Nine Fairchild Scouts earn Eagle rank
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – After a young lifetime of Scouting, seven conditions have been met by nine boys who have finally reached the pinnacle of Boy Scout success. The Scouts received their Eagle rank in a June 7 ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, which Troop 342 calls home.
Former assistant Scoutmaster Michael Tedesco, whose son Mario was one of those honored, said it’s rare to see so many in one troop reach Eagle rank at the same time.
“First it was one guy, then another and another,” said Tedesco. “They just kept pushing each other.”
According to the Boy Scouts of America Web site, only about 5 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve Eagle status. As any Scout will tell you, reaching this level takes many years and is no easy task. To do so, a Scout must be active in his troop, embody the principles of the Scout Oath and Law, earn at least 21 merit badges and show leadership in a multitude of ways.
They’re also required to plan, develop and lead others in completion of a service project that helps out a religious institution, school or community.
For his project, Cyrus Belenky built 30 bluebird nesting boxes for the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. Zachary Seals constructed 20 bookshelves for the Washington State Veterans Nursing home in Spokane. Mario Tedesco and Nathanial Walker spent six months fixing up a wildlife viewing area and trail at Fairchild Air Force Base.
The chosen projects are as diverse as the boys who brought them about. Being on an Air Force base, where most families have transferred from other areas, diversity comes with the territory.
The boys in Troop 342 have lived everywhere from Wichita, Kan., to Baumholder, Germany. Some have every-boy interests like football, skateboarding and video games, while others like bird-watching, history, or just “chillaxin’ ” with friends.
“They all come from totally different backgrounds, but when they join the Scouts and they’re working together, they have a similar focus,” said Michelle Seals, mother of Zachary and the troop’s committee chairwoman.
Hilary Swanson, awards advancements chairwoman and secretary for the troop, as well as the mother of two Scouts, sees the differences as a learning tool. “You’ve got shy boys; you’ve got outgoing boys, lazy boys and go-getters,” Swanson said. When they interact in such a varied group, she said, they’re taught the value of diversity.
Certain challenges arise with being on base as well. The troop’s scoutmaster is subject to change at a moment’s notice through deployment or being transferred away from Fairchild.
“It’s been kind of irritating,” said 16-year-old Jarrod Swanson. “It’s crazy having a new one every six months or so.” Swanson said that the upside to rotating leadership is that it brings the troop closer together. With a sly teenage grin, he also said, “It’s kind of fun making fun of them when they don’t know what’s going on.”
Like Swanson, who’s been a Scout since the first grade, nearly all of the newly minted Eagles have spent the bulk of their lives actively involved in the organization. Each one of the boys gives a different reason for sticking with the Boy Scouts and tells a personal tale about how it’s helped him grow.
Swanson’s 18-year-old brother Kyle said he likes the camaraderie and how being a Scout has taught him to “never crack under pressure.”
Zachary Seals, who at 15 has been a Scout for nine years, said, “It’s not just tying knots and starting fires, I’ve learned a lot of real-life skills in the program.”
Adam Robo, the youngest honoree at 14, said that the Boy Scout Law, which lays out 12 principles such as courtesy, cleanliness and bravery, has given him a personal moral compass.
“Pretty much everything that I do is involved somehow with Scouting,” he said.
One common thread ties together the boys’ singular experiences. Every one of the seven credits the Scouts for teaching them to be leaders, something they can take with them into a future career as a doctor, engineer, architect or chef.
The June 7 ceremony, when the scouts were recognized for their achievements, didn’t seem nearly as important to the boys as what they’ve learned over the last several years. 17-year-old Mario Tedesco said that the experience of Scouting has opened him up to trying new things and expanding his horizons.
This growth, however, didn’t come easy. With the steely look of a man twice his age, Mario said, “There are a lot of programs for kids where you sign up and don’t really do that much. This one takes dedication.”