By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Great Bend's Jordan Sander has been a Boy Scout for more than a dozen years. The junior at Great Bend High School is now working to achieve the highest designation in the program: Eagle Scout. One of the biggest requirements to earn that honor is a personal project. Sander's project will benefit several animals at the Brit Spaugh Zoo.
"It's a project that you need to put together by yourself: budget, manage, fundraise, and delegate fellow Scouts to do," Sander said. "I built a pair of perches for the zoo for animal demonstrations and such."
A lifelong Great Bend resident, Sander has a special fondness for the local zoo. He spent three days making the perches that can either go on display or serve as a traveling exhibit for the animals.
"I really love the zoo," he said. "I think it's great we have a free zoo. I've been to a lot of zoos. All of them are about $20 to get in. Once you're in there, you're like, this is kind of underwhelming. You come to our zoo, it's free and you have a great time no matter what."
Eagle Scouts must have at least 21 required merit badges that include How to be a Good Citizen, Lifesaving, First Aid, Cooking, and Camping. Sander said there are more merit badges available than people think, and Boy Scouts of America keeps adding new ones, including Personal Management.
Upon graduating from Great Bend High School in May 2025, Sander plans to attend Fort Hays State University for three years, then transfer to Wichita State University to complete a degree in engineering.