Council Recipients of the Glenn & Melinda Adams Eagle Service Project of the Year
(and Western Region Recipients from our council)
2023 Council Winner: Andrew Nguyen
Eagle Scout – Troop 30, Los Altos, CA
Project: First Aid Kits for the Mountain View Day Worker’s Center
Andrew’s project involved the assembly of over 100 customized First Aid Kits to be distributed among the day laborers. His project also involved proper training which was presented with an interpreter to ensure proper training.
2022 Council Winner: Alexander Waitz
Eagle Scout (October 20, 2021) – Troop 222, Menlo Park, CA
Project: Palo Alto Historical Association Map Digitization
Alex’s Eagle Project digitized over 100 maps for the Palo Alto Historical Association (PAHA). PAHA has a large archive of maps gathered over the years that have historic significance. All too often these maps are stuffed in map drawers and boxes. Due to their age and desire to maintain maps in their current condition, public access is limited. Over the past two years, the pandemic has also limited access. And for historic associations, archive space and operating space to spread maps for study can be an issue.
Alex’s Project involved scanning maps, processing their metadata, and then uploading them to an archival website. For metadata, each map’s title, author, date of creation, dimensions, and notable features were recorded. In addition, scanning maps larger than the 8 ½ x 11 inch flatbed scanner required multiple scans that then needed to be electronically stitched together to produce a single map. His Project not only digitized a large number of maps, but he also created a digitization protocol the PAHA can rely on in perpetuity.
2021 Council & Western Region Winner: Mateo David Sabio Paese
Eagle Scout (July 15, 2020) – Troop 222, Menlo Park, CA
Project: Implementation of Water Filtration Systems in Honduras
Mateo purchased, assembled and delivered 75 water filtration systems to provide safe, purified drinking water to families in rural villages of Northeastern Honduras. Mateo instructed local Hondurans in the assembly of the filtration systems and trained recipients in their maintenance. Mateo’s project improved the health and environment of families in these rural villages, and also benefited them economically. The filter systems provided clean, healthy drinking water, they eliminated debris associated with discarded plastic water sachets and bottles, reduced incubation sites for dengue carrying mosquitos, and allowed families to use income spent for water on other basic necessities. Benefits from these filtration systems were especially evident during the global COVID-19 pandemic as well as in the aftermath of hurricanes Eta and Iota which struct Honduras in November 2020.
2020 Council Winner: Adam Farris
Project: Sensory Path for Foster City Elementary School
Developed and built a Sensory Path consisting of interactive activities for children in 3rd – 5th grades to stimulate cognitive learning while providing physical activity. The Path promoted cognitive learning through prime numbers, shapes and fractions, angles as sections of circles, photosynthesis, atomic structure, states of matter, shapes of solids,and fractional equivalents.
2019 Council & Western Region Winner: Zack Moore
Project: Backpacking for inner-city youth
For his visionary steps to introduce the great outdoors to under-served communities, the Eagle Scout from the Pacific Skyline Council received the 2019 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award for the Western Region. “My goal is to expose kids to these beautiful natural places,” Zack says. “Then develop and support the leaders among them to bring more and more people from their community out each year.”
2018 Council Winner: Diego Moises Sabio Paese
Eagle Scout (Apr 20, 2017) – Troop 222, Menlo Park, CA.
Project: Menlo Park Fire Department Search and Rescue Dog Training Equipment Build.
Designed, built, refurbish and organized 18 obstacles into a continuous circuit to train K9 teams from Menlo Park and northern California. K9 teams are deployed in search, rescue, and recovery operations in response to California wildfires, mudslides, earth quakes, and other regional and national disasters. Project required 612 hours to complete. View project video here.
2017 Council Winner: James Holmes
Eagle Scout (Aug 10, 2016) – Troop 28, Burlingame, CA.
Project: Backpacks for Homeless Veterans.
Raised $3400 in funds to provide 75 backpacks for homeless veterans to improve their health and wellness. Each backpack contained a blanket, tee-shirt, socks, a hat and gloves, shaving kit and toiletry items, flashlight with extra batteries, water bottle and food items. The Palo Alto Veterans Hospital and Swords to Plowshares Program (San Francisco) distributed the backpacks to veterans. Project required 371 hours to complete.
See James receiving an award for his work for veterans at the County of San Mateo Veterans Commission meeting on San Mateo County Supervisor Warren Slocum’s facebook page here.
2016 Council & Western Region Winner: Alexander Suppiah
Eagle Scout (Oct 22, 2015) – Troop 75, Los Altos, CA.
Project: The School in Akhpradzor, Armenia.
Project raised $12,950 to fund improvements at a remote school in Akhpradzor, Armenia (pop. 400 including 77 school-age children). Project included: installing 250 ft. of new fencing to keep out animals; designing and building bookshelves for school’s first library and providing books and school supplies; designing and building two new outhouses (permitted girls to attend school); purchasing and installing the village’s first playground; clearing an area for a soccer field and installing goal posts; and mending and painting the schools old fence in Armenian flag colors. Project required $7,693. Excess funds used to send 6 students to university on scholarship. Project required 1347 hours and was supported by 44 people of whom 25 from six different countries worked over the 4 ½ days in Armenia to complete it.
2015 Council Winner: Ryan Trayner
Eagle Scout (Jan 15, 2014) – Troop 149, Redwood City.
Project: Youth for Literacy Council Program and Large Book Drive for Redwood City Libraries.
Project was implemented to improve literacy in Redwood City and beyond. Project created a Youth Literacy Council under the Redwood City Library Foundation and consisted of nine teenagers from seven high schools who designed and implemented 9 major literacy campaigns including STEM classes, Board Game Days, and other efforts to improve low literacy skills. The Council also advised community leaders about youth literacy issues. To address low literacy rates in San Mateo County, the project conceived, planned, and conducted a 4-city book drive to provide books to under privileged children. Initially 17,000 books were collected and provided to 6 library programs, 12 charities, 8 schools and handed out at community events. (The effort is ongoing, well over 30,000 books have been collected and distributed. In addition, over $57,000 was raised for literacy projects developed by the Youth Literacy Council.) To promote book drive implementation by others, a website was developed to provide steps, tips, and tools to successfully implement a book drive. Project required 758 hours to complete.
(In response to Ryan’s efforts to improve literacy, he received the regional Jefferson Award for his Youth for Literacy public service, was recognized on local CBS TV evening news, featured on ABC’s Good Morning America as a person Making a Difference in his Community, and named to the International Literacy Association’s Global “30 Under 30” list as one of the next generation of young innovators, advocates, and educators worldwide who are leading efforts to address the challenges of today’s evolving education field and making a difference in the global literacy landscape. In March 2016, Boy’s Life noted that Ryan had been named to the “Top 30 under 30” list.)
2014 Council Winner: Christopher Jacobson
Eagle Scout (July 10, 2013), Troop 263, Half Moon Bay.
Project: Improved Safety and Obtain Course Certification for 5 and 10K Pumpkin Run.
Project improved the Pumpkin Run course by analyzing areas were the most injuries occurred and runners missed race course markers. Modifications were made to the course and submitted to the USA Track and Field for Course Certification. Teams were established to make, paint, and install distance markers and directions prior to the run. Teams also were arranged to run the race event with an associate adult overseeing all activities. The Project benefited Senior Coastsider’s, a non-profit organization that serves as a focal point for senior services on the San Mateo Coast. Project required 162 hours to complete.
2013 Council Winner: Joseph Russell Farned III
Eagle Scout (January 20, 2012) – Troop 109, Menlo Park, CA.
Project: Sailing Program for Disadvantaged Children to Learn to Sail.
Benefits Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Bay Area and Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula. Project required 216 hours to plan and complete.
2012 Council Winner: Christian Bourgeois
Eagle Scout (April 10, 2011) – Troop 64, Woodside, CA.
Project: Designed and built of three waterproof wheelchairs for Abilities United in Palo Alto, CA.
Project required 251 hours to plan and complete.
2011 Council & Western Region Winner: Samuel Moore
Eagle Scout (May 20, 2010) – Troop 33, Los Altos, CA.
Project: Designed and built a 13′ x 13′ kitchen building for the Maya School, Tanzania with the help of students of Maya School, local villagers and Boy Scouts from Tanzania.
Project required 231 hours to plan and complete. Click here to read and see photos of Sam’s Project.
