34 MAY 2022 By Melissa Hirschl A passion for animals and a hefty dose of ingenuity earned Boy Scout Nico Cheke the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America program: Eagle Scout. Nico is a member of Troop 147, sponsored by St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and a sophomore at Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center in Paradise Valley. He had a high bar to reach for, as scouts must earn 21 merit badges (13 of which need to be Eagle specific), plus a community project to obtain the honor. Badges cover a wide range of categories, such as life skills, hobbies, sports, nature and future careers. Eagle Scout badges take things up a notch, as they are more physically and intellectually demanding. For his community project, Nico approached the LovePup Foundation in Phoenix. Their mission and focus are to rescue dogs in need. “Nico has always been animal-centric,” said dad, Dan Cheke, who is also the troop’s Scoutmaster. “LovePup was a perfect match, as it’s an organization that shares his love for animals.” LovePup proprietor Johnjay Van Es and his wife Blake were delighted to hear that Nico wanted to contribute his talents to their business. The two projects they needed the most help with were parking curbs for their lot, and a donation bin. Nico proposed ideas that melded creativity and practicality. “I envisioned concrete signs in the shape of dog bones for the curbs and a large doghouse with a lifting lid for a donation box,” Nico explained. “With help from my dad and other scouts, we made four ‘dog bone’ parking blocks, using 220 pounds of concrete.” The form was built using wood and concrete cylindrical forms cut into wedges. Friends and family helped to pour the concrete in shifts. The shingled, three by four-foot doghouse was also a hit with LovePup’s owners, as it made an ideal structure for donations of blankets, comforters and dog toys. “Nico is an amazing kid,” Blake said. “This project is close to my heart because our son is also an Eagle Scout. Nico’s projects have been incredibly helpful for our LovePup shelter.” The newly-minted Eagle Scout was recognized at the prestigious Court of Honor ceremony at St. Theresa’s Hall in March. “It was a big deal. Nico received a new neckerchief, his eagle badge and a medal,” Dan said. “I’m so glad he had this opportunity. Scouting makes kids responsible and brings families together.” “Receiving my Eagle Scout award was a huge success and will help me in the future with my career,” Nico said. His dream is to become a veterinarian. He plans to receive an associate degree, followed by a four-year degree, then head to veterinarian school – the last stop to make his dream a reality. Lovepupfoundation.org Troop 147 introduces its latest Eagle Scout Nico and Daniel Cheke. PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICO CHEKE Nico and Van Tucker placing bone-shaped parking curbs. By Melissa Hirschl A group of St. Thomas the Apostle’s whiz kids quickly rose to the challenge at the Academic Junior High Decathlon this past spring – and there’s a reason they’re called whiz kids. The teams came in first in logic, second in the super quiz, second in fine arts and third in English/grammar at the regional competition. They then took their skills to nationals and placed second in logic against 12 other schools in the virtual competition. To partake in the decathlon, students were asked to complete a smaller version of the actual test that included religion and logic questions and puzzles. Examples include fill- in-the-blank questions about St. Maximillian Kolbe, St. Therese of Lisieux and riddles like: I am tall when I am young. I am short when I am old. When I live, I glow. From your breath, I cease to be. What am I? (Answer at end!) Ten students from St. Thomas participated in ten events. Two were collaborative: a logic quiz and a super quiz. The remaining eight events tested individual knowledge of the Roman Catholic doctrine, English, literature, science, math, current events, social studies and fine arts. The super quiz consisted of 50 multiple choice questions and gave students only 15 seconds to respond. The logic portion demanded creative mental gymnastics, as students utilized “left brain” skills for problem-solving and reasoning abilities. Examples were Venn diagrams, anagrams, cryptograms, puzzles and visual-spatial reasoning. “What was amazing,” Coach Noah Loungarikis said, “is there were no eighth graders representing our school in the competition [like on the other teams].” St. Thomas has Loungarikis to thank for bringing students onboard the decathlon experience. A ten-year teaching veteran from Orange County, California, he came well steeped in coaching. “This is one of the most enriching programs I have ever been involved in,” Loungarikis said. “What this decathlon does for students is life-changing. Many have never had a venue that rewarded their academic skills.” These competitions pit the best against the best against each other, according to Loungarikis. “It lets these kids shine in the spotlight, something they may not normally have the opportunity to do,” he said. This event takes a lot of preparation: five hours of team practice a week and two to three hours of studying at home. “The decathlon is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” sixth-grader Ellora Hood said. “Before, I felt I didn’t have a place to fit in. The decathlon made me feel cool and happy since I met others who felt the same way.” Resource materials, which change each year, are vital for decathlon preparation. Fine arts include paintings, music and sculpture, and this year students used “The Arts of Visual Encyclopedia,” a 300-page book geared toward adults. According to Loungarikis, the logic practice questions mirror those used for law school entrance. catholicajhd.org [Did you figure out the riddle? The answer is: a candle!] Putting their brains to the test (Back) Coach Leigh Ulrich, Coach Sister Michael Vincent, Gabe Kruger, Ella Boyle, Sophie Robaina, Kate Jorgensen, Coach Noah Loungarikis, Cara Boyle, Coach Mary Whitfield. (Front) Jack Haas, Ava Shoen, Dakota Presidio, Ellora Hood and Joey Young. PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE