A Shawnee Heights Freshman has earned the first Eagle Scout Award to be recognized by Troop 12G

Kaitlyn Aldridge, of Tecumseh, KS, has earned the Boy Scouts of America’s highest advancement award, the Eagle Scout Award.

Aldridge will be recognized in ceremonies on Sunday, April 21, 2024.

A member of Troop 12 chartered by Highland Park United Methodist Church, Aldridge is one of only approximately 6 percent of all Boy Scouts who attain the Eagle rank, according to Scoutmaster Alma Smith.

Each candidate must earn 21 merit badges and successfully complete a community, church, or synagogue-related service project to earn his Eagle; Aldridge chose to take on a massive project by renovating the big kids playground at Jars of Clay Children’s Center located at 29th and Tecumseh.

“When I started thinking about my Eagle project, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I did know I wanted to make an impact on a place that was meaningful to me, ,” said Aldridge.  “Both my brother and I attended Jars of Clay for preschool. I know the struggle my parents had with the pea gravel that was used for ground cover, saw that I had a sandbox but my brother didn’t and knew there was an opportunity to create large motor skill games on the sidewalk. It was a huge project that took more than 40 volunteers and over 380 hours of community service to complete. But seeing the kids’ smiles when they play on the playground make it all worth it!”

Aldridge is a member of Fellowship Bible Church where she is a leader for the first grade girls Sunday school class. In Scouts, she is a member of the Order of the Arrow and Tribe of Mic O Say honor societies. She is a competitive swimmer with the Topeka Swim Association. As a Freshman at Shawnee Heights High School, she is a cheerleader, a swimmer, a member of the Student Council and FFA (Future Farmers of America).

She is the daughter of Brandon and Erin Aldridge. She is a third generation Eagle Scout.