Colts Neck Teen Earns Eagle Scout Rank, Rebuilds Bucks Mill Park Dock

COLTS NECK, NJ — Colts Neck High School student Drew Taeschler grew up fishing by the ponds at Bucks Mill Park.

Located at 137 Bucks Mill Road, Drew could often be found spending a day on the park’s wooden dock with his family and dogs.

When Drew and his family one day discovered that the dock was no longer in place due to safety issues, he was devastated. But when it came time for Drew to plan his Eagle Scout Project, he knew exactly what to do.

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“We always fished on the dock,” Drew’s father and Colts Neck Troop 290 Scoutmaster, Michael Taeschler, said. “And when it was removed we [he and Drew] were kind of standing there, looking at each other, and said to each other ‘this would be a great Eagle Project.’”

For those who may be unfamiliar with the Boy Scout system, Eagle Scout is the seventh rank and highest one attainable by youth members of the Boy Scouts of America.

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To fully achieve Eagle Scout status, scouts must plan and complete an Eagle Project, which consists of a 20-page project workbook detailing everything from the project’s cost and materials to labor and volunteer hours.

When it came time for Drew to present his plans to rebuild the dock at Bucks Mill, Taeschler said he not only had to get approval from the project chairman but also from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the Colts Neck Township Committee.

“He had to go before the committee and present a slideshow to get approval to erect the new dock,” Taeschler said. “And there was a question and answer session at the end too, so Drew was able to take questions from the committee and from the public.”

Once project planning was complete, it was time for Drew to gather materials for the rebuilding and raise funds to purchase them.

The Colts Neck Business Association, Delicious Orchards and Orlando’s Italian Restaurant are just a few groups that supported Drew in completing his project, Taeschler said.

“The idea behind the Eagle Scout Project is not for Drew to be out there hammering nails and, you know, turning a wrench,” Taeschler said. “The idea at this point in his leadership — and really in any Eagle Scout’s leadership — is to be able to lead others while building the project.”

According to the Boy Scouts of America website, the result of an Eagle Project should reflect who the scout is as a youth leader. Additionally, the project should “be of significant impact in your community” and “represent your very best effort.”

When the day finally came for Drew to finish his Eagle Project and rebuild the dock, he was joined by the local community and youth members of the troop to help him rebuild.

On May 19, the dock was officially rebuilt, and Drew’s project was complete.

“As much of an engineer as Drew is, it was hard for him to sit back and guide other people on how to construct the dock,” Taeschler said. “But that’s the idea of the project. It’s leadership-based.”

In addition to completing his Eagle Project, Drew has also earned 15 merit badges above the required 21 badges. For this accomplishment, Drew received a Silver Eagle Palm, which attaches to his Eagle Scout medal.

On Nov. 3, Drew attended a Court of Honor Ceremony where he was honored for his Eagle Scout achievement.

For Taeschler, seeing Drew achieve Eagle Scout status hits close to home.

Taeschler has been a Boy Scout his entire life, and achieved his own Eagle Scout status in 1991. Today, he and other community members are happy to celebrate Drew’s scout achievements and cheer him on.

“It’s not like you just go out and do an Eagle Scout Project and become an Eagle Scout immediately,” Taeschler said. “You have to spend six months as a Life Scout, you have to spend six months in a leadership position within the troop and you have to earn the 21 merit badges…And he [Drew] was able to do that.”

To learn more about Colts Neck Troop 290, you can visit their website or view this information poster.

To join Pack 90 for Cub Scouts, you can email [email protected]. To join Pack 290 for Boy Scouts, you can email [email protected].

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