Pope John scouts honored

SPARTA — Three students from Pope John XXIII Regional High School are participating in their Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout Courts of Honor this month.
Freshman Brendan Karolchyk of Lake Hopatcong, son of John Karolchyk and Doreen Bedell and a member of Andover Troop 81, was honored during a recognition ceremony on Sunday, January 8, at Harmony Lodge No. 8 in Andover. Seniors Kyle Frey, son of William and Janine Frey, and Zachary Kessler, son of Thomas and Jacqueline Kessler, both of Sparta and Sparta Troop 150, will be recognized during a ceremony on Saturday, January 14, at Sparta United Methodist Church.
Since its inception over 100 years ago, the rank of Eagle Scout is recognized both nationally and internationally as a milestone accomplishment. The formal application process includes the completion of a service project for any religious institution, school, or community other than Boy Scouting. The project must receive the approval of the organization benefiting from the scout’s effort, as well as the unit committee, unit leader, and the council or district.
For his project, Kessler constructed three 4’ x 6’ chalkboards for the sister parish to Our Lady of the Lake Church, Sparta, which is located in Haiti. Karolchyk built a multi-use storage shed for a canine unit in Union County, and Frey designed and constructed a crèche, which graces the Pope John XXIII courtyard each Advent and Christmas season.
A recent study conducted by Baylor University and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Merit Beyond the Badges, found that “Eagle Scouts = Greater Success in Life.” Kessler, Karolchyk, and Frey have joined this elite group of more than 2 million young men who have achieved the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank.