Newest Eagle Scout Receives High Praise

SPECIAL FOR THE COURIER

On Sunday, May 31st, Ryan Scanlan celebrated achieving the highest rank in Boy Scouting by being awarded his Eagle Scout medal. An independent study shows that Eagle Scouts have a significant, positive impact on society every day. Only 6% of all young men who join scouting achieve this accomplishment. It's an elite club full of American heroes such as former U.S. President Gerald Ford and astronaut Neil Armstrong, and notable celebrities like Mike Rowe and James Valentine (guitarist for Maroon 5.)

Ryan, however, joins another group of "heroes." Scouting has been a lifelong legacy in his family, and he is proud to have earned his place among the family. He joins four uncles and five cousins as the tenth Eagle Scout on his mom's side of the family. An uncle on his dad's side is also an Eagle Scout. His mom and sister have both earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, as well.

To earn Eagle Scout is not easy and requires years of working toward the goal. A Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. Although many options are available to demonstrate proficiency in these areas, a number of specific skills are required to advance through the ranks-Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. To advance, a Boy Scout must pass specially designed tests that are organized by requirements and merit badges. Merit badges signify the mastery of certain outdoor skills, as well as helping boys increase their skill in an area of personal interest. Of the 120 merit badges available, 21 must be earned to qualify for Eagle Scout. Of this group, 12 badges are required, including First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Environmental Science, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Camping, and Family Life. In addition, a Scout has a choice between Emergency Preparedness and Lifesaving and a choice among Cycling, Hiking, and Swimming. A Scout must also demonstrate participation in increasingly more responsible service projects. At these levels, he also must demonstrate leadership skills by holding one or more specific youth positions of responsibility in his patrol and/or troop.

As Ryan mentioned in his speech on Saturday, he could not have done any of this alone. He thanks the adults who lead, teach, and give their time to scouting, and our community for providing opportunities for our youth to participate in so many great activities.