Boy Scout Troop 11 held a court of honor on May 20 at Temple Israel, during which three Jewish scouts officially achieved the rank of eagle. Advancement to Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, requires a scout to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges and demonstrate leadership skills in his troop. Erik Marx, Noah Wolk and Ari Willick have all been scouts since the 6th grade. During the ceremony, each of the new Eagle Scouts offered his thoughts on earning the honor.

Erik Marx, 18

Achieving the rank of eagle is a milestone. It’s not just tying a few knots, and going fishing a few times, and then you’re eagle. You have actual merit badges that do require work, and it’s definitely a journey. Every Eagle Scout project gives a gift to the community. My goal was to promote the learning and joy for others at Olivette Community Center. I built an outdoor library. It’s not just a box on a post that you put some books in. You face unexpected challenges when you do projects like this, but you don’t just give up. When something goes south, it’s important to stick to it and do whatever is needed to make your project successful.

Noah Wolk, 18

Why did I stick with scouts? For me, it was because of the experiences. My first memorable experience was the Pinewood Derby and the cars speeding down the ramp. I took second place. Sure, I was sad by my defeat, but the race was so much more. We spent hours shaving, painting and touching up the cars. Experiences like that made scouts fun. It’s a close-knit community. The skills I gained in Boy Scouts have been essential to shaping me into the person I am today. Without leadership skills, I would not have been able to become the senior patrol leader of our troop.

Ari Willick, 17

For my Eagle Scout project, I made some cubbies to hold tallis at my synagogue (Bais Abe). I’d like to talk about my journey in the troop and the adventures that I’ve gone on. When I think of scouting, I think of Camp Joy playing card games with my best friends and talking late at night in a tent. Those small moments were really important to me. I learned that planning is everything. And those planning skills have come in handy, especially with college applications and interviews. I just needed to start thinking about the rest of my life a bit more. So when I think of scouting, I think of just cherishing the little moments.