The Boys Scout of America has been around for 113 years. It is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. So to reach, Eagle Scout rank is no small feat. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Boy Scouts. It is a recognition by the National Court of Honor, presented through the local council and a local court of honor.
Barnes County North senior, Levi Christianson, has accomplished that feat.
Christianson has been in the scouts for twelve years. “I joined Cub Scouts in 1st grade (6 years old),” Christianson remembers. “I completed Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos and crossed over to Boy Scouts in 5th grade.”
There are a few things that an individual must achieve before they can become an Eagle Scout. You have to earn at least 21 merit badges, 14 of them are Eagle Scout required. Christianson earned 27 merit badges. You also have to complete an Eagle Scout project that demonstrates leadership and benefits the community. Christianson’s project consisted of removing the school bell from the old Spiritwood Elementary School before it was sold. A base was then welded and a wooden frame was built for the bell so it can be displayed in the town of Spiritwood as a memorial.
Christianson describes how he came up with the idea. “I found out that the Spiritwood School was being sold and the township wanted to keep the bell as a remembrance,” Christianson said. “My Dad and I suggested to the township board to let me build a stand for the bell as my Eagle Scout project to display in Spiritwood. I graduated from BCN and went to Spiritwood School PreK - 1st grade before it closed and the new school was built. Because of that, this project had meaning for me personally.”
Achieving Eagle Scout rank is no small task, Christianson says it means a lot to him because kids that start in Boy Scouts at a young age don’t make it this far. “I feel it’s difficult because most boys drop out of Scouts before they even get to Eagle. You have to complete at least 21 merit badges 14 being Eagle required. Coming up with a project and especially the paperwork for your project took a lot of time to complete.” Levi’s mom Cindy says he had a bit of help from mom and dad, but mostly it was all Levi. “I helped Levi stay on track and have deadlines to get things completed,” Cindy said. “Jason helped with getting the bell off of the school and helped Levi design the stand.”
Cindy says there was a bit of a time crunch to get this all completed. “Levi really had to push himself to not only complete his Eagle Scout Project, but also a few Eagle required merit badges by his 18th birthday. We knew it was going to be close, but we had a lot of confidence he would get everything done.”
Eagle Scouts run in Christianson’s family. His older brother Kade was an Eagle Scout as was an uncle.
Getting this project completed was a big undertaking for Christianson, and rewarding. But as he looks back at his life in the Scouts, it was a trip to Minnesota that stands out. “One of my fondest memories being in Boy Scouts was going on the Northern Tier National High Adventure canoe trip. We canoed through the northern boundary waters in Minnesota. It took 4 days to complete and traveled around 50 miles total. It was physically & mentally challenging.”
Christianson, who also ran track this spring for Barnes County North. He graduated this past month from BCN and already is in the workforce. He just got hired as a equipment operator at Midwest AgEnergy. The ethanol plant in his home town of Spiritwood. But as far as the Scouts are concerned, that will be in his rear view mirror, at least for now. “I don’t plan on becoming a leader at this point, but possibly in the future. A scout leader requires a lot hard work and dedication and time to push and encourage kids to become an Eagle Scout.”
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