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Eagle Scout Alex Karn


Alex Karn's Completed Eagle Scout Project
August 2012, Ardena Acres Park, Howell, NJ
Alex (at right) with other Troop 150 Scouts


Introduction

     Alexander Samuel Karn was born on October 15th, 1995. For the first decade of his life, he lived in Brick, New Jersey. After moving to Howell in 2007, Alex became involved in the Boy Scouts of America organization. Although he was never a Cub Scout, he has learned plenty in his Boy Scout experience alone. Initially a member of Troop 258, Alex quickly left because he was interested in the youth leadership portion of the Boy Scout Program rather than adult leadership. It was with Troop 150 that Alex became truly comfortable with Scouting, as he became part of a "boy-run" troop. 

Experience with Troop 150

     Along with the members of Pack 150's Den 2 (including his younger brother), Alex joined Troop 150 at the age of 13. For the first year, Alex was not very involved in troop activities. However, once he did begin attending weekly meetings and camping trips, he realized that the Scouting program in Troop 150 was simultaneously fun and educational. As a younger scout, his favorite memory occurred while camping on the beach at Wildwood in September of 2009. Massive amounts of rain poured over the beach on Saturday night, and the next morning, everyone woke up underwater in their tents. In fact, the aftermath was so bad that other campers left their tents and gear on the beach and went home. It was at this point that Alex learned that "being prepared" was an essential motto of Scouting. 
     After a year of hard work and proving to his fellow Scouts that he was prepared to do so, Alex was elected to Scouting's highest boy leadership position - Senior Patrol Leader - in July of 2010. For a full school year, Alex was responsible for planning meetings and camping trips, delegating authority to other Scouts, and ensuring that everything "ran as smoothly as possible." He also led efforts in caroling at the John L. Montgomery Care Center in Freehold, re-mulching playgrounds at the Freehold Hope Lutheran Church, planting flowers at the Freehold YMCA, removing litter from Casino Drive in Howell, and planning an entertaining weekend for the WEBELOS of Pack 150. Afterwards, he was elected into the Order of the Arrow - an organization considered the "honors society" of Scouting. Following this, Alex served as an adviser to other boys in leadership positions as a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster until he turned 18. Along the way, he earned Scouting's highest rank - Eagle Scout - as well as a Bronze Palm and a Gold Palm. By the time he became an adult, Alex had also earned a total of 57 merit badges. 
     Overall, Alex had many positive experiences within Troop 150. From playing football on the beach in Cape May, to watching wild horses eat his food in Assateague, to touring historic cities like Gettysburg and Washington D.C., to spending a night on a battleship in Massachusetts, to learning about baseball's history in Cooperstown, Alex can say that there was always something new to learn on every camping trip. Furthermore, week-long excursions at Ockanickon Summer Camp allowed Alex to earn up to ten merit badges at a time in subjects ranging from Wilderness Survival to Indian Lore. However, Alex's fondest recollection involved watching Scouts younger than him mature as they got older, which is yet another leading objective of the Scouting program.

                

                


Eagle Project

     Alex selected his Eagle Project based on his love of "giving back" to the youth of his community and seeing a need at Ardena Acres Park in Howell. There were several goals to the project, which included supplementing old metal benches with new wooden ones, replacing mulch infested with weeds surrounding two playgrounds, repainting metal portions of said playgrounds, and removing graffiti from the playing areas. The project took four separate days to complete. During the first day (August 18th, 2012), the wooden benches were assembled at his house. For the next three days (August 25th-26th, September 1st, 2012), the rest of the project work was completed at the park. The completion of the project created a more pleasant, safer environment for residents of Ardena Acres. Additionally, it allowed Howell Township public workers to save money and spend time on other difficult, time-consuming projects.

Eagle Court of Honor

     Alex achieved the rank of Eagle Scout on April 2nd, 2013 upon his Eagle Board of Review.  His Court of Honor Ceremony was held on Sunday, July 7th, 2013 at the Freehold Hope Lutheran Church. The ceremony acknowledged the accomplishments of Alex and fellow Eagle Scouts Rob and Andy Mayer. It also commended the Scouts of Troop 150 for helping Alex achieve his goals, as well as the adult volunteers of Troop 150, whose volunteerism ensured the success of the Troop.

Where He Is Now

     As of 2014, Alex is attending Brookdale Community College. He hopes to earn an Associate's Degree in Political Science and then transfer to another college to complete a Bachelor's Degree. Afterwards, he plans on attending law school and becoming a lawyer. Alex still continues to offer his time and support as an Assistant Scoutmaster to the scouts and adults of Troop 150. 


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Troop 150 Announce,
Apr 17, 2014, 7:42 AM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:03 PM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:05 PM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:06 PM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:07 PM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:09 PM
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Alex Karn,
Apr 16, 2014, 7:08 PM
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