He's No Ordinary Boy

When a Scout becomes an Eagle Scout he's still a boy. Only a little more than a million Scouts have ever advanced to Scouting's highest rank. Some 1. 5% of the more than 40 million Scouts who have started out on the Eagle trail since the beginning of Scouting in America 79 years ago completed the trip. The Eagle has tramped a long, rugged and rewarding trail. No two Eagle Scouts are exactly alike, yet all are fundamentally alike. By noting some of these fundamentals, an insight might be glimpsed of what an Eagle Scout is. The final result is the uses the boy makes of them as he grows into manhood.

He has learned that reverence to God comes before all other things. He knows that respect for the rights and convictions of others is part of his duty to God and his fellow man. He demonstrates the true meaning of loyalty, although he may not be able to define it. He has learned discipline and teamwork and how to apply them in his daily living.

He has developed his own code of honor based on the ideals of Scouting. He has learned that physical bravery may require less courage than standing up for one's convictions. He has perseverance and determination: He must have if he is to attain Eagle rank.

He has the knowledge that nature gives to those who seek it. He has Scouting skills that will be invaluable to him all his life. He presents a cheerful outlook on life even in the face of hardships and disappointments. He has more than a vague idea of what duty to his country is: he knows it starts with duty to God, his family and himself.

He eagerly seeks the underlying peace offered by God through his wilderness and wildlife. He's a qualified junior leader. He realizes his obligation to the movement that gives him the opportunity to gain and develop those attributes of character.