“Garrett wanted to do his Eagle Project for an organization he was a part of, one that he worked with daily,” Scott Smith said. “RHS immediately came to mind because it’s a high use facility that always needs improvements.”
Fellow sophomore troop member Kaden Schmittner also made improvements to the RHS campus for his Eagle Scout Project. He has fixed up elements of the Patti Baker Theater’s stage for the dance shows two weekends ago by painting and building custom shelves.
“The reason that I chose the RHS campus for my project is because I am proud of my school and want it to become a better place,” Schmittner said.
Schmittner’s friend Brandon Walker, appreciates what Schmittner is doing for RHS.
“I think it’s great that Kaden is doing a project that benefits a place that he attends and it’s helping the community because he’s allowing the community to basically be lifted up,” Walker said. “He is improving the quality of the area that he lives in and I think that’s awesome.”
According to Smith and Schmittner’s assistant scoutmaster Lynn Boughner, there are new responsibilities that come with the position of an Eagle Scout.
“This means that they will be required to uphold the meaning of being an Eagle Scout which is based on the three aims of scouting: citizenship, personal fitness and character,” Boughner said.
Smith says his journey in Boy Scouts has taught him many important skills and lessons.
“I learned a lot of different skills while being a boy scout,” Smith said. “[Some include] leadership, public speaking and camping.”
Holding the title of ‘Eagle Scout’ also opens doors for new opportunities in their life.
“Being an Eagle Scout is very beneficial, since I want to go to a military school and it looks really good on your résumé, if following that route,” Schmittner said.
Boughner has seen strong leadership qualities in Smith.
“When tasked to lead others, he can always be counted on to do the job,” Boughner said.
Schmittner’s dad Michael Schmittner takes pride in his son’s achievements and is excited about his upcoming promotion to Eagle Scout.
“We are so proud of him already and the fact that he’s pursuing his Eagle [rank] is very exciting,” Schmittner’s dad said. “He has always been a hard worker, and we would love to have him join the small group of individuals who are Eagle Scouts.”
Boughner highlights the effectiveness of scouting and how both Schmittner and Smith have made an effort to benefit their community.
“The beauty of scouting is not only seeing young men change as they grow, but to also see them experience many things they might not if they were not in scouting,” Boughner said. “Roseville High School is very lucky to have these two scouts on its campus and to have them want to give back to the school that means so much to them.”
