A New Eagle Scout to Soar in Murrieta

A teacher's Moreno Valley classroom always was overflowing with backpacks and jackets—until Andrew Cheatham of Murrieta came to the rescue.

Cheatham has been working toward his Eagle Scout award, the highest rank of Boy Scouts of America.

For his community service project, his mother said that Andrew planned, coordinated and budgeted his project, and then led several scouts and friends in building two portable backpack racks for teacher Lisa Patton's kindergarten class at Hendrick Ranch School in Moreno Valley.

The racks were built at kindergarten student height so the children can put away their belongings and the racks can be rolled outside while class is in session, Andrew's mother, Jennifer Cheatham, explained.

Other community service work included Santa Margarita Watershed cleanups, Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drives, The Juvenille Diabetes walk, and the Relay for Life walk, she said.

Andrew Cheatham, grandson of Murrieta City Councilman Rick Gibbs, will receive his award at the Troop 300 Eagle Scout Court of Honor at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6 at Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, 31579 Vintners Pointe Court, Winchester.

He has been active in the scouting program since he was a Tiger Cub in the first grade. He is following his brother, also an Eagle Scout. Andrew has led as assistant patrol leader and patrol leader while serving as teammate for the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks Basketball Team, his mother explained.

He "has hiked hundreds of miles, become a skilled shooter, canoed, biked, learned to fish, cook for himself and administer first aid to those in need.  Summer camps included Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island, LOST Valley in Warner Springs, Camp Whitsett in Kern County, and Thousand Trails in Yosemite," she said.

Andrew graduated from in June and plans to attend St. John’s University, NY, in the fall. He'll work toward a degree in business management, his mother said.