An Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held Saturday at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Troy for Douglas Topolse, a member of Boy Scout Troop 41.

Topolse was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America. Since the inception of the Eagle Scout award in 1912, only 2 percent of eligible Scouts have earned Scouting’s highest honor.

At age 14, Topolse is among the small number of Scouts who have received the Eagle Scout Award at that young age.

Topolse started in Scouting at age six as a Tiger Cub in Savannah, Georgia. He transferred to Cub Scout Pack 41 in Troy and advanced to Boy Scout Troop 41.

He advanced through the ranks of Scouting for Tenderfoot to Eagle.

“The Eagle Scout Award must be earned through a required number of merit badges covering a wide range of subject, community service, an increasing roles of responsibility within Scouting and an Eagle Scout Service Project,” he said.

Topolse earned the required number of merit badge to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. In addition to those 21 badges, he has earned four Eagle Palms. The Bronze Palm represents 5 merit badges, the Gold Palm 10, the Silver Palm 15, and the second Bronze Palm represents 20 merit badges.

He has achieved the rank of Brotherhood in the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s National Honor Society.

Topolse has served as the Senior Patrol Leader with his troop and as a counselor at Camp Tukabatchee for Zombie Wilderness Survival Training with Venturing Crew 23 from Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.

“Scouting has provided me with the opportunity to travel, meet Scouts from many nationalities, and even meet the King of Sweden at the 2014 National Scout Jamboree,” he said.  “One of my biggest greatest adventures was a 12-day, 80-mile, trek through America’s largest High Adventure Base at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.”

Recently appointed as the Troop 41 Scout Advisor, Topolse continues to seek training for himself, and to train new Scouts.  He was chosen, and trained, as an instructor for “Leave No Trace,” registered in CO., and was voted Assistant Patrol Leader for the 2016 National Youth Leadership Training through the Greater Alabama Area Council, session 3.  This summer Topolse taught two different Eagle Scout Merit Badges while at Camp Alaflo, with the Alabama/Florida Area Council.

“When not I’m not involved in Scouting, I makes robots, rockets, remote controlled aircraft, and customized skateboards,” he said.

He enjoys long boarding, and is a member of Mensa, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and the Vintage Soaring Association. 

Topolse is a member of the Charles Henderson High School Blue Machine Marching Band.  His Eagle Scout project was designed to help the school by redesigning, and constructing, new swinging doors in the administration office.  While at Charles Henderson, Topolse is also dually enrolled at Troy University.

“I am grateful for the leadership opportunities and amazing experiences that Scouting has given me, particularly Troop 41 in Troy,” Topolse said. “I would like to thank all those who have supported me. I look forward to being able to teach Eagle merit badges to other Scouts and to many more adventures in Scouting.”