Hutchinson, Minnesota Teen Named The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year

Press Release

A Hutchinson, Minn., student has been named The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year for 2011. Robert B. Rasmussen, 17, a junior at Hutchinson High School, earned the award and a college scholarship worth $10,000. The award was announced during The American Legion's board of directors meeting here.

A Hutchinson, Minn., student has been named The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year for 2011.

Robert B. Rasmussen, 17, a junior at Hutchinson High School, earned the award and a college scholarship worth $10,000. The award was announced during The American Legion's board of directors meeting here.

The award recognizes Rasmussen's practical citizenship at school, scouting, and his passion and commitment to community service. Rasmussen's first Eagle Scout project consisted of planning, building and establishing 32 purple martin habitats throughout his area. Working closely with the city's parks department to select suitable locations for the habitat homes, he then contacted local businesses for material donations. When all construction was completed, he worked with conservation-area personnel to hang the habitats in area parks.

Rasmussen's commitment to community service continued with his project of supporting veterans. After soliciting donations from a local cement company, he spent two summers making more than 700, 8-inch by 12-inch concrete markers which were then placed at unmarked veteran graves in the local cemetery. Each included a star-shaped bronze marker and an insert to hold a flag during special veterans events and ceremonies. He continued his support of local veterans' groups by updating the list of veterans interred in the local cemetery. The project included an alphabetical listing of veterans, a list of veterans for each war and a walking tour of the cemetery, which allows visitors to find where each person is interred. Rasmussen has been an Eagle Scout since 2006.

In December 2010, he was rewarded for his hard work and leadership at his high school by being their nominee for the Minnesota State High School League's ExCEL Award, which recognizes students for excellence in community, education and leadership. In February 2011, he was honored as one of 24 Minnesota juniors to receive the state award.

As an honor roll student, Rasmussen has been on the high school varsity math team since seventh grade; serves as the student council representative for his class; participates in band and choir; plays as junior varsity quarterback and varsity back-up in football; was a five-year starter and all-conference selection for the varsity wrestling team; has been a five-year varsity player and four time all-conference selection in tennis; and participates in Key Club, Link Crew and the National Honor society.

Rasmussen hopes to enroll at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., to pursue either a psychology or law degree.

The American Legion also awarded a $2,500 scholarship to John William "Reeves" Caldwell of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Bradley William Garr of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Baylor Mackenzie Dickerson of Ashland, Va.

The American Legion has supported scouting since its first national convention in 1919. Legion posts sponsor more than 2,700 scouting units, serving more than 71,500 young people, at a cost of more than $1.7 million.

-30-Contact: Joe March or John Raughter (317) 630-1253.

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