Marysville High School senior Parker Reese, son of Scott and Angie Reese of Marysville, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
“Reaching the achievement of Eagle is a great thing,” Reese said. “But the best part of scouting is the lessons you learn and the memories you make with friends, that can last a lifetime.”
Reese has been involved in scouting since he finished kindergarten at Northwood Elementary and joined Pack 634. He earned his Arrow of Light, as well as all of the activity pins, and then joined Troop 634 of Marysville as a Boy Scout.
Reese has held many positions in his troop, including patrol leader, librarian, scribe, den chief, and Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), as well as attending National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). He is also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow (OA). In addition to earning Eagle Scout rank, Reese earned five Eagle palms by completed a total of 49 merit badges (28 more than the minimum) earning the Gold Silver Palm.
For his Eagle Scout project, Reese led a group of volunteers to restore the Mill Creek bridge at Hinton Mill Road and Bellepoint Road. The project involved raising funds for supplies and materials, cleaning and prepping the area, power-washing the concrete walls to remove debris and graffiti, priming and painting the walls, and applying graffiti-melt solution to protect against future graffiti. A story detailing Reese’s work on the bridge appeared earlier this year in the Journal-Tribune.
Reese is a great salesman for his pack and troop, selling more than $19,000 worth of popcorn over his 12 years as a scout. Through the popcorn sales and other fundraising efforts he not only helped raise money for the troop, but he also paid for his own scouting experiences, including activities such as campouts, summer camps and high-adventure camp.
Every summer he attended day camp as a Cub Scout to learn many skills. As a boy scout, he attended summer camps at Chief Logan Reservation and Camp Birch in Ohio, and Heritage Reservation in Pennsylvania. Reese’s last scouting trip included a week of sailing, snorkeling and kayaking in August at Sea Base High Adventure camp in Islamorada, Florida.
As the senior patrol leader for his troop during the initial months of the COVID outbreak, Reese quickly adapted to coordinate virtual meetings and unique methods to keep his troop engaged and productive during the quarantine. The pandemic also side-tracked Reese’s initial Eagle Scout project and delayed the Sea Base trip, which was originally to have occurred during spring break.
In addition to scouting, Reese is member of the varsity wrestling team and varsity track and field team at Marysville High School. He is also on student council and was nominated as a delegate for Buckeye Boys State in 2020 (which was canceled due to COVID).
He is also involved in FFA and in 4-H where he has shown his rabbits and special interest projects. After high school, Reese plans to attend a university to study athletic training and occupational therapy.
Reese plans to have his Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony in April 2021.