Andrew Rodriguez

Andrew Rodriguez from Richmond Hill, GA, has been awarded the $4,000 Frank Parater Scholarship. He belongs to St. James the Less Catholic Church in the Diocese of Savannah and is a member of Scouting America Troop 333 in the Coastal Georgia Council.

Rodriguez truly embodies the idea of servant leadership. When asked why volunteering is important to him, he responded, “I volunteer because it allows me to emulate Jesus, as he set the greatest example of humility in his service to others… the work we do as Scouts is not just about service projects or earning merit badges, but also about character, deepening my faith, and serving others with a cheerful heart.”

In service to the Catholic Church, Rodriguez volunteered at St. James the Less Catholic Church as an altar server, youth group leader and religious education aide for 6th and 7th grade. He also participated in a mission trip and served as a retreat leader for his parish community. Rodriguez earned three Catholic Religious Emblems offered by Catholic Scouting America, completing Parvuli Dei, Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII.

Rodriguez served his community by helping with wildlife rehabilitation at Savannah Wildlife Rescue and the Georgia Rescue, Rehabilitation & Relocation. He also dedicated time to the American Red Cross, CURE Childhood Cancer and local literacy programs at Pooler Elementary School, while additionally participating in disaster relief and community cleanups with Troop 333.

At Benedictine Military School, Rodriguez has served as vice president of Student Council and held leadership roles in campus ministry, Model UN, peer counseling and the JROTC program, where he contributed more than 600 hours of service. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and competed on the varsity Raider Challenge Team, which won the national championship in 2023.

In Scouting, Rodriguez held numerous leadership positions in his troop, including senior patrol leader and junior assistant Scoutmaster. He is a member of the Order of the Arrow (OA), Scouting America’s honor society, where he served as an Elangomat and as his troop’s OA representative for seven years. His dedication to Scouting is further demonstrated by earning 51 merit badges and completing a St. George Trek, the high-adventure leadership program and vocation retreat offered by Catholic Scouting America. For his Eagle Scout Project, Rodriguez led a team of volunteers to refurbish a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and beautify the surrounding garden at St. James Catholic School. He raised more than $3,200 to repair the statue, install pavers and plant rose bushes, donating the surplus funds back to the school to establish a permanent garden maintenance fund.

Rodriguez has received several prestigious honors, including the Marine Corps League Good Citizenship Award and the Sons of the American Revolution Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Achievement.

This year, Catholic Scouting America awarded fifteen service scholarships totaling $40,000 to recognize Catholic Scouts nationwide for outstanding service and leadership in four areas: the Catholic Church, their community, school and Scouting. Since 2005, Catholic Scouting America (NCCS) has awarded a total of $348,000 in scholarships to 146 Scouts nationwide.