From the moment Michael Poole found out there was such a thing as an Eagle Scout, that’s what he wanted to be. When he was finally recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor at Hosanna Fellowship Church in Johnson City on Sept. 7, the 17-year-old had fulfilled a dream 10 years in the making.
“It was quite a bit of a relief to have it behind me,” Poole said.
Poole joined the Boy Scouts of America in 2008 as a Tiger Cup when he was a first-grader at Mountain View Elementary School. He said it was probably the next year when he finally found out what an Eagle Scout was, and a dream was born.
In order to become an Eagle Scout, Poole had to earn 21 merit badges and successfully complete a community, church or synagogue-related service project. In addition to his 11 years with the Boy Scouts, Poole is also a member of Science Hill’s award-winning JROTC program. So Poole asked Col. Michael Johnson for suggestions.
“Since I’m on (the) marksmanship (team), we figured that would be the best thing for me to do,” Poole said. “It would benefit the battalion pretty well.”
So Poole got busy refurbishing the marksmanship range at Science Hill. He painted the walls and trim, added logos and posters, procured new targets and did other things to revamp the space. As a senior and the commander of the marksmanship team, the project will allow Poole to leave a lasting legacy at the school.
Poole is also involved with the youth group at Hosanna Fellowship Church. He is the son of Tracy and Cindy Poole and has a brother David.
As for his plans beyond high school, Poole plans to go on to ETSU, where he will enroll in the ROTC programs with hopes of being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. It’s a lofty goal, but he credits the Boy Scouts and Science Hill’s JROTC program for preparing him for the challenge that lies ahead.
“It’s really instilled quite a bit of confidence in me and given me the skills to make decisions,” Poole said. “That will help me later in life.”
