Senior earns Eagle Scout brand

Published 5:41 pm Thursday, May 15, 2008

Jess Haertling, center, celebrates with his brothers Beau, left, and Jake during his Eagle Scout ceremony in April. Jess is the son of Ron and Cheryl Haertling of Hermiston.

By LUKE TAYLOR

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The Hermiston Herald

As the weather warms and plants take bloom, visitors to Hermiston’s Riverfront Park may notice Jess Haertling’s hard work.

The Hermiston High School senior recently planted a rose garden in the park as part of his Eagle Scout project.

“I looked up the manager of the Parks and Recreation and asked for some suggestions,” Jess said. “They gave me two options and I decided to make a rose garden.”

Jess, who lives in front of the park, said he went door-to-door, raising $300 for the project. He said although the city chose where he put the flowers, the project turned out better than he imagined.

“They basically put them in front of my house,” he said, “so my parents liked that.”

Jess is the son of Ron and Cheryl Haertling of Hermiston. His mother said he loves the outdoors, so doing something in the park was a natural fit.

“He likes to hunt and play sports … basically anything outside,” she said. “He just went to the park and asked what he could do.”

Jess played football at Hermiston High School. Coaches named him team captain after completing only one season. He also competes in track and will throw the javelin at this weekend’s Intermountain Conference Track Meet.

“I’m just trying to score points for us,” he said, of his goals at the district meet. “I’ve been throwing javelin for about a year.”

Aside from his family, Jess was pleased that State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, attended the Eagle Scout award ceremony. Smith attained Eagle Scout in his youth and knows the time and effort such an accomplishment requires.

“It takes years of work and commitment to achieve Eagle Scout,” Smith said. “That automatically tells you a lot about (Jess’s) character and work ethic.”

Jess said the pride and fulfillment of accomplishing such a large task helped him stay motivated.

“Talking to older people they said it gives you credibility,” he said. “A lot of people were in Scouts, but only a handful can say they were an Eagle Scout.”

Jess’s older brothers, Beau and Jake, also achieved Eagle Scout. Jess looks up to his brothers and said their Eagle Scout legacies helped inspire his.

“If they wouldn’t have got their Eagle, I wouldn’t have either,” he said.

The three will reunite next fall when Jess begins college at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg. Jess’s goals include going to college, completing his LDS mission and starting a family. He said while it took years of effort and commitment to achieve his Eagle Scout, he does not want the award to define who he is.

“I want people to look at me and see that I’m a good person … and a good leader,” he said. “That I was a helpful, humble person.”

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