<p>A Boy Scout who created a memorial to honor students and staff members who died while studying and working at Center Grove Community Schools has been recognized with awards from both the school district and central Indiana Boy Scout council.</p><p>Center Grove High School senior Richie Arkanoff II developed the concept of a memorial tree when he was just 11 years old. The requirement to complete a project to attain Eagle Scout rank gave him an opportunity to bring that idea to life.</p><p>With the help of 39 other scouts in Troop 245, in White River Township, he completed the steel tree in time for its unveiling in August. The design included the names of the deceased students and staff members, each inscribed on separate steel leaves.</p><p>In February, Arkanoff, who is Center Grove schools superintendent Rich Arkanoff’s son, was recognized for the project, which took two years of planning and 500 hours of work including research, reaching out to contractors and presenting the project to various community organizations. He collected $3,170 in donations, he said in August.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery<p>His project was named the project of the year in the Crossroads of America Council’s Pathfinder District, a Boy Scout district that encompasses Johnson County and southern Marion County. Arkanoff was also recognized with the Center Grove Shining Star Award, which the district’s school board presented him during its Feb. 20 meeting. The award is given to a project that makes a difference in the lives of others and initiates positive change, according to school officials.</p><p>Arkanoff earned his Eagle Scout status in October, and found out his project was named the best of 2019 during a Feb. 8 dinner, he said.</p><p>“I had no idea I was getting the award,” Arkanoff said. “It was a really gratifying moment for me to see my project had such an impact on our district.”</p><p>Arkanoff is most proud of the impact it had on the families and loved ones of people who had passed away while working for or studying at Center Grove, he said.</p><p>“I think with my project, just the amount of community support it had behind it and the impact it had on the community, especially when we did the dedication in August, seeing so many people so strongly impacted by it really touched me,” Arkanoff said.</p><p>Since he joined the Boy Scouts at 10 years old, Arkanoff has exemplified leadership skills, said Thomas Blessing, who served as his scoutmaster.</p><p>“Richie has been very successful in leadership skills,” Blessing said. “He worked (his way up) as a younger scout to senior patrol pleaders in charge of the troop; he did that when I was scoutmaster. He has continued his leadership skills and has been part of National Youth Leadership Training, and has been one of the trainers for our council.”</p><p>After Scouts go through training, they can help lead other scouts. Arkanoff aged out of being a Boy Scout himself when he turned 18 in February, he said.</p><p>He is now in the running for a National Eagle Scout Association scholarship, the recipients for which will be announced at the end of the month, Blessing said.</p><p>Arkanoff plans to study user experience design at Purdue Polytechnic Institute starting this fall. After college, he wants to own his own design firm, Arkanoff said.</p>
