Troop 766 of Rancho Santa Fe recently welcomed Nicholas Kim as its newest Eagle Scout. The ceremony was held at Redeemer Church in Encinitas, and it was the culmination of many years of community service, skill building, and leadership as a Scout. Nicholas is junior at Francis Parker School and a resident of Rancho Santa Fe, and started his scouting journey as a Cub Scout in Troop 766, according to a news release.
For his Eagle project, he built and donated a mobile Welcome Center for Redeemer Church in Encinitas. From deg and fundraising to building the Welcome Center, he was able to put many of the skills he learned in scouting to use. The local church benefitted because the cart improved hospitality for community visitors, and its mobile features made it adaptive for various purposes, such as serving as an information booth or presenting food for events.
“Earning my Eagle Scout taught me that leadership is about creating lasting positive change in my community,” Nicholas reflected during the project’s dedication ceremony, the news release stated.
The Welcome Center now serves as a permanent testament to his commitment to service.Throughout his Scouting career, he has served in various leadership roles, but his dedication to service extends well beyond Scouting. He has been tutoring with San Diego Refugee Tutoring (SDRT), maintaining a consistent relationship with the same student and assisting with food delivery to refugee families during the pandemic. His service contributions earned him the 2024 Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award, recognizing over 100 hours of community work in a single year.
Academically, he distinguished himself as a six-time San Diego County winner in National History Day competitions, with multiple appearances at the California State level. His recent accolades include the San Diego Center for Economic Education’s Economics Award and special recognition from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Historic Preservation for a documentary on Chicano Park.
On the athletic field, he contributes to Francis Parker’s varsity lacrosse team, which claimed the 2023 CIF San Diego Division II championship. Off the field, he pursues musical excellence. Having studied guitar for six years, he has earned the Gold Award recognition at the Forum Music Festival.
“The skills I learned through Scouting—leadership, project management, community service—have shaped my approach to everything else,” Nicholas said in the news release. “Earning Eagle Scout isn’t the end of my service journey; it’s really just the beginning.”
Looking ahead to college, he plans to continue his commitment to community service while pursuing his academic interests, carrying forward the values and leadership skills developed through his Scouting journey.
BSA Troop 766 is a boy-led organization for boys 11-17 and has been in Rancho Santa Fe for 45 years. Youth interested in the troop may [email protected].
