HOLLYWOOD | It�s what most Boy Scouts aspire to become, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program: Eagle Scout.

Alexander Smith, 15, a member of Troop 441 from St. Bernadette Parish in Hollywood, is now one step closer to achieving that goal. He just completed an extensive service project which consisted of running a fundraising campaign, designing and building a rosary garden for his parish.

�It has been a long time coming but the amount of satisfaction that myself, the troop and the church as a whole have been able to receive from this being done is overwhelming,� said Alexander, a sophomore at Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches.

The rosary garden took six months to bring to fruition, with parishioners chipping in. Alexander stood at the lector�s podium after several Masses to appeal for donations.

�The project was well received by the parish. We are grateful for the support he has received and surprised at the amount of money he was able to raise,� said George Smith, Alexander�s father. �He raised over $12,000 for all the supplies used to assemble the project.�

�I�ve always known that I wanted to do something for the church with my service project and I saw a boy in California had done something similar for his project,� said Alexander, who graduated from St. Bernadette School. �From that point on I knew that if the resources were available I would love to do a rosary garden for my parish.�

Securing the funds also involved selling engraved pavers, which made up every bead of the rosary, 50 in all. Once the resources were secured it was sheer hard labor to conceptualize and build the garden. Alexander leaned on his troop and friends from Archbishop McCarthy High to help him complete the task.

�I am delighted. People now have another place to come to and pray,� said Father Brendan Dalton, St. Bernadette�s pastor and supervising principal at Archbishop McCarthy High. �This will be here forever for everyone to enjoy � the school children, those who come to the grotto and anyone else who wishes to pray at this sacred space.�