Mercer Islander becomes Eagle Scout

Taylan Yuasa, 14, of Boy Scout Troop 252, was recognized at a special Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony on April 17 at the Seattle Buddhist Church. Yuasa became the most recent addition to the troop’s roster of 95 Eagle Scouts since 1952.

By Reporter Staff • May 25, 2011 1:52 pm
Taylan Yuasa recently became an Eagle Scout.
Taylan Yuasa recently became an Eagle Scout.

Taylan Yuasa, 14, of Boy Scout Troop 252, was recognized at a special Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony on April 17 at the Seattle Buddhist Church. Yuasa became the most recent addition to the troop’s roster of 95 Eagle Scouts since 1952.

Yuasa conducted his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project at the Mercer Island Rite Aid and Albertsons stores, leading a team of scouts and other volunteers who collected more than 4,000 items such as toiletries, hats, scarves, blankets and gloves for Operation Nightwatch, a nonprofit organization in Seattle that helps the homeless, and was established in 1967 by Rev. Bud Palmberg of the Mercer Island Covenant Church.

Yuasa is an eighth-grader at Islander Middle School, where he went 19-0 in two seasons on the IMS Gators varsity wrestling team and was a two-time Foothills League Champion. He was one of three captains this past season on the wrestling team. He is also a green belt in judo for the Budokan Dojo in Seattle, and competed this past summer at the United States Junior National Tournament in Irvine, Calif.

Yuasa has earned 36 merit badges (an Eagle candidate must earn 21 merit badges), and is an Order of Arrow Brotherhood member in the Boy Scouts Chief Seattle Council.