Wheaton Boy Scout Troop 35's Danny Hjellming earns Eagle rank

Boy Scout Troop 35 in Wheaton recently announced that Daniel (Danny) Hjellming has attained Boy Scouting's highest rank of Eagle. The Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held Saturday, March 31, at Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton.

Only four percent of Boy Scouts attain the rank of Eagle. To earn the Eagle rank, Scouts must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills, and they must pass specific skills tests to advance through the seven Scouting ranks to Eagle. The earning of merit badges is also required in disciplines such as first aid, fitness, environmental science, and citizenship in the world, nation, and community.

In addition to requirements for skills, leadership, and service, the ultimate prerequisite to attaining the rank of Eagle Scout is to personally plan and complete an approved community service project. Hjellming chose to install a bicycle rack and reconstruct a landscaping wall at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Wheaton. The landscaping wall reconstruction included installation of geotextile mesh to protect the wall from future erosion and site landscaping. Besides his individual work, he recruited and coordinated the efforts of 20 volunteers. His project was funded through generous donations from the church and Home Depot of Carol Stream.

Hjellming has held a number of leadership positions within Troop 35 and Venture Crew 35. He attended National Youth Leadership Training and served on its staff the following year. He has also been inducted into the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society. He has completed two 100-mile treks at Philmont Scout Ranch, Boy Scouting's premier high adventure base, in the summers of 2015 and 2017, and he will return again this summer.

Danny is a senior at Wheaton Warrenville South High School where he excels at academics, athletics and instrumental music. He is a member of the National Honor Society and a National Merit Scholarship recipient. He is a four-year member of the Tiger Math Team where he has qualified for the state competition in each year. He is also a four-year member of the Tiger Ultimate Frisbee Team, where he is currently team captain. He is also a percussionist in the school's wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, jazz ensemble and marching band where he served as drumline captain his senior season.

Danny plans to attend Purdue University in the fall where he will major in engineering beginning. He lives in Wheaton with parents Tom and Becky.

Boy Scout Troop 35 has been sponsored by Gary United Methodist Church in downtown Wheaton for more than 95 years.

Hjellming is the 158th Eagle Scout to be produced by the troop, whose roster of Eagles includes Sam Skinner, a former White House Chief of Staff and U.S. Secretary of Transportation under George H.W. Bush, and CEO of a number of companies including U.S. Freightways and Commonwealth Edison.

For more information about the troop, visit www.wheatontroop35.org.