Area Scouts receive the rank of Eagle

Nicholaus Alonso-Cummins, 16, earned the rank of Eagle this fall, having completed his Eagle Scout Service Project – designing and placing quarter-mile markers at Longview Farm Park in Town &  Country.

According to his father, Kevin Cummins, Alonso-Cummins got the idea for his Eagle project after reading in West Newsmagazine about someone getting lost in one of the area parks. His father said Alonso-Cummins remarked about the need for trail markers to help direct EMS personnel to critical locations. The idea stuck and he ultimately approached Town & Country about implementing the project at Longview Farm Park.

“He was able to discuss his plans and gain approval from the director, eventually completing his project and learning a lot about bureaucracy along the trail,” his father said.

Alonso-Cummins is a junior at Chaminade and the son of Kevin and Maria Cummins. He is the 42nd Scout, to earn the rank of Eagle Scout since the troop was founded in April 1985 by his dad at Christ, Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Manchester.

Charles Thiel, 16, was recognized on Jan. 26 at the Chesterfield City Council meeting for achieving the rank of Eagle.

City Councilmember Elliott Grissom presented Thiel with a city proclamation acknowledging his achievement and The World Bird Sanctuary was on hand to thank Thiel for completing his Eagle service project for its organization. Appropriately, a representative from the Sanctuary brought along a bald eagle for the occasion.

Thiel, son of Rob and Esther Thiel of Chesterfield, is a member of Shenandoah Valley Elementary PTO Troop 803. He is a sophomore at Parkway Central.

Charles J. Halbeck, of Ballwin, also achieved the rank of Eagle after completing his “Bees Home” Eagle Scout project in Forest Park.

Noting that the honey bee population has declined significantly in recent years because of colony collapse disorder, Halbeck led Scouts in building bee homes to support pollinators in Forest Park.

Halbeck attends Mary Institute and Country Day School. He was mentored during his Eagle project by his grandfather, Joe F. Bean; his uncles, Joseph and Kevin Bean; and Scoutmaster Jim Tejcek.