Camping in the woods for 20 nights, riding on a 50 mile bike trip, hiking 20 miles in a single day, performing over 200 hours of community service, and cooking for a group of boys for a weekend, young men have grown and developed skills from the little Cub Scouts they once were to the high school Eagle Scouts they are now.

According to the Boy Scouts of America, only 7% of all Boy Scouts become Eagle Scouts.

Troop 4 Scoutmaster Mark Christiansen said that Eagle is the highest of seven ranks a Scout progresses through. Christiansen said he would not be surprised if becoming an Eagle Scout required over 1000 hours and over 10 years of participation.

“In the course of achieving the ranks involved, the young men become adept at first aid, camping, physical fitness, money management, navigating in the wilderness, cooking, presenting to an audience, and most importantly leadership.” Christiansen said. “An Eagle has achieved something that 999 other young men of the same age have not.”

The official requirements for becoming an Eagle Scout include 21 merit badges, six months in the troop and in a position of leadership, six hours of community service, and the Eagle project.

According to senior Ted Adams, the Eagle project is a service project done by scouts to benefit the community and demonstrate skills and leadership gained through being a scout.

Senior Peter Lally said during the process of becoming an Eagle Scout he learned a lot about working with others, about organization, and about himself.

After becoming an Eagle Scout Lally said, “I was extremely relieved, because I had finally finished it. Now, after a few months, I have become very proud of myself since it takes time to dawn on you what being an Eagle Scout means.”