Local Scout Earns $2,000 Scholarship

William Eiden, of Ann Arbor, MI, was awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) through the Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarship Fund. He is a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in the Diocese of Lansing. This year seven service scholarships totaling $20,000 were awarded nationwide to recognize scouts for outstanding service and leadership in four areas: Church, Community, School and Scouting.

William truly embodies the idea of servant leadership. When asked why volunteering is important to him, William responded, “Service is a very large part of my life. Boy Scout[s] has impacted me significantly…My entire life I have been blessed to have mentors to help and guide me in the right direction. Without these people I would not be the person I am today.” At his church, William has been an usher and Vacation Bible School teacher or assistant for the past six years. He has earned the Light of Christ, Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII religious emblems and the International Catholic Awareness Metal.

In his community, William worked extensively with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and was awarded the Conservation Stewardship Award for improving trails and removing invasive species. He also developed and managed trail maintenance and a conservation project for the Potawatomi Trail and developed a Conservation library in a yurt at Bruin Lake Campground. He has participated in numerous other community projects including blood drives, Ann Arbor VA Hospital Bingo Night, camp counselor, and Atria Nursing Home in the memory loss ward.

William is a member of National Honor Society and on Pioneer High School Student Council. He is the Founder and President of Pioneer Conservation Club, member of the Sons of the American Legion, and instructor and training officer for the Economics Club. In sports, William is captain of the varsity wrestling team and lead prop for the Washtenaw Football Rugby Club. He has chosen to participate in R.O.T.C. while attending Michigan State University.

In Scouting, William has developed his leadership skills by serving as Junior Assistant Scout Master for two years, attending National Youth Leadership Training and serving on staff. He is also passionate about conservation and has earned two William T. Hornaday Awards for excellence in Soil and Water Conservation leadership and Management in addition to the National Award for Outdoor Achievement. His Eagle Scout Project involved restoring an area that included an elementary school and neighborhood park and developing a 2-hour ecology course for fourth graders to teach them about composting. He incorporated bee boxes and wildflowers in the park forest.

To be eligible to apply for the Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarship, the Scout must be Catholic, earned the Ad Altare Dei and/ or Pope Pius XII Awards, and received either the Eagle Scout, Summit, or Quartermaster Award. A complete list of award recipients, eligibility requirements and applications can be found online at http://nccs-bsa.org/index.php/college-scholarship. Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scholarship recipients have been chosen because they are committed to making a difference for good in the world through service and leadership. These young people, like William Eiden, are certain to enrich our future.