These Eagle Scouts Bring Leadership to Cross Country

Is it a coincidence that the boys' cross-country team at Saint Viator High School features three new Eagle Scouts among its members? We think not!

“Many principals are the same, namely teamwork, bettering yourself, and helping others,” says Head Coach Bill Stanczak, ’85. “It's hard running three miles at your top speed, just like it's hard to earn badges and be committed for the years it takes to get to Eagle.”

Alex Gasey ’23, Finn McLeod ’24, and P.J. McLeod ’24 all bring a sense of determination and leadership to the team that comes from their years in Scouting. Alex is a member of Troop 37, sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, while Finn and P.J. are in Troop 32 at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights. All three are members of St. James Church.

“In cross-country, you really have to push yourself to do your best, and when you hit the wall you have to keep going,” Finn says. “It’s just like earning Eagle.”

His twin brother, P.J., agreed, saying: “In a three-mile race, it’s hard to see the end goal until the last corner. It’s kind of like that with earning Eagle. You see the end and really kick it into gear.”

Alex completed his Eagle Scout project at his alma mater, leading two landscaping projects around the school, as well as adding mulch to the playground and entranceway. Beyond all the digging away at roots and construction debris, he also chose native plants for one of the areas to attract butterflies and bees that the children could watch from their classroom windows.

Finn chose to help the 18-year-old asylum seekers arriving at Viator House of Hospitality. Knowing that many of them arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs, he collected personal hygiene items, including bedding, socks, laundry baskets, water bottles, English language dictionaries, and gift cards to assemble into welcome baskets. Each basket included cards written by Finn, friends, family, and students at St. James School welcoming each new resident. 

His brother P.J. chose the St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic located on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, home of the Lakota Sioux tribe, in South Dakota. He was inspired after hearing a visiting priest give a talk at St. James, describing the mission and its efforts to assist the Lakota people. The St. Francis Mission holds weekend dental clinics where volunteer dentists and technicians provide free treatment to hundreds of children who would otherwise go without dental care. PJ collected enough toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpaste, and mouthwash to supply 250 children. He also collected 250 coloring books and packs of crayons to give the children something to do while waiting and assembled plastic treasure chest tooth holder necklaces for the children to hold their baby teeth.   

“I wanted to include something personal,” P.J. quips.

Alex is the only four-year runner on the squad and he is the team captain. By the looks of it, he has approached the leadership position thoughtfully.

“Every moment is a leadership moment,” Alex says. “What motivates me at the end of the race is to cheer on my teammates to finish, just being an example and helping others.”