Scouts to receive Eagle awards

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Three Scouts from Troop 26 will receive the Eagle Scout award during a Court of Honor at 2:30 p.m. today in the Dickinson Elks Lodge.

The award goes to:

* Luke Schields, son of Mark and Sharon Schields.

* Shaun Parsons, son of Jeff and Phyllis Parsons.

* Kevin Schwab, son of Steven and Char Schwab.

Schwab’s project was to erect two flag poles in Dickinson’s Optimist Park.

After approval of the Optimist Club, he approached Dickinson Parks and Recreation for future maintenance. He obtained the building permit, raised the money, purchased the materials and arranged for Winn Construction to help with construction.

“One of the main things, it’s supposed to teach boys how to plan the project on your own — it’s leadership skills you’ll need later in life,” he said.

A junior at Trinity High School, Schwab said the Eagle award offers many benefits for the Scout. His next goal is to earn three Eagle palms — bronze, gold and silver.

Parsons worked with the United Methodist Church to remove dead grass and trees.

“I tore up the grass and placed brick pavers and mulch around the trees,” he said.

Part of the project was to create a concrete slab to erect a giant metal cross. It’s located in back of the church.

Parsons credits his family, friends and other Scouts in the troop for helping do the manual labor. He finished the project as a senior in high school. He’s enrolled at Dickinson State University.

He considers the Eagle award a good way to foster leadership skills and to become a role model for other boys.

Schields built bat houses for the Gress Softball Complex. He came up with the idea after learning a tornado destroyed the existing bat houses in 2009.

He researched the idea, got his plan approved, raised the money for supplies and began construction of 15 bat houses. He had help with construction from his Scouting friends.

Schields credits his parents for encouraging him to finish. A senior at Dickinson High School, he has been active in Scouts throughout his youth.

The Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program.

Troop 26 is sponsored by the United Methodist Church with Wayne Adsero as scoutmaster.

Adsero, who became scoutmaster in March, said the Eagle award is a lifelong achievement.

“It tells a lot about somebody because it does take a lot of discipline to actually achieve it,” he said.

Tags: lifestyle, scouts, dickinson