OCBC’s Troop 578 Recognizes 6 New Eagle Scouts

From left: Nathan Hoo, Kevin Sato, Jason Tekawa, Jason Yamashita, Spencer Kubo and Bradley Nishida.

ANAHEIM — Boy Scout Troop 578, based at Orange County Buddhist Church in Anaheim, held its Eagle Court of Honor on May 27. The six new Eagle Scouts are:

Bradley Setsuo Nishida, son of Kenneth and Kathleen Nishida, graduated from Arnold O. Beckman High School. He was a two-year member of the school’s basketball team and a three-year member of the volleyball team. He is currently a part of Beckman’s California Scholarship Federation, Math Tutoring Club, and the Engineering Club.

Bradley has been attending Orange County Buddhist Church Dharma School since kindergarten. He has been a member of OCBC Jr. YBA during his four years of high school and served as athletic chair in his junior year. He has also been a volunteer coach for the OCBC Chibiko Youth Basketball program for four years. He has played SEYO basketball for 12 years and currently plays for the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Heat.

Bradley began his scouting career in Boy Scouts at 11 years old. He has served numerous leadership positions such as patrol scribe, patrol historian, patrol leader, troop instructor, troop guide, and peer review coordinator. One of his proudest scouting achievements was winning second place in the 2013 International Field Day among over 200 scouts. On May 12, 2015, he achieved the Eagle Scout rank.

For his Eagle Scout Project, Bradley planned and fundraised for the construction of two wooden mobile bulletin boards for the Beckman High School ASB. These towers would be placed around campus, where clubs and administration could post announcements and flyers to inform students on upcoming school-sponsored events. His project advisor was Dr. Joel Marutani.

In the fall, he will be attending UCLA, where he will study electrical engineering.

Jason Alex Tekawa is the son of David and Esther Tekawa; grandson of Nick and Hiroko Nakano and Ray and Jean Miyeko Tekawa. He is a violinist in the Yorba Linda High School Symphony Orchestra. He has been part of the California Scholarship Federation for all four years and has participated in the Men’s Golf Team for Yorba Linda for three years.

Jason began his scouting career with Pack 578 as a Bear Scout and attained his Arrow of Light as he crossed over into Boy Scout Troop 578. He has served in various patrol positions — historian, quartermaster, assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, and patrol instructor — as well as troop instructor, troop guide, assistant senior patrol leader, and senior patrol leader. During his time in scouting, he has earned the Hanano Award, the World Conservation Award, the Leduc Backpacking Award, and the Sangha Award.

His favorite scouting memories are his days canoeing at Northern Tier in Canada, shotgun shooting, fishing at Rock Creek, hiking in the Sierra Mountains, and participating in the 2013 Japan Jamboree. Jason has camped 140 nights and hiked over 138 backpacking miles.

For his Eagle project, Jason designed and supervised the building of two storage cabinets for his mother’s Catholic school, St. Francis Xavier Church in L.A. The cabinets have made storing equipment more efficient and organized for the activity groups at the church. Jason successfully raised enough money for the project materials with the help of family, friends, and scouting families. He worked under the guidance of his Eagle project advisor, Dave Tanabe.

Jason will be attending CSU Long Beach, majoring in mechanical engineering.

Kevin Hiroshi Sato, son of Doug and Janice Sato, graduated from Cerritos High School. He has spent two years on the baseball and basketball teams as well as one year on both the cross country and track teams. In his first year of cross country he qualified for CIF Playoffs.

He has played in the South East Youth Organization (SEYO) since kindergarten, taking part in both baseball (OCBC/OCO/Norwalk) and basketball (OCO). He has volunteered as a scorekeeper for SEYO and for the girls’ basketball team at Cerritos High School. He is involved with OCO Octagon service organization and volunteered as a counselor for their basketball camp. Currently he plays basketball for OCO Crush and has been in the program since he was 5 years old.

His scouting career began as a Wolf Cub in Pack 578, soon crossing over into BSA Troop 578 earning his Arrow of Light. He has held numerous leadership positions such as historian, scribe, quartermaster, assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, troop guide, instructor, troop quartermaster, and troop scribe. To him his most memorable experience was the 2013 Japan Jamboree.

In his scouting career, Kevin has earned a total of 31 merit badges, including the four badges brought back exclusively for BSA’s 100th anniversary: Tracking, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Carpentry. He is a recipient of the Leduc High Adventure Backpacking Award and the BSA Buddhist Sangha Award. He has hiked 112 miles and camped 77 nights as a member of Troop 578.

Kevin’s Eagle project consisted of constructing four bookcases for Carl E. Gilbert Elementary School in Buena Park. The bookcases provided a source of organization to the classrooms that had no place to store their educational materials. His project advisor was Danny Hoo, father of fellow Eagle Scout Nathan Hoo.

Scouting has been a life-changing experience for Kevin and he would like to thank all of the Troop 578 parents, scouts, and adult leaders for the guidance and overwhelming kindness they have shown throughout his scouting career. Also he deeply would like to thank his parents for motivating and raising him no matter how stubborn he was.

In the fall, Kevin will be attending Cerritos College to pursue a degree in kinesiology. He is working toward a career in physical therapy.

Nathan Etsuo Hoo, son of Danny and Stacy Hoo, graduated from La Mirada High School. He was a three-year runner on the La Mirada Matadores cross country team and distance runner on the track and field team for two years. He received the scholar athlete award for all three years.

Nathan started his scouting career as a Wolf Cub in Norwalk’s Pack 549. After earning the Arrow of Light award, he then crossed over to OCBC’s Troop 578. He served many leadership positions such as scribe, historian, quartermaster, patrol leader of the Cyclones, Trail to First Class coordinator, instructor, troop quartermaster, and troop scribe.

Some of the most memorable adventures he had in the troop were rock-climbing at Joshua Tree; backpacking in the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness and catching his first golden trout at Island Lake; participating in the Golden Spoon cooking competition at the 2013 Orange Frontier District’s Camporee with his Cyclones Patrol while patrol leader and earning a second-place award for Troop 578; meeting scouts from around the world and swimming the 50-meter and running the 500-meter race at the 16th Nippon Jamboree in Yamaguchi; and finally, canoeing with his fellow scouts and earning the 100-miler canoeing award at the Northern Tier High Adventure Base in Quetico Provincial Park of Canada.

For Nathan’s Eagle Scout project, he constructed four carnival games for the Cerritos Baptist Church Youth Ministry in Cerritos, which he has been attending since kindergarten. His Eagle project advisor was David Nakamura. The project was extremely successful. The games that CBC needed were used for their annual Harvest Carnival. The children at CBC enjoy playing the games.

Nathan has no regrets in joining Boy Scouts. Scouting has been a tremendous influence in his life. He would like to thank his present and previous scoutmasters, assistant scoutmasters, scouts, and parents of Troop 578 for their mentoring and guidance. He would also like to acknowledge the Orange Frontier District and Kacy Nagatoshi and JoAnn Kaba of the CBC Youth Ministry for having faith in him throughout the planning and construction phases of his carnival games. Finally, he appreciates his friends and family for their encouragement and support.

In the fall, Nathan will be studying food science and technology at California State Polytechnic University of Pomona.

Spencer Evan Torao Kubo graduated from the Technology Magnet program at Troy High School. He is the son of Gregory and Alyson Kubo. Spencer has been a scholar athlete for four years at his school, participating in basketball, track and field, and cross country. He made All League for the 2015 Cross Country Season, and has played SEYO basketball since he was 5. In 2012, he was selected to be on the Yonsei-19 basketball team and traveled to Shimane and Oki Island to represent the U.S.

He is also an AP Scholar with Distinction and a member of CSF, Principal’s Honor Roll, and National Honor Society. In addition to his academic and sports activities, Spencer has been the sergeant-at-arms, treasurer, and special activities coordinator for the OCO Octagon Club.

Spencer’s Eagle project was completed under advisor Randy Nakahiro and technical advisor John Nakamoto. The project consisted of designing and constructing a 36-foot section of wood fence and 16 botanical markers for Ted Craig Regional Park in Fullerton. The project involved multiple work days and over 30 volunteers donating over 275 hours of their time.

Spencer began his scouting career as a Tiger Cub with Pack 862 out of Faith United Methodist Church in Torrance. He also joined OCBC Cub Scout Pack 578 when his brother Connor joined Troop 578. Spencer received his Arrow of Light and was active with Troop 578 for seven years, serving in a variety of leadership roles, most recently as senior patrol leader.

He considers the highlight of his scouting career to be the numerous scout outings that involved fishing. Spencer is thankful for the friendships he has made through scouting and for all of the dads and moms who have helped him.

His future plans are to attend a four-year university in order to obtain his bachelor’s degree in aquatic and fishery sciences. At present, he hopes to someday pursue a career in research under the State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Jason Toyoaki Yamashita, son of Steve Yamashita and Ellyn Iwata, graduated from Huntington Beach High School. He is a four-year member of the Huntington Beach High School Marching Band, Academy of the Performing Arts Orchestra, Model United Nations, and National Honor Society. He plays piano, mallet percussion, and percussion in musicals, jazz band, wind ensemble, District Honor Band, Drumline, and other ensembles. Additionally, he is involved in his school’s California Scholastic Federation and Amnesty International clubs.

Jason began his scouting career as a wolf in Pack 578 and crossed over into Troop 578 in 2009. He served in troop positions as scribe, historian, patrol leader, and instructor. Some of his favorite memories in scouting include becoming PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified in scuba diving at Camp Cherry Valley Catalina summer camp, challenging backpacking hikes, shotgun shooting, ocean fishing, and his last scouting event, Invitational Field Day, which he attended prior to his 18th birthday. Scouting has taught him the vital importance of the Scout Law and Oath and their application in his daily life.

Jason achieved the rank of Eagle Scout on Sept. 22, 2015. For his Eagle Scout project, he demolished the old, poor-fitting tenor saxophone shelving in his school band room’s closet to fundraise and build new shelving units for installation. This new shelving has allowed for better efficiency and safe storage of the Huntington Beach High School Band’s instruments. His technical advisor was Kevin Tanioka and his project advisor was Dr. Joel Marutani.

In the fall, he will be attending the University of Southern California, where he will major in biology to pursue a pre-medical career.