Submitted
Alexandra Coveney of Hays recently completed her Eagle Scout project and board of review with Boy Scouts of America. She has appropriately completed the requirements for and exemplifies the characteristics of an Eagle Scout. As of June 23, she is the first female Eagle Scout in not only the Wheatland District but also in the Coronado Area Council, which includes 32 counties in northwest and north-central Kansas. This area includes along Interstate 70 from the Colorado border to Manhattan and extends north to the Nebraska border.
Coveney was a founding member of Wheatland District’s Troop 101G, established in 2019. Since then, Coveney has worked in many different leadership positions as she completed merit badges, nights of camping and volunteer hours to reach the rank of Eagle Scout.
To achieve this rank, Coveney also had to complete an Eagle Scout project.
Coveney fundraised for the project through donations from businesses in the community, O’Loughlin PTA, O’Loughlin Ambassadors, and O’Loughlin Family and Friends.
“For my Eagle Scout project, I restored an old shed behind O’Loughlin Elementary School to give students a place to store playground equipment,” Coveney said. “I also fundraised for playground equipment for students.”
Coveney chose this project because it helped the elementary school she and her younger brothers attended.
“O’Loughlin is also where I started scouting as a Girl Scout,” Coveney said.
Coveney joined Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland at age 6 and decided to expand her scouting journey with BSA when the opportunity arose.
“I joined Troop 101G because I saw my brothers in Boy Scouts doing all these fun campouts and scouting activities,” Coveney said. “I already had experience in scouting, and I wanted to try something new.”
Coveney said she has learned much during her time with Troop 101G, including many practical life skills. She also emphasized the community service experience and fun she had with those in her troop.
“You get to be really close with your troop members,” Coveney said, “and it’s awesome to have people that are completely different from you and somehow connect with them. It’s just really fun.”
Coveney has just graduated from Hays High School and will be attending the University of Kansas in the fall. She plans to major in biology. Coveney is the first of many future female Eagle Scouts for T101G and was the 93rd Eagle scout for T101 of Hays.
BSA Troop 101 is accepting new members and volunteers. For more information, go to www.beascout.scouting.org.