On June 4, Nicholas Rudkin, son of Steve and Sharon Rudkin of Spicewood, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America. Nick, 18 years old, is a member of Troop 441 and Crew 441 in Lake Travis sponsored by Lake Travis United Methodist Church.

For his Eagle service project, Rudkin designed a new fire field and built a 12 foot by 24 foot building to be used by the Pedernales Fire Department to replace one that was destroyed when their station was rebuilt. It will be used to teach safe laddering and roof ventilation techniques. The building has two removable roof sections and two different roof materials — asphalt shingle and metal. The fire department will also use the building to train for window rescues, and wall breeches.

Rudkin’s project took more than 250 hours to complete and he raised more than $500 in cash and $1,300 in donated materials to help pay for the costs.

In addition to Scouting and Venturing, Rudkin is also very active in Scouting’s honor society, the Order of the Arrow, where he was awarded the highest honor — the Vigil in 2008 and currently serves on the Lodge’s Executive Committee. Over Rudkin’s 10-year scouting career, he has attended BSA high-adventure camps: Philmont, N.M. three times participating in two 100+ mile back packing treks as well as Sea Base in the Florida Keys where he spent 10 days sailing, snorkeling, and fishing.

Rudkin has been to the National Scout Jamboree at Fort AP Hill, Va., in 2005 and 2010 as well as the National Order of the Arrow Conference at Michigan State University in 2005 and the Order of the Arrow Section Conclave at Texas State University and Baylor University. He has served as a Boy Scout Winter and Summer Camp Counselor at Lost Pines Scout Reservation in Bastrop for the last four years including as Director of the Eagle Quest program this past summer. In 2006 he was selected by the Capitol Area Council to be the state delegate and deliver the annual address at the Report to State parade.

Rudkin has enjoyed biking, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and rappelling, canoeing and boating all over the state of Texas as well as Colorado and New Mexico. He has earned the National Camping award camping over 335 nights and has accumulated more than 400 hours of community service while a scout.

Rudkin is also a Fire/EMS Explorer and earned both his Fire and EMS badges with Pedernales Fire Department Explorer Post 8 after demonstrating his proficiency at basic skills in those areas.

A National Honor Society graduate of Faith Academy of Marble Falls in May 2010, Rudkin has been accepted for the Fall 2010 semester into the Computer Fellows Program at Baylor University, where he earned a Presidents Gold Scholarship, and will be majoring in computer science and robotics. He joins his sister Savannah, who is a junior at Baylor in the University Scholars program majoring in Journalism and French.

Rudkin will host a brief dedication ceremony of the training field and building on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. at Pedernales Station 3, 311 N Paleface Ranch Road, Spicewood. He will be presented with his Eagle badge at a Court of Honor held for him at Grace Outreach Church 20808 #A Hwy 71 W, Spicewood at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15.