Herndon Boy Scout, Aidan Toole, achieved the rank of Eagle at St. Joseph Church in Herndon. Photo contributed
Herndon resident Aidan Toole was honored at St. Joseph Church parish hall on Sunday, Nov. 3, for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout with Boy Scout Troop 913. Toole, 16, has been a scout since 2003 when he joined Cub Scout Pack 913 in the first grade as a Tiger Scout.
As an outdoor-oriented and environmentally-conscious person, Toole was drawn to the opportunity to have a long lasting impact on the environment. In support of the Virginia Department of Forestry’s tree nursery program, Toole held an acorn collection at St. Joseph Church in October 2012. He advertised his collection date and many families dropped bags of acorns off at his collection site. Many scouts also helped Toole collect acorns at the homes of residents throughout the community. He cleaned, separated, bagged and labeled nearly 300 pounds of acorns spanning a variety of native Virginia species. These acorns were planted and will be sold as thousands of seedlings, generating revenue for the state while preserving the environment, enhancing the beauty of Virginia and providing shelter for the State's various wildlife species.
Toole is Troop 913's 49th scout to achieve the rank of Eagle.
He is a Junior at Langley High School, where he ran cross-country for two years and managed the team this year. He is interested in studying marketing and graphic design at one of Virginia's finest schools.