Whiz Kid: Frankel Jewish Academy Student Receives Rank of Eagle Scout

Every week, Patch spotlights young people in the West Bloomfield community who are successful, talented and just plain awesome. We’re pleased to introduce this week’s Whiz Kid:

Joshua Kahn

• Age: 18
  
• School:
• Achievement: Joshua achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest attainable youth rank in the Boy Scouts of America program, in a ceremony Tuesday. Only 5 percent of all boys involved in scouting attain this rank. Eagle Scouts must earn at least 21 merit badges, demonstrate adherence to scouting principles such as loyalty, kindness, and service to others, and complete a Leadership Service Project that involves other people and benefits another community organization.  For his project, Joshua orchestrated the design and construction of a new Torah ark for Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA), where he is a senior.
  
  Joshua, who lives in Oak Park, said he was looking for a project that he would enjoy doing and which incorporated Jewish values. “I’ve always liked building things, so I went to the school and asked what they needed,” he said.
  
  With the help of some fellow students as well as FJA instructor and professional wood worker Ted Harper, the project was completed. The ark, which holds the Torah scrolls used during religious services, is made of oak and stands about six feet tall.

• Key to awesomeness: Joshua epitomizes the virtues that scouting extols and incorporates these qualities into his daily life, according to the many friends, teachers, family members, and fellow scouts who gathered at Frankel Jewish Academy for the award ceremony. 
  
  “Joshua is one of the most honorable students we’ve ever had,” said FJA Dean of Judaics, Rabbi Maccabee Avishur. “He’s always one of the first to step forward in any situation, and he always tries his best.”
  
  Joshua will be attending Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel in the fall. In addition to participating in JV basketball and ensemble music, he was a varsity tennis captain and a National Merit Finalist. “Josh was always a stalwart friend,” said former scoutmaster Steven Graff. “He’s a good, honest, ethical, hardworking kid.”

Do you know a special young person in the community who deserves a round of applause because he volunteers instead of playing video games after school? Or maybe your daughter's science club is trying to challenge the way we think about the energy crisis? Or maybe your son's lacrosse team won its first game in three years? Everyone deserves a little attention, and we want to tell these stories.

So email your Whiz Kid nominations to Editor Tim Rath at Tim.Rath@Patch.com. Please include the name, age, school, achievement and key to awesomeness, as well as a photo. Then come back every Wednesday for our Whiz Kid spotlight; you never know who will be up next.