Nine St. Patrick Boy Scouts achieve Eagle Scout rank

On Sunday, Jan. 8, nine boy scouts from St. Patrick’s Troop 162 received their Eagle Scout Rank, the highest rank in scouting. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills.

In the 63-year history of the Troop, 114 scouts have achieved this rank, one of them being the present pastor, Msgr. Roger Smith in 1965.

Except for Daniel Gonzales, who is a senior at Blessed John Paul II High School, the other scouts either are or have been students at Incarnate Word Academy. As part of their qualification for this rank, each scout had to do fund-raising, organize, recruit volunteers to help and complete an approved Eagle Scout project, benefiting either the church, school or community.

Patrick Hickham built four round tables and 24 chairs for the St. Philip the Apostle Parish Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. Frank McNiff conducted a flag exchange for the Veterans Band of Corpus Christi, raising money for the distribution of more than 250 flags and properly retiring even more old flags. Trey Turner built and painted a picnic table and four planter boxes in which he planted bird and butterfly attractor plants for St. Patrick’s School K3 playground.

Steele Schauer constructed a chair dolly and pedestals for the Corpus Christi Art Center and landscaped an area near the main entrance. Joseph McNiff constructed several sets of shelves for St. Pius X School. Aaron Alexander constructed a new long jump sandpit with a cover for St. Patrick’s School.

John Franey constructed a cabinet storage system for the St. Patrick CCD and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs and repainted the present shelving to match. Daniel Gonzalez constructed benches for the Family Outreach Center. Sam Schauer constructed tables and chairs for the Rainbow School at King’s Crossing Church of Christ and planted oak trees in the school’s yard.