GR Scout earns highest rank

With the help of Boy Scout Troop 312, Reece Clingenpeel receives the Eagle Scout award.

The Eagle is the highest rank awarded by the Boy Scouts of America and is earned by fewer than 5 percent of all boys who join Scouting.

A Court of Honor took place Aug. 16 at the Green River High School. During the event, many Troop 312 members and their families attended, including Joe and Denise Clingenpeel, Reece's parents and Larry and Dixie Gibson, Reece's grandparents.

The Eagle Scout medal was presented to the new Eagle by his mother. Mother's and Father's pins were presented by Reece to his parents, and his father put the Eagle neckerchief on his son. Reece also presented Eagle Mentor pins to Dennis Freeman, Richard Nobles and Marco Rubeck.

Reece began his scouting career with Cub Scout Pack 321 of Laurel, Mont. He earned the Arrow of Light, the highest award in Cub Scouts. He was a member of Troops 100 and 414 of Laurel, Mont., and Troop 10 of Billings, Mont., prior to moving to Green River.

He and his brother, Eric, joined Troop 312 when they arrived in Green River. Reece served as Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 312 from August of 2013 to July of 2014. He previously served as a Patrol Leader and as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader in Troop 312. Reece led the troop to Gorham Scout Ranch in New Mexico for summer camp in July of 2014. He is a Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society, and plays an important role on the OA ceremony team, which inducts new members.

"Boy Scouts has taught me so many things about leadership, service and morals. Through scouting, I held several leadership positions, and in those positions, I was able to help younger scouts to be the best people they can be," Reece said. "I was able to guide them in camping and learning scout skills. So I have taken away the satisfaction that I was able to make an impact on someone's life. Hopefully, they can use the things I helped teach in their jobs, in daily life and in becoming better people."

Reece's favorite Boy Scout activities were camping and completing service projects.

"I like the camping aspect because I am able to get away from the stress of whatever is going on for a few days and hang out with some of the closest friends that I have," he said. "I am also able to help the younger scouts with skills that they can apply in everyday life. I like the service part because it gives me a chance to give back to my community."

The Scouts camp 12 months out of the year and complete service projects in between these campouts. When Reece was Senior Patrol Leader he was in charge of organizing and executing every scout function that they participated in throughout the year.

Reece believes Scouts has helped prepared him for the future. He is planning on attending the Air Force or Naval Academies.

"Through scouting, I have experienced leadership, and have learned the values of integrity and responsibility," he said. "All of these things are very important in the military and in life in general. I would definitely recommend scouting to others. It has taught me countless skills and values that will help me in life."

Before receiving the Eagle Scout honor, Reece had to complete a service project. Scoutmaster and GRHS assistant principal Dennis Freeman talked to Reece about a vision he had for the high school. After hearing Freeman's vision, Reece decided to construct four wooden benches that were placed in the halls of the high school. Students can sit on and chat or use the benches to complete their homework.

After a six-month planning phase, which consisted of paper work and approval of material, Reece and the scouts worked on the benches for five days. Reece and his father finished up the project on their own. About 52 hours were put into the project, he said.

"I am very proud of the way the benches came out," Reece said. "There are a few spots that didn't look as good as i wanted but they are all functioning. This project was an Eagle Scout Leadership Project, meaning that the point was to lead scouts in the completion of the project, so I could not have done it without the help and support of Troop 312."