 South Berwick Troop 338 new Eagle Scouts are, from left, Trevor Bergerson, Stephen Shea, Jr., John Spezia and Billy Walker. Amy Bevan photo. |
By Amy Bevan, Seacoast Online
April 1, 2010 2:00 AM
SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Boy Scout Troop 338 proudly announced four of its members — Billy Walker of South Berwick, John Spezia of Eliot, Stephen Shea Jr. of South Berwick and Trevor Bergeron of Barrington, N.H. — have recently earned the rank of Eagle. Eagle is the highest honor a Scout can attain, and earning the title is no small feat. Fewer than 1 percent of Boy Scouts earn the Eagle badge.
Each boy was required to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, demonstrate knowledge of outdoor skills, act in a leadership position such as patrol leader, junior assistant scoutmaster or troop guide, and lead a service project which directly benefits the community. The final requirements for these scouts were to provide recommendations showing they each live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law, and to submit a written statement of individual accomplishments and ambitions.
The four boys — who have known each other and worked together since the beginning of their involvement with Scouts — all agree their friendship played a big part in their combined success.
"You start thinking about the same things when you hear your friends are thinking about it," Walker said, and added that earning his Life badge, the next highest rank to Eagle, also motivated him to pursue Eagle.
Walker is continuing in the program as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 338 and as a counselor at Camp William Hinds Boy Scout camp. He also plans to enter the Coast Guard in the fall.
Scoutmaster David Walker said the Eagle Scouts' leadership has had a great impact on the others in Troop 338. "The younger boys really listen and look up to them," he said.
Bergeron sees a lot of the same qualities in a special group of younger Cub Scouts. As their Den Chief, he has watched them grow with the program, and sees their dedication and collaboration leading them on a similar path as himself and his fellow Eagle scouts.
"I think I'll watch them earn Eagle," Bergeron said.
In addition to his Boy Scout activities, Bergeron is a member of the Civil Air Patrol in New Hampshire. He plans to continue in the program as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 338, and will be attending college in the fall studying computer security.
The service project is the major hurdle Scouts must overcome to earn Eagle status. All of the projects must be financed through donations from the community, and once complete, must be reported to the District Advancement Committee for final approval.
Spezia's project, the design and construction of two trail bridges in the South Berwick Town Forest, was recently proven successful when the bridges survived being submerged under 10 feet of rapidly moving water during this spring's heavy rain.
"I've definitely learned a lot from it," said Spezia, who is continuing in the program as an Assistant Pack Leader for Cub Scout Pack 340 in Eliot, and plans to attend college in the fall studying computer science.
Shea, who was recently nominated to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy by Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, plans to study aeronautical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall. Shea said he owes a lot to his troop and the various Scoutmasters who led him to the Eagle Scout honor.
"They're the ones that whipped me into shape, from being that whiny little kid, to actually getting stuff done," he said. Shea hopes to present his Eagle Scout project, the clean-up and commemoration of a coal storage site in South Berwick's Counting House Park, to local schools this spring.
All four boys were recently recognized by both the South Berwick Rod and Gun Association (Troop 338's sponsor) and VFW Post 5744 for their leadership and community service.
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