Seven is a lucky number, at least as far as Davis Boy Scouts are concerned. The small town north of Ardmore has seven Boy Scouts from Troop 67 currently in the process of earning the rank of Eagle Scout.
Scout Master Hugh Killblane said that is a pretty big number for a town the size of Davis.
“Having seven Scouts going for Eagle is pretty unusual for a town our size,” he said. “We have 15 Scouts in our troop, and seven of them are working on their Eagle rank.”
The rank of Eagle is the highest rank possible in Scouting. The process takes four to seven years to complete. And only 2 to 5 percent of boys entering Scouting earn the rank of Eagle.
Scouting promotion ranks include Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle.
“In order to earn the rank of Eagle, a Scout must promote to the rank of Life, earn 21 merit badges and complete a service project,” Killblane said. “The Eagle project is for the scout to demonstrate leadership while performing a project that benefits his community.”
Five of the seven Scouts in Davis have already decided on service projects.
Kale Gayanich is planting trees and building horse shoe pits at Velma City Park. Seth Coffey is sealing and painting the new softball dugouts and ticket booth at the new softball fields in Davis. Anthony Larson is creating a youth lounge at the Davis United Methodist Church. Dylon Teeter is sealing and painting the new softball fieldhouse at the Davis High School softball complex. And Jake Bandurski is making improvements to the Sulphur city park. Jonathon Rush and Brannon Vowell are still looking at options for their service projects.
“These service projects show that these Scouts can organize and manage projects from beginning to end,” Killblane said. “The kids don’t just go out and do all the work themselves. They are responsible for recruiting people to help with the work. I usually have the Scouts develop a time line for the project. They learn responsibility and what it takes to see a project all the way through to the end.”
Killblane said Eagle Scouts are seen as individuals who can always be counted on to help.
“You can always go to an Eagle Scout for help,” he said. “And an Eagle Scout will always say yes. Eagle Scouts become used to serving. Service becomes who they are.
“Achieving the rank of Eagle is something a Scout keeps with him for life,” Killblane said. “You put it on college applications and you put it on job applications. It follows you through every phase of life.”
Famous Eagle Scouts
• President Gerald Ford
• Neil Armstrong
• Willie Banks
• James Lovell
• Ross Perot
• Steven Spielberg
• Bill Bradley
• Chan Gailey
• Donald Rumsfeld
• Jackson Thorea
Micah Groves, 221-6524
micah.groves@ardmoreite.com
