Austin boy ready to soar as an Eagle next month

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 7, 2003

He kept the Cub Scout Promise.

Did his best, did his duty to God and country, helped other people and obeyed the law of the pack.

No problem. Cub Scouting was a breeze. It took two years.

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Then came Boy Scouting.

He kept the Scout Promise -- virtually the same as Cub Scouting's.

Oddly enough, the Scout Law seemed to describe him. He was trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, cheerful, thrifty and so on and so forth.

That took longer, but today he's at the top and poised to accept the highest honor Boy Scouts of America can bestow upon one of its own: the Eagle Scout award.

Take a bow, John J. Register.

On Saturday, Feb. 8, Minnesota Boy Scouts of America officials will officiate at a Court of Honor ceremony at Austin's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

John J. will be the focal point of all the attention.

Not bad for a 12-year-old kid.

"I think John deserves it," said Dan Carolan, Troop No. 122's scoutmaster. "Normally, it takes the typical Boy Scout longer to achieve the honor, but this is a very self-motivated and self-reliant boy. He's taken the initiative and it's paid off for him."

Troop No. 122 has produced other Eagle Scouts, including Carolan's own son several years ago and most recently, Jed Neilsen, one of four teenagers in his family to receive the honor.

Other troops elsewhere have produced their own Eagle Scouts.

It's possible, there are other Eagle Scouts, who achieved the honor sooner than the typical 17 or 18 years of age.

But Carolan said earning Eagle Scout honors at the tender age of 12 is very special.

"He's satisfied all the requirements," Carolan said. "I don't think other Boy Scouts are envious of what he has done. Parents, maybe, but what he has done is truly remarkable and should be recognized for what it is."

John J. Register lives with his mother, Sue, in northwest Austin. Sue's parents, John L. Register and his wife, Norma, are also Austin residents.

Nobody has achieved what the youngest John has done in such a short period of time.

He's a sixth grader at Ellis Middle School and a less than perfect house-keeper like so many of his peers.

"If you'd visit my room, you would have to sift through things to find anything," he confessed.

He was six years old when he started Cub Scouting and he liked it immediately.

"It was a very good experience for me," he said. "I would advise any kid to go into Cub Scouting."

It helped that his mother, Sue, was a scout leader and, her son said, "very good at activities" at the LDS church.

He zipped through the ranks -- Bobcat, Wolf and Bear, in only two months. Along the way, he earned Cub Scouting's highest honor, the Arrow of Light Award.

Friends encouraged him to join the LDS Boy Scout troop and he did.

Again, he took the fast track from Webelos to Tenderfoot to second and first class rankings and on to Star and finally Life scout.

"It was a fun experience," he said. "My interest just grew all the time. I liked earning the merit badges and now I have 52. Some of my favorite are aviation, forestry, pioneering and astronomy."

He was also given leadership roles; first as a den chief, helping Cub Scouts, and now as a patrol leader, where he supervised the activities of older scouts.

In March 2001, when he was only 11 years old, he discussed earning the coveted Eagle Scout ranking with his mother and scoutmaster, plus other family friends.

With all other requirements met, he had only to successfully complete a community service project to earn the right to be considered for the top award.

"I first talked with Mayor (Bonnie) Rietz about possible projects and then I went to the (Jay C. Hormel) Nature Center and talked to Mr. (Larry) Dolphin," he recalled.

Dolphin, the director and naturalist at the Nature Center, recommended a shelter and covered bridge roofing

project and Register agreed.

In March, he assembled a crew of 40 volunteers, including adult Eagle Scouts, Bret Aasy and Marshal Smith, among others, who removed graffiti from a covered bridge and reinforced the roofs on shelters.

Dolphin was pleased and said the improvements would benefit all who visit the Nature Center.

After the springtime project, Register compiled all the necessary documentation to submit to Minnesota scouting officials.

Then, he and his mother, Sue, waited.

In early December 2002, the reply came.

"All I remember is screaming when I got the news. I was so excited. It was the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me," he said.

Among those he first informed was Patrick Fryer, the troop's scoutmaster at the time, and assistant scoutmasters Andy Dyer and Jeff Ballew, plus family and scouting friends, Dale and Pam Laskewitz. Register had helped the Laskewitzes' son, Derek, with his own Eagle Scout project.

Lastly, he visited his grandparents, John L. Jr. and Norma Register and basked in the glow of his grandparents' pride.

Now, he is preparing for the February Court of Honor ceremony and more attention.

Is this the end of his participation n scouting?

Not quite.

"I plan to stay in scouting and not retire," he said. "There are more merit badges I can earn, plus the gold and silver palms awards and even the William T. Hornaby award for conservation.

"There's a lot you can do in scouting."

Along the way, Minnesota state Boy Scouts of America president Donald Krueger has been very supportive to the mother and son. "We really appreciate his support and faith," said Sue Register. "It's been hard at times."

Carolan said he understood how hard it was.

"Something like this will always attract those who question it or who are resentful," Carolan said. "But I would describe John as a very conscientious young boy about what he is doing.

"In fact, he fits the image of a good Boy Scout. He's trustworthy, loyal and all the other traits. Like I said, he deserves this honor, because he's earned it."

And what does the 12-year-old Eagle Scout to-be think of his achievement?

"I think it's the same in scouting or sports or whatever in life," he said. "You can't center yourself on just one goal or you won't achieve your other goals.

"There are lots of things I want to do in life and I have lots of goals. I would tell other kids my age to go for each of your goals and make many goals in life.

"Oh, yes," he added. "There's one other thing and that is to practice, practice, practice, because practice really does make you perfect at something."

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com