By: Juliana Hoft
Staff Writer
Among the many interesting and accomplished freshman at Mira Costa, Michael Holiday will have the distinction of attaining the highest rank of Boy Scouts, the Eagle Scout award, at a younger age than most.
Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest boy’s youth organizations in the nation. Most Boy Scouts join the organization at the age of 10 and can continue as a scout until the age of 18. The average age of a boy who attains the rank of Eagle is 17 as a junior or senior in high school. A small number of boy scouts achieve this special award—approximately 5%.
“Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads and manages,” the National Eagle Scout Association said. “Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout.”
Before a scout can earn the Eagle rank, he must earn 5 lower ranks: Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life Scout. Each of these ranks has requirements for activities and community service that usually take 3 to 6 months to complete. Certain merit badges are needed for the Eagle rank; these include First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Personal Fitness, and Family Life. Some of the lower ranks call for merit badges as well as other activities in backpacking, camping, hiking and canoeing.
“For over a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun,” Boy Couts of America said. “The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through over a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible and productive society.”
Holiday, age 15, presently has his Life Scout rank and has had great experiences so far along the path to his Eagle rank. He loves the outdoors and camping, which were major reasons why he first joined the organization. Throughout his experience he has been on many backpacking and camping trips.
“I really enjoyed going to a Boy Scout high adventure camp in New Mexico called Philmont Scout Ranch, where we hiked 35 miles in 7 days. It was a very rewarding trip because when you go backpacking it makes you appreciate what you have at home like showers, “ Holiday said.
Holiday’s friends and family have inspired him to continue on with his Boy Scout career. Some of his friends are already Eagle Scouts, which has encouraged him to earn this honor as quickly as possible.
“I wanted to become an Eagle because it’s something I have always wanted to do,” Holiday said. “Lots of my family members were in scouts but never reached the Eagle rank, and I wanted to set the bar by achieving it. I really tried to push myself so I could earn this honor quickly.”
Boy Scouts has taught Michael a lot of moral values that he tries to live up to in his everyday life. The process has taught him to be humble and skilled in many ways that benefit him.
“I personally liked learning about camping and the outdoors in scouts. I like going on scout camping trips with my dad and my friends,” Holiday said. “We learn skills that prepare us for life, such as emergency preparedness and being ready for disasters.”
Before he can receive his Eagle rank, along with all scouts, he is required to complete a major service project called an Eagle Service Project. For Michael’s big project, he is planning to take out the existing plants and vines near the special needs classrooms at Costa, install planter boxes and build tables to create an outside classroom area for the kids. The students in the class will also get the opportunity to grow their own plants in the area and take care of them.Michael is still writing this project up for the Eagle Scout Review Board in hopes of completing his project by Spring Break and his Eagle rank by summer this year.
“ Being in Scouts is a really cool thing to do,” Holiday said.
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