Michael Doht ’22 is currently in his freshman year at Siena College, where he hopes to major in business. A dedicated boy scout since the age of six, Michael earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout at a ceremony on January 6th. For his Eagle Scout project, he designed three rolling bookshelves to be used in the North Amityville Senior Center. Michael worked with Ms. Viscel Moore, the Director of Beautification for the Town of Babylon, to obtain the specifications for the project after she expressed that the senior center residents were interested in starting a book club. The goal of the rolling bookshelves is to give the residents greater access to books, especially those who are not fully mobile. Michael organized the acquisition of all the materials and requested the help of some of his fellow scouts to construct the bookshelves. He delivered his project to the senior center in May 2022, and continues to actively acquire books to bring to the center for all the seniors to enjoy.

What inspired you to work to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout?
I was inspired to earn the rank of Eagle Scout by the influence of the older scouts before me and the leaders in my troop. They set a great foundation and really pushed us on the right track. With all the years I put into Scouting, I knew I had to reach the goal of earning Eagle.

How do you think your time at Kellenberg Memorial helped to prepare you for all the hard work and dedication that goes into becoming an Eagle Scout?
Kellenberg taught me a lot of key skills which helped me not only during my journey as a Scout, but which will also help me for the rest of my life. Life as a Kellenberg student, just like Scouting, is all about balance. Managing my time between sports, clubs, and activities at Kellenberg allowed me to focus on things outside of school, like Scouting.

Do you have any advice for current students or young alumni who are interested in working toward the rank of Eagle Scout?
If I had to give advice to younger students who are planning on achieving Eagle, I would tell them to put in their best work and to enjoy their experiences while they last. The main reason I achieved the rank of Eagle was due to the perseverance I had. You can always find your way around obstacles as long as you put your mind to something.

Do you have any favorite teachers, coaches, or club moderators from your time at Kellenberg Memorial?
There are many favorites I have among the faculty. All of the priests and brothers played a significant role in making me who I am today, and I can’t thank them enough. Father Dan was always my go-to guy. Mr. Tahany was also a great teacher that I really enjoyed during my junior and senior years. Coach Kirk was also always there for the students (especially the members of the baseball team whenever we needed him), and he was a great person to talk to.