The hot sun of Puerto Rico beat down on Nate Hopper’s service group last June after a long day of picking up trash on the beach. Hopper had been there for three days of the 14-day trip with the student travel program Apogee. The group decided to take a swim to relax and recuperate after all their hard work.

Hopper was 50 feet out into the Atlantic when he heard screams from behind. The cold water had caused both legs of one of his friends to cramp. Hopper jumped into action, grabbing his friend under the arms and using the coral reef below to push both of their heads above the water. Group leaders were called over to help Hopper bring the friend to shore.

“A whole lot of emotions hit me at once,” said Hopper, who is a junior at Pelham Memorial High School. “I wasn’t really thinking about what I was doing in the moment. I was just focused on getting him above water.”

For his heroic act, Hopper received the National Certificate of Merit, an award given by Boy Scouts of America for a significant act of service that is deserving of national recognition. Mark Schivley, district chairman for the Algonquin District of BSA’s Greater Hudson Valley Council, presented the certificate to Hopper on March 3. That followed a review by the BSA National Court of Honor of the rescue in Puerto Rico.

“I’m incredibly excited that I have received this award,” Hopper said. “I never thought I would get this far in Scouting overall, and I was really just doing what needed to be done. I am most happy that I could help a friend in such a dangerous situation.”

The National Certificate of Merit is not Hopper’s only accomplishment in Scouting. He was awarded Eagle Scout in August 2021, after qualifying for 23 merit badges and doing extensive community service to earn a rank that about 5% of all Scouts achieve. Hopper also served as assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol leader.