HOLLAND, Mich. — Noah Castaneda, a soon-to-be senior at Holland High School, has spent a busy semester channeling his passion for scouting and music into an impactful Eagle Scout project. A decade-long member of the Scouts program, Castaneda decided to support an organization close to his heart: the Holland High School marching band.
An old soul, music means to the world to the 17-year-old.
"Band has been a huge aspect in my life. Music in general. I love music. I've loved listening to different music, specifically old school. I've listened to a lot of classic rock, freestyle, hip hop, just a bunch of old school music from back in the day," said Castaneda at First Presbyterian Church in Holland Thursday.
Castaneda plays trumpet for the Holland High School marching band.
"I really appreciate my time in the Holland High marching band. I was able to forge friendships with the people around me," Castaneda said. "The Director of Bands, Bethany Van Oss is a great director. She's done so much for the program."
He thought they could use some help.
"I just wanted to just give that back... to show my care and support. And I felt like raising money to purchase the music for next marching season was a great way to show that," Castaneda explained.
He decided to use social media to raise funds for the band.
"I did a GoFundMe. I made videos, mostly every day to promote out into community. With the help with the scouts, we went around the neighborhood to put out flyers on door knobs for my GoFundMe and for the taco drive, which was on May 3," said Castaneda.
Castaneda even stood in downtown Holland to collect donations and hand out flyers for his cause. He ended up raising $6,700.
"When he told us how much he was trying to raise, I think there was a collective gasp in the room going, 'You're trying to raise how much? Oh, my goodness. Okay, all right. Well, let's kind of work out the details,'" said Castaneda's scoutmaster, Keeley Boeve of Troop 147.
Boeve said, typically, hopeful Eagle Scouts undertake projects that involve building something.
"He learned a lot through this project. Overcame some hurdles, and from where he started to, 'Yes, I want to do this, to putting on paper, then to taking doing the project itself, and then even after the project report, afterwards," said Boeve. "He learned a lot more responsibility in this one."
With his Eagle Scout project paperwork now submitted, Castaneda waits to see the results of his hard work.
"I just [would] like to say one last thank you to everyone who supported my project. Without you, none of this would be possible for me. I'm just extremely grateful for all the support to get my project done," said Castaneda. "It's crazy to see that I'm at that final home stretch of becoming an Eagle Scout. I just can't wait to see what's next."
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