In the world of scouting, the Eagle scout is the highest rank attainable. Eagle

Scouts must amass a tremendous amount of work, and not everyone is up to the challenge. Those who do manage to achieve this prestigious position carry with them a lifetime’s worth of skills and dedication.

The road to Eagle is a long one;  You must be a life scout for 6 months, earn 21 merit badges, be in a leadership position within your troop, and do a service project benefiting your community, among other things. Sophomore Matthew Maiellaro was surprised at the amount of time and effort it takes. “It was definitely hard to meet all the requirements considering how much paperwork it was,” he said. 

Managing school and scouting is no easy task. Yet these young men at North Atlanta have been able to manage school and scouting simultaneously in order to become and become great leaders and thinkers. Sophomore Henry Peck who is an active student and Scout has managed to find a balance between the two. “Balancing school and my path to eagle got progressively more difficult as I went forward,” he said. “My role and responsibilities increased on both sides over time, but with time management and work ethic it is more doable.”

Of the many who start at a young age in Scouts, very few achieve Eagle Scout status. North Atlanta senior William Hull achieved the prestigious achievement on July 6 of this year. There were many steps associated with pulling off the feat and he said his biggest task was completing his ambitious Eagle Scout project. In Hull’s case he collected books for distribution to needy patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “It’s a big deal, I know, and I certainly know all the work I’ve put into becoming an Eagle Scout,” Hull said. “It’s not always fun to do all the work to get there but there’s a great sense of accomplishment when you finally do.”  

Becoming an Eagle scout is as much an educational journey as it is a leadership one. Throughout the process, Scouts learn a lot about themselves and the world. In Maiellaro’s case, it was his leadership skills that were sharpened. “I learned to take leadership of the people around me and to have a bigger impact on younger kids,” he said. 

There are many highs and lows of the Eagle Scout process, but many can attest that it is an overall positive experience. Peck has particularly enjoyed the traveling aspect of scouting. “My favorite part has got to be the trips. In a span of 2 years, I got to backup 75 miles in New Mexico and canoe 85 miles on the Minnesota/Canada border.”

It is a major accomplishment in the scouting universe to earn the rank of Eagle. 

Apart from the distinguished title of “Eagle Scout” on a future resume, these Scouts are learning valuable life lessons and skills.