Two Moorestown High School seniors recently earned Eagle Scout ranking. Jeremy Wilbur and Kevin Shaloo managed to earn their Eagle Scout rankings before turning 18.
“It’s the highest honor the Boy Scouts can achieve. It’s quite a distinction,” Troop 44 leader Tricia McCunney-Thomas said.
For their Eagle Scout projects, Kevin and Jeremy gave back to the community in different ways. Kevin built a mounting ramp for disabled patients so they are able to get onto a horse for rehabilitation therapy, while Jeremy collected toiletries for the New Visions Homeless Shelter in Camden.
If they were unsuccessful in completing the project before their 18th birthday, the Eagle Scout ranking would no longer be possible. According to Boy Scouts of America, approximately 5 percent of all Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2011, and the average age was 17.
Both advanced from rank to rank in the Scouts.
There are specific badges that need to be earned for the Eagle Scout rank, former assistant Scoutmaster and den leader Mark Wilbur said.
He said Eagle Scouts need 21 merit badges, including badges in first aid, citizenship in the nation, citizenship in the community and citizenship in the world, communications, personal fitness, emergency preparedness or life saving, and more.
Mark said there are approximately 100 badges the boys could earn, but out of those badges, they need to make sure they have the ones for their Eagle ranking.
There is more to the Eagle Scout ranking than earning a badge for your sash. The boys must spend six months in a troop leadership position; plan, develop and give leadership to a service project; take part in a Scoutmaster conference; and complete an Eagle Scout board of review, the Boy Scouts of America’s website says.
“In addition to the merit badges, they hold different positions of leadership. In Scouting, leadership is a big thing,” Mark said, adding the den leaders are there to supervise the Scouts and make sure no one gets hurt. But the Scout leaders are left in charge.
“They are in a position now all of the fathers love. They are now feeling what it is like to be a parent. Their peers have to take orders from them and they have to do the mundane tasks like cooking and cleaning,” he said.
Both boys moved through the rankings of tenderfoot, second class, first class, star, and life, earning all necessary badges and completing all required tasks.
But the boys were cutting it close, Mark said. Jeremy finished his service project a few days before he turned 18, while Kevin’s project was completed a few weeks before his birthday.
“A lot of them wait and put it off and procrastinate,” he said, adding the Scouts are also taught self-responsibility.
Although helping Jeremy with his project would have been easy, Mark said the Scouts must learn life lessons when it comes to responsibility and leadership.
“That’s part of the reality. Some of them get it done it earlier,” he said.
Both boys started in the Scouts at a young age. Jeremy began as a Tiger Cub while Shaloo began his journey as a Cub Scout. Both said their journey through the Scout rankings was difficult, but it taught them maturity and responsibility.
“Scouting has been an unforgettable experience that I wish all of my friends could have. I learned a lot about leadership, camping, shooting, cooking and the outdoors,” Jeremy said.
Leading up to the Eagle Scout project, both Jeremy and Shaloo said the planning and execution of earning the Eagle Scout rank was stressful considering there is a time limit. But for both Eagle Scouts, the journey is unforgettable.
“I realized as I was finishing up years and years of work, how much I had learned. I realized how much Boy Scouts matured me and changed me into a man. Without a doubt this is the greatest accomplishment of my life, and the thing I am most proud of,” Shaloo said.
Mark said boys take the skills they learn during Scouts and apply it to careers.
Jeremy plans on going to Rutgers University — New Brunswick for a degree in law enforcement. He is currently a volunteer at the Lenola Fire Department.
“The camaraderie is awesome and a lot of the best times and friends that I have are from Scouts. I plan on using my leadership and practical skills in a law enforcement career,” he said.
Shaloo is planning to attend Saint Joseph’s University for physical therapy and hopes to get his doctorate.
“I will use the leadership skills, morals and communication skills that I learned from Scouts and use it everyday for the rest of my life,” Shaloo said.
Both are planning to continue to be involved with the Scouts.
“I would like to stay a part of my Troop for as long as I can. They gave so much to me. I feel like I need to give back,” Shaloo said.
“I plan on staying fairly active in Scouts,” Jeremy said. “I will definitely use my survival skills from Scouts in college.”
A ceremony will be held honoring their achievements on Saturday, April 13, at 5 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church located at 446 E. Camden Ave.
