Chronicle of Mt. Juliet
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Three Robbrecht siblings each receive Boys Scouts’ highest rank




Three Eagle Scouts – Siblings Lyra, Kiril and Nikita Robbrecht have all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Three Eagle Scouts – Siblings Lyra, Kiril and Nikita Robbrecht have all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Families are excited and proud when one of their members becomes an Eagle Scout.

From the planning to the execution of the project, work, including family members, takes months. The entire family often becomes involved, and, in the end, the project is one that serves the community.

The Robbrecht family of Mt. Juliet tripled its excitement and pride with three Eagle Scouts in the family; each one having reached that rank in the past two years.

Kiril Robbrecht, who is now attending The Citadel, was the first of the three family members to garner the honor. Kiril completed his Eagle Project in 2020, building a memorial bench for David Hardesty at the Harbor Island Yacht Club in Old Hickory. In 2019 Hardesty died in an accident at the club.

“The project took nearly four months to complete, starting from getting the idea on paper, seeking (yacht club) board approval, scout BSA approval, through construction, installation, and finally the official dedication of the memorial bench,” Kiril said. “The bulk of the work was done by the Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts.”

Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan, Lyra Robbrecht and Maj. David Bennett show some of the 2,048 books she collected for inmates at the Wilson County jail for her Eagle Scout project.

Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan, Lyra Robbrecht and Maj. David Bennett show some of the 2,048 books she collected for inmates at the Wilson County jail for her Eagle Scout project.

Kiril joined Troop 777 in the second grade. Leading comes natural to him, his mother, Rachel said, adding that “he is an excellent public speaker.”

Lyra, the second family member to gain the Eagle Scout honor, tried the Girl Scouts, but it was missing the adventures her brothers enjoyed, Rachel said.

“When BSA decided to allow girls in scouting, I immediately joined Troop 934,” Lyra said. She quickly caught up and passed her younger brother, Nikita, in rank, her mother said.

Many in scouts BSA were skeptical of the new girl troops, Rachel said.

“We enjoyed watching the girls excel in the competitions at various camporees,” Rachel said. “The girls quickly gained the respect of the boy troops and adult leaders.”

For her Eagle project, Lyra collected books for inmates at the Wilson County jail. She initially set a goal of 934 books, her troop number. She ended up with 2,048 books.

Kiril Robbrecht poses with friends who helped him build a memorial bench for David Hardesty at the Harbor Island Yacht Club in Old Hickory.

Kiril Robbrecht poses with friends who helped him build a memorial bench for David Hardesty at the Harbor Island Yacht Club in Old Hickory.

“My project took two months to complete,” Lyra said. “I organized collecting books through my fellow scouts. The scouts placed collection baskets in several local businesses, and collected books from friends, family and at their schools. “

Lyra delivered the books to the county jail and was congratulated by Sheriff Robert Bryan.

Nikita chose to build a “Little Library” at Lakeview Elementary, the school where he learned to read and write English after coming to the United States. Like his siblings, he is adopted from Ukraine.

“The ‘Little Library’ is a neighborhood book exchange in the form of a public bookcase,” Nikita said. “This project required me to go before the school board and seek approval. When presenting the plans to the Lakeview Elementary school leaders, I was asked to paint the Little Library in the school colors of blue and yellow. Of course, this was not a problem, these colors happen to be the colors of the Ukrainian flag.”

Nikita Robbrecht poses with the Little Library he built at Lakeview Elementary for his Eagle Scout project.

Nikita Robbrecht poses with the Little Library he built at Lakeview Elementary for his Eagle Scout project.

The project took about two months to finish and was delivered in time for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

“He may be the last of the three to get his Eagle rank, at 16 he is two years younger than his siblings, and with his 38 completed merit badges he beat them both,” Rachel said.

Earlier this month at Harbor Island Yacht Club, the Robbrecht family organized a scout BSA triple Eagle Court of Honor. All three Robbrechts received their Eagle Scout rank there.

“It has been a lot of fun, but quite the challenge to get all three youngest kids through the ranks to Eagle,” Rachel said in an email. “We wish our oldest daughter, Nadya, 25, would have had the opportunity to experience the scouts, but Scouts BSA was not available to female scouts at that time.

Kiril was adopted in 2005 from Yalta, Ukraine and Nadya, Lyra and Nikita were adopted in 2013 from Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

“At the Robbrechts’ house, we require the kids to become Eagle before they can drive/get a car. We did this as an incentive for the kids to stay focused on the goal, as life’s distractions unfold to the older teenager. In scouts, there is a saying to try to become an Eagle before the fumes hit — the car fumes and the perfumes.”

Kiril Robbrecht and friends build a memorial bench for David Hardesty at the Harbor Island Yacht Club in Old Hickory. This was Robbrecht’s Eagle Scout project

Kiril Robbrecht and friends build a memorial bench for David Hardesty at the Harbor Island Yacht Club in Old Hickory. This was Robbrecht’s Eagle Scout project

Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only 4% of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. Requirements include earning at least 22 merit badges. The Eagle Scout must demonstrate Scout Spirit, an ideal attitude based upon the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes a community service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages.

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