Samuel Ekstrom - National Scout Reserve Scholarship Award Winner

I'm proud of Samuel for earning the 2017 Scouts - Summit Bechtel Reserve Scholarship in honor of Dan McCarthy. The Summit Bechtel Reserve (SBR) Staff Association awarded $2,000 to the 2017 recipients. Samuel served as the Aquatics Director at the waterfront for camp and used the scholarship to help pay for his last year at Central Michigan University.

Samuel Ekstrom was the Lead Professional Lifeguard and Lead Instructor for all Aquatics related programs at Summit Bechtel Reserve - James C. Justice Summer Camp.

Sam was responsible for developing an advancement program, training/supervising staff and overall responsibility for the well-being of all participants taking part in any aquatics activity including Paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, water reality and fishing. 

 The waterfront at the James C. Justice National Scout Camp at SBR is the busiest in the nation. His responsibilities including overseeing all aquatics activities for the Senior Scout Camp, Appalachian Adventure programs on Goodrich Lake. 

The waterfront had as many as 800 scouts in attendance at any one time, with professional staff and volunteer staff under Samuel's leadership and supervision. 

Samuel attended the BSA National Camping School and received his Aquatics Director certification in order to take on this significant aquatics and management position.

This year he worked as a Manager at the waterfront and completed his Marketing/Advertising internship at SBR by working as a Media Content Creator. Samuel shot photos and video at SBR to help promote the program on all media and social channels.  

Sam shot photos and video for Facebook, Instagram and more for the 2018 year for Summit Bechtel. 

Prior to working as the Aquatics Director, Sam worked at the Shooting Sports Academy as an NRA certified Rifle and Shotgun instructor. Sam helped scouts and visiting guests to camp experience and develop their rifle, shotgun, muzzle loader, pistol and archery skills. 

Boy Scout earns Eagle Rank and Hornaday Conservation Award

I'm awful proud of my son Samuel for recently earning his Eagle Scout award as well as the Hornaday Conservation award and badge. Sam was highlighted in the Clarkston News and Oxford Leader for his accomplishments. Over 250 man hours were invested by Sam and his volunteers to help rid the Shiawassee Basin Preserve of over 200 invasive Autumn Olive bushes. Many thanks to the Davisburg Rotary, Rotary sponsor Collin Walls, and Troop 192 Scoutmaster Gary Maley for all their efforts in getting Sam through this ambitious Eagle Scout Service Project.

Kudos to Phil Custodio for the nice article:September 14, 2011 - Boy Scout Sam Ekstrom took on an invasive species for his Eagle Project, removing more than 200 Autumn Olive bushes from Shiawassee Nature Preserve.

"I like the outdoors – I hate seeing wild life areas taken over by invasive species," said Ekstrom, 16, scout with Davisburg Troop 192. "It looks good – they haven't grown back."

It will take an ongoing effort to keep out the plant, which was imported to the United States from Asia in the 1800s and grows up to 40 feet high and 50 feet wide.
Collin Walls, Springfield Township supervisor and Davisburg Rotarian, suggested the project. Completed last June, the project took a lot of organizing and coordination of scouts, adults volunteers, and business donations, he said.
"It took my communications skills to a whole new level, talking to youths and adults too," Ekstrom said.

They made their own herbicide applicators out of PVC pipe, and spent two days tagging then removing the plants.
Sam Ekstrom, who lives in Springfield Township with his parents Lee and Heather Ekstrom, also received the Hornaday Conservation Award for distinguished service in natural resource conservation.
"We're proud of him," Heather said. "His dad is an Eagle – that helped motivate him. Boy Scouts are truly fabulous. They give him a lot of skills he'll be able to use his whole life."

Sam plans to stay in scouting, working for his Eagle Palm award.
His 10 years in scouting include serving as instructor, senior patrol leader, patrol leader, chaplain aide, troop guide, den chief for Pack 133 of Andersonville Elementary School, flag coordinator, and summer camp counselor at Camp Tapico in Kalkaska.
He also earned the Baden Powell Award, the first for Troop 192, for exhibiting the highest ideals of Scouting during Summer Camp. He earned 33 Merit Badges and the WEBELOS Arrow of Light.