Trophies Trophy News

A new trophy case at Berkley High School that holds once moth-balled testaments to past sports triumphs is an achievement in itself. Built by senior Nathan Vertel, 17, with $2,000 he raised from bottle drives, 500-man hours went into the three sets of oak shelves for his Eagle Scout project. Also an athlete, Nathan said he was surprised to learn teams had won dozens of trophies that couldn’t be displayed because there wasn’t enough room. That gave him an idea for a community service project to get him into elite ranks of the Boy Scouts of America. He would custom design and build more trophy cases.

About 30 trophies stored in a gym closet were “cycled,” Nathan said of the awards put on and taken off display periodically. “My cases will be for the trophies that took a season to earn versus the participation kind,” said Nathan, who plays soccer, rugby and football.

He got approval from Paul Yowchuang, the athletic director at the time, and then looked for help from the community. Younger Scouts joined the effort, collecting about 20,000 bottles and cans to raise money for supplies. Nathan’s father, Larry Vertel, his brother Jacob Vertel, who is also an Eagle Scout, and neighbor Michael Plaskey also pitched in.

Plaskey let Nathan build the cases at his business, Finish Line Closeouts, Warren, and helped him get supplies at cost. Robin Wernick, an assistant scoutmaster, offered guidance with construction.

“I had only built a birdhouse and a tool box before this,” Nathan said. “I was surprised at how precise every measurement had to be.”

Nathan’s mother, Sandie Vertel, said she is proud on many levels from the planning stage, to the bottle drive and the construction. To collect the returnables, Nathan passed out 4,000 fliers and appealed to almost everyone in Berkley. “He demonstrated true leadership and maturity,” Vertel said. She also is impressed with her son for accomplishing his goal while keeping up with his other activities, including a Daily Tribune paper route. “He is one of the last of the kid carriers,” Vertel said.??A Scout since he was in first grade at Berkley’s Pattengill Elementary School, Nathan now is a member of Royal Oak’s Boy Scout Troop 1610. He recently presented the three trophy cases to Berkley High School.??“Teachers, students and friends tell me or text me that they look really good,” Nathan said. “It feels surreal to be done with them after months of work.”

When he receives his Eagle Scout ranking, Nathan will join an exclusive group of the highest ranked scouts. In 2010, 56,176 Scouts achieved the rank of Eagle. Eagle Scouts must earn 21 merit badges, serve in a leadership capacity within their troops, plan and implement a service project and successfully complete a board of review.