Lennox High School senior, Will Hoppe, celebrated a significant milestone in his scouting journey this past Saturday, Apr. 6, as he held his Eagle Scout Ceremony. Hoppe officially earned his Eagle Scout honor on Dec. 19, 2023.
To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout must accomplish a series of tasks, including earning 21 merit badges as they progress through the advancement process. Notably, 14 of these badges must come from a special list of Eagle-required merit badges, while the rest are selected from 137 available options. It’s a rigorous process, with less than six percent of Scouts that start the program reaching this achievement.
Hoppe began his journey to Eagle Scout in the first grade, when he began Boy Scouts at just seven years old.
“Over the years, I have been working my way up the various ranks leading to Eagle Scout. The thing that inspired me to pursue this achievement was my family. They have been by my side through all my ups and downs in Boy Scouts and only six percent of Scouts make it to Eagle Scout rank. I knew I was going to have to work very hard but would be a great achievement,” Hoppe said.
Throughout his scouting journey, Hoppe has amassed a treasure trove of memorable experiences, from camping adventures to educational trips.
“I have had many memorable experiences during my time in the Boy Scouts. Some of these moments were: achieving Eagle Scout rank, going to the Strataca salt mine in Hutchinson, Kansas, going to northern Minnesota for a week to camp, and doing some extracurricular activities during the summer,” said Hoppe.
However, two particular moments stand out to him.
“The first one was getting the news that I was approved and granted the Eagle Scout rank. That meant a lot to me because I was short on time finding a project that would meet the deadline of my 18th birthday and hearing the news that I was granted the Eagle Scout rank felt good to hear,” said Hoppe. “The second one that stood out to me was staying overnight in the salt mine. I had never been to a salt mine before and going there was a great experience and something I would never have any other time, and we learned so much.”
As Hoppe progressed through the ranks, he learned invaluable skills that he believes will serve him well in the future.
“In Boy Scouts, you develop valuable skills like leadership, teamwork, and first aid,” said Hoppe.
With aspirations to become a Physical Therapist, Hoppe sees these skills as fundamental to his professional growth.
Central to the path of becoming an Eagle Scout is the completion of a meaningful service project. For Hoppe, this involved building ten birdhouses for the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. The project aimed to address a bird problem in the society’s garage, providing nesting alternatives for the birds while enhancing the working environment for staff.
“The birds were nesting in the garage and caused issues for workers trying to keep the garage area clean and the birds were being protective swooping at the staff. I brought up the idea of building birdhouses that they could place in the trees around the property near the building that the birds could use as homes,” said Hoppe. “I have already been informed that the staff have seen less birds coming into the garage, and the maintenance staff have seen the birds going to the birdhouses.”
For Hoppe, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout holds profound personal significance. When asked what being an Eagle Scout meant to him personally, Hoppe said, “While I was growing up, I asked myself this question numerous times, but when I achieved the Eagle Scout rank, I finally knew what it meant. Being an Eagle Scout is a prestigious achievement that very few scouts earn. It represents the highest rank in scouting and shows dedication, leadership, and a commitment to community service. It was a great honor for me to achieve this.”
Hoppe held two leadership roles in his time of being in the Boy Scouts.
“I was assistant patrol leader and assistant senior patrol leader during my high school years in Scouts. Both roles had a meaningful impact on me and for senior assistant patrol leader I had to be at all meetings and fill in when the senior patrol leader was gone,” said Hoppe.
Through these leadership roles and throughout his time in Scouts, Hoppe has striven to be a great role model for the younger scouts and show them how to be responsible, respectful and to be active and help others in the community.
Hoppe will graduate from LHS this May.