ALAMEDA, CA
SCOUTS BSA TROOP 73
EAGLE SCOUTS
Brendan Cook
August 2019
My favorite scout memory is from Jamboree. I remember going mountain biking on the last day, and that our bikes were broken. My friend had his gear shifters backwards, and mine was out of braking fluid. Luckily, he got used to the weird shifting, and I found that I could slow down by colliding headfirst with a tree. We switched out our bikes after that, and had a blast riding up and down the mountain.
For my Eagle project, I designed a tiny shelter for a homeless person to sleep and store their stuff in. It was a complicated project, but it taught me a lot about construction and time management. The final product was donated to Alameda Point Collaborative to be used in whatever way they think best.
In the future, I want to go to an architecture school, and eventually become a licensed architect. I hope to work in the Bay Area, designing multi-family homes and affordable housing. I hope to apply the skills I learned from scouting to become a leader. Even if I’m not in an official leadership position, scouts has taught me that success depends as much on collaboration as leadership, and that there is much more to leadership than just authority.
Trevor Spray
January 2019
My Scouting career has been full of learning experiences. Sure, there were many ups and downs, but in the end Scouting has allowed me to try my hand at being a leader.
Overall, I've had many fun memories ever since I started Cub Scouts back in first grade. I really liked the Rodeo Lagoon hike. That was where I not only made friends with my Cub Scout buddy, but also got to teach him orienteering. He got it pretty quickly too! Also, I thought it was pretty cool when the pilot of the airplane welcomed my troop aboard over the loudspeaker before we took off for Catalina Island summer camp.
With all that said, my Eagle Project was a great moment of accomplishment. I planned and led the construction of a 24-foot-long garden bed from scratch. The planning, the execution, it was all tough, but rewarding. My team worked together well, we all put in our best effort, it was inclusive of older and younger scouts. Most importantly, it was something the beneficiary needed. Seeing my project to its completion just felt good, as we were helping an organization, Beyond Emancipation, that helps young people who have not had many privileges in life.
From here on out, I am working for a Master's in accounting so I could become a CPA. Right now, I'm at College of Alameda and I'm moving on to Saint Mary's College of California starting in the Fall '21 semester. I'll never forget the Scout Oath/Law, and the leadership skills I've learned. If somebody who's grown up being the shy kid in the class, like me, can make it as a leader and be recognized for it, so can you. Be yourself, do your best at everything you do, and remember to have fun while doing it.
Ryan Park
March 2018
One trip that has left a lasting impact on me had to be the Hell Hole trip. It was my first trip as SPL and I felt like it was a great learning experience for me. Even though I had started out a bit clueless, overtime I began to get the hang of things and felt like the trip went fairly smoothly.
My Eagle Scout project was leading the creating and placement of 5 mini libraries across Alameda Parks. This project was meant to enforce literacy as well as activeness within our community.
I plan on going to college this year at San Jose State where I hopefully can excel in my studies, and meet new people.
Casey Winckler
August 2017
I started scouting in Cub Scouts in second grade, but it wasn't until I crossed over and joined Troop 73 where I started to get something greater out of scouts. Troop 73 has made some of the best memories of my life from climbing over 11,000ft. mountain peaks to making a improvements to a place that helps those in need. Although the memory that sticks out the most is when I first went to Death Valley. We explored mountains surrounding around our campsite, saw some awesome history, and went to the best sand dunes of my life. I had never done anything like that before and it was an amazing experience.
Another part of my scouting career I cherish is my Eagle Scout project. For my project I planned and lead the finishing of a partly constructed clothing donation room at St. Vincent De Paul. It was a very hard project for me having to fund and plan out a lot of work that I was not all too familiar with, but I learned so much and it felt so good to have known that I had helped my community.
Since becoming an Eagle scout I have started college at The University Of Montana in Missoula, MT studying Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management. I decided to come here because of my love of nature which is partly because of being a Boy Scout!
Navraj Singh
May 2017
All of my scouting career has been full of cherishable memories. One of them is summer camp at Camp Cherry Valley at Catalina Island, when I had just joined the troop as a 10-year-old. That was my first adventure, and I wish I could've stayed there forever. But that was just the beginning of my adventures with the troop; I have enjoyed many, many more on my way to Eagle.
My Eagle Scout project was building planter boxes for Donald D. Lum Elementary School, my alma mater which I wanted to give back to. With this project, the aesthetics of Lum Elementary was significantly increased. Moreover, the project was widely appreciated. It also added plant tending to the curriculum of the students. During the implementation of this project, I practiced and strengthened many of the life skills which scouting taught me, such as planning, preparation, communication, project management, coordination, finance, and leadership, to name a few. I greatly thank scouting for crafting me into a responsible citizen.
Andrew Park
August 2016
My Eagle project was a combination of xeriscaping (the practice of planting drought tolerant plants to reduce water usage) and drip irrigation installation. The project was recommended to me by Chris Freck; and before I took it, it had just been stuck in a project limbo. The project's scale was much bigger than I expected; it spanned roughly 3200ft and $18,000 went into the project to purchase plants, professional assistance, and to bring the church's pump system up to code. The entire process was an ordeal for me, but I think the results were worth it.
Right now, I am working for my uncle at a biotech firm. He's been slowly showing me the ropes of processing cells and how to work an industrial grade centrifuge. I'm hoping that this experience will help prepare me for my education at UC Davis as a biology major. In the meantime, I need to work to raise some last minute college funds.
Edan Winckler
August 2015
My Eagle Project is formally known as the “Clay C-Bone Harding Memorial Picnic Area.”
It consists of a concrete pad, two picnic benches, and a grill with a mounted plaque at the Alameda Skatepark. The project is dedicated to my late friend Clay Harding who passed away November 23, 2014. He used to skate at the Alameda Skatepark every week which is why I decided to put the project there. The project was funded by a gofundme.com crowd sourcing campaign and the help of donations by the City of Alameda. With the help of Troop 73 Scouts, we were able to fully install my project in just two days. Clay’s mother, Patty Harding, put on a skate tournament in dedication to Clay on June 6th 2015 where I made a speech and presented the picnic area. Since then, Patty has helped lead the skatepark in a makeover. She installed an awning over my project and we have helped her repaint most of the skatepark.
Joseph Jarecki
December 2014
My Eagle Project was building a 20ft wide by 60ft long by 14 ft tall chicken coop
greenhouse for Alameda Point Collaborative. It took about a year and a half to complete from planning to completion.
What is your fondest memory of scouting?
My fondest memory of scouting is being able to go to summer camps with my dad and spend time with him there.
What are you doing now?
I’m currently going to Chabot College in hopes of transferring to Cal Poly or Long Beach State to study Mechanical Engineering.
Donald Wu
December 2014
For my Eagle Project I installed a half basketball court with repaved concrete and adjustable height basket for the kids and teens at Alameda Point Collaborative. It took quite a few months of planning and work to execute, but was worth every minute.
What are you doing now?
Right now, I am pursuing a degree in Computer Science at UC Berkeley. I’m riding competitively for the cycling team, trying to keep my grades up, and learning a ton of new things both - academic and non-academic. Scouting has definitely prepared me for college, as I need to interact efficiently with countless people everyday and manage a very tight schedule.
Bobby Kirwin
March 2015
My Eagle project took place at First Baptist Church, where our meetings are held. In a conversation with Chris Freck, we were talking about ways we could give back to the Church for letting us share their space. We found out that the vacant, overgrown strip of land in the back could be converted to a garden for the preschool at the church! I grew up gardening in the backyard with my dad. I instantly decided that the garden would be my Eagle project.
As a troop, we cleared the 110' x 12' strip of blackberries and other invasive plants. We rolled a weedcloth over the whole strip and spread a nice woodchip mulch over it. We built 4 vegetable boxes and installed them, filled them with soil, and installed an automatic irrigation system, and some finishing touches with hand painted flowerpots done by families of the troop.
Doing an Eagle project is not easy; there is a lot that must be done, and everyone's project has its own obstacles. I learned so much in terms of logistics, communication, and leadership--lessons that can only be learned through perseverance in a leadership position.
What are you doing now?
Now I attend community college in Berkeley and work at a music venue in Berkeley called the UC Theatre. It is a paid internship where I am learning about the different jobs involved with live music and event production and I work all of the shows backstage, in the house, in the lobby, or the office. We recently launched an education program that as a "Youth Advisory Board" member, I helped design and set forth. I now help manage over 17 interns in scheduling them into our work flow and shadowing industry professionals. For more information on the program, check out http://www.theuctheatre.org/education/
Ben Freck
December 2014
My Eagle project was the installation of 16 solar light posts at Lincoln
Middle School in Alameda.
The project was completed in two days including the assembly on the
first day and installation itself on the second.
Harrison Freck
Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 73
Eagle Scout Project: Troop 73
May 2009
My project involved removing old and unsafe cinder blocks and the remains of wooden benches from the inner courtyard at Lincoln Middle School and installing four new benches, beautifying the courtyard and making it a safe place for students to eat their lunch.
I currently work at a non-profit near Civic Center in San Francisco, and I continue to be a regular Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 73.
Derek Snedeker
March 2013
Kevin Mercado
November 2012
Steven Artiga
July 2012
Ryan Jarecki
September 2012
Joseph Colton
July 2011
2011
Jeff Day
Al Rosen
Nate Brown
Joey Johnescu
Harrison Freck
EAGLE SCOUTS/ LEADERS
Mark Sifling
Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 73
1993 to Present
Eagle Scout Project: Troop 72, Geneso, NY
I built 40 bluebird houses in Upstate NY. The birds were endangered and being driven out by Starlings, so we made smaller aperture openings to provide a nesting habitat.
One of my fondest memories of scouting was a summer week-long canoe trip in Algonquin, Quebec where we rowed 80 miles in the wilderness connected by portages.
What was your favorite merit badge? I really liked electronics. Some things just click with people, and being able to transmit over thin air was like magic.
Stephen Quayle
Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 73
2015 to Present
Eagle Scout Project: Troop 535, San Leandro, CA
I painted the fences at Lake Don Castro.
What was one of your fondest memories of scouting?
We went on a 50 mile hike through Yosemite, but had to stop because bears ate our food.
