Blake Madison of Adrian earns American Legion scholarship
ADRIAN — Blake Madison, an 18-year-old sponsored by Adrian Post 32, is The American Legion Department of Minnesota’s Eagle Scout of the Year.
Madison earns a $1,000 scholarship from the Department of Minnesota. The honor was announced March 14. His entry now competes for a National American Legion scholarship.
For his Eagle Scout project, he worked with the city staff in Adrian to build a large, outdoor chess and checkers board at the Adrian Municipal Campground and named it after a 50-year Scouting leader who enjoyed chess: Arnie Dwire.
Madison is the captain of the top Knowledge Bowl team at Adrian High School and has led it to state competition. He is the leader of the school’s Chess Club and several times has earned the award for highest scorer on the school’s Mathematics League. He is the leader for the junior varsity golf team, has been involved in band for many years and was selected for the southwest Minnesota Honor Band.
Madison maintains a 4.07 grade-point average, and he always places on the “A” honor roll, earning academic letters and individual academic awards. He earned a 34 on his ACT.
He became a member of the National Honor Society as a sophomore. The group helped organize the moving of books when the library had to relocate. It helped with special transportation for veterans to attend the community’s Veterans Day program, and it helped organize the school’s graduation ceremony.
Madison said he donates blood when the American Red Cross Blood Mobile comes to the school.
“And I encourage others to do it,” he said.
With Scouting, Madison is enrolled with Troop 32 of Adrian and Troop 134 of Worthington. He was chaplain for three years with Troop 32 and den chief for two years. He served as Order of the Arrow representative and attended several OA conclaves. He has attended the Northern Tier High Adventure Camp and the Missouri River High Adventure Base.
Through his Scout troops, he has volunteered at the Veterans Homes, sent care packages for troops, given care packages for local sick children and donated time doing concessions at local races and ice-fishing contests.
“We have sponsored ceremonies to properly dispose of flags,” Madison said.
The troops helped clean a veterans memorial, prepare a Veterans Day meal and aided the local American Legion Post with community events.
He has earned 28 merit badges, the 50-Miler Award and an Eagle Palm.
