Palatine H.S. junior to earn Eagle rank

Brandon Osterhues, a member of Boy Scout Troop 188, chartered to Christ Lutheran Church, Palatine, recently completed his Eagle Scout Project for Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington.

Osterhues was officially awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, on Aug. 16. While it is estimated that only 4 percent of all boys who enter Scouting achieve the rank of Eagle Scout — that’s less than one percent of the male population, Osterhues joins an impressive group of individuals who are also Eagle Scouts such as former President Gerald Ford, astronaut Neil Armstrong, baseball great Henry Aaron, director Steven Spielberg and T.V personality “Dirty Jobs” Michael Rowe.

Because of his interest in wild life and the outdoors, Osterhues wanted his Eagle Project to benefit the nature center and its many visitors. Working with the center’s chief biologist and naturalist, he decided to construct 10 galvanized steel and five cedar wood nesting boxes for the wood duck. The existing nesting boxes were in desperate need of replacement due to weathering and predator destruction. With a team of volunteer workers, he built and constructed 15 nesting boxes that exceeded the expectations of the nature center. By constructing the nesting boxes, Osterhues has made certain nesting mothers will have a place to raise their young in relative safety, in hopes that the wood duck population will continue to grow and flourish at Crabtree Nature Center.

Brandon is a junior at Palatine High School where he has participated in football and is a member of the gymnastics team. In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar and is an avid snowboarder.

In recognition of this outstanding accomplishment, an Eagle Scout Court of Honor has been scheduled for Dec. 3, at Christ Lutheran Church in Palatine.

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