Achieving the Rank of an Eagle Scout is a milestone as only 4% of Boy Scouts are honored to represent the National Eagle Scout Association. Through their commitment to the values of the Scout Oath and Law Eagle Scout, Scouts not only develop essential life skills but also make a lasting impact on their communities. One Lakeland Regional High School student, senior Seamus Burke, accomplished the amazing rank of Eagle Scout this past fall.
The path to becoming an Eagle Scout is not so easy. It requires years of active participation in Scouting activities, the completion of numerous merit badges, and the successful planning and execution of an Eagle Scout service project that benefits the community.
Over the years, Burke earned a wide range of merit badges, from outdoor skills like camping and hiking to those focused on citizenship, leadership, and personal development. Each badge he earned was one step closer to becoming an Eagle Scout. Burke told the Lancer Ledger, “Some merit badges were more difficult than others. Reading, for example, was really easy for me because all I had to do was read books, and I like to read. For the hiking badge, however, I had to hike nearly 100 miles in total and 20 miles in one day, which is very straining and challenging.”
One of the most important parts of achieving the Eagle Scout rank is the Scout Project. This project must demonstrate the Scout’s leadership abilities while providing a meaningful contribution to the community. For his service project, Burke had to repair and paint a dilapidated chain link fence at a local church. There were some obstacles Burke had to overcome. Burke told the Lancer Ledger, “One of the biggest challenges was to replace completely destroyed sections of the fence. To overcome this, we attached a winch to a pickup truck to stretch the length of the fence and attach it to the posts. Additionally, painting chain link fences posed a difficulty because there are many small cracks that you need to get the paint into, and we needed to use a variety of paint brushes and rollers, and a lot of volunteers, to get it done.”
Beyond the technical requirements, the Eagle Scout rank is a symbol of personal growth and leadership. Throughout his time in Scouting, Burke demonstrated qualities of a true leader taking initiative, guiding others, and always striving for excellence.
On his achievement, Burke’s school counselor, Ms. Tara Ross, says, “As his counselor I can say that he is a very respectful, intelligent, well-spoken and honest young man. These are all traits of an Eagle Scout. Congratulations Seamus on your amazing achievement of earning the distinction of Eagle Scout.”
(Courtesy of Seamus Burke)
Burke’s achievement of becoming an Eagle Scout marks the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and leadership. This prestigious honor not only reflects his personal growth and commitment to service but also serves as a powerful example of the values of Scouting, responsibility, and community engagement. Burke’s journey has shown that with determination and a strong sense of purpose, great things can be accomplished. As he moves forward, in the future Burke plans on studying mechanical engineering in college and getting a job as an engineer. These skills Burke used could potentially help him in his future, “The leadership skills learned in boy scouts will be helpful to me in the future because I am now confident in my ability to lead a team and work with others towards a common goal.”
Just like Burke there are other Boy Scouts hoping to one day become an Eagle Scout. Some advice Burke has for students going for their Eagle Scout, “To other Scouts working towards Eagle: do not procrastinate on the paperwork! I waited so long and had to cram it in at the end, so don’t do what I did. Also, stick with it, because it will definitely be worth it to get through and earn Eagle. It’s an immense accomplishment.”
Congratulations Seamus!
