Boy Scout Troop 325
Scoutmaster Minute
Ben Peterson Eagle Court Of Honor
October 22, 2000
George Denise, Scoutmaster

Benjamin Earl Peterson. Somehow, when you add their middle name, it makes them sound so much more important! Doesn't it? Either that or they remember all the times they were in trouble and their mother used all three names: "Benjamine Earl Peterson, you come here this instant!" Boy, that gets your attention, doesn't it?

You know, Ben is only half a Scout. Or should I say, only half of Ben is a Scout. The top half. You see, Ben is also a baseball player. The one consistent image I have of Ben over the years is seeing him show up for meetings after baseball practice wearing his Scout shirt, neckerchief, and baseball pants. Occasionally, even baseball shoes. I always wondered what would happen if he showed up to baseball practice wearing half of his Scout uniform. But Scout leaders are more flexible than baseball coaches. After all, coaches are only interested in stats. We're after his whole character! Utimately, Scouting is about values: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Sports, of course, is about character and competition. Someone said "Sports doesn't really build character so much as it reveals it!" I'm not sure about that. (Though in Little League, it certainly seems to be true of the parents!) But competition is important. It is what made and keeps America great! When we are challenged, we try a little harder - and when we are challenged to try a little harder, we are more likely to do our best. Win or lose, when we strive to do our best, we improve, we get better, we grow.

Ben knows about challenge. In baseball, in soccer, and in Scouting. At sixteen, Ben has earned the rank of Eagle, Scouting's highest award. Only between one and two Scouts out of 100 earn that honor. But Ben did not stop there. Ben has earned 51 merit badges, 30 beyond the 21 required for Eagle. And he has accomplished this over 18 months prior to his eighteenth birthday. This means he will have the ability to earn six Eagle palms. Palms are not another rank, they are like an underscoring of the award. For every three months of service and five merit badges beyond those required for Eagle, an Eagle Palm can be earned. One palm earns the Bronze Palm. Completing two palms earns the Gold Palm, so the Bronze can be taken off and the Gold put on. Completing three Palms earns the Silver Palm, so the Gold comes of and the Silver goes on. So the Bronze represents one palm, the Gold two palms, and the Silver three palms. Wearing all three at the same time, therefore, represents a total of six palms earned, or a total of 30 merit badges and eighteen additional months of service after earning Eagle. Ben has already earned the merit badges. And he has enough time before he turns eighteen to complete the eighteen months. All he has to do is stay active and complete six boards of review. I think he can do that. If he does, he will be the first Scout in the history of our troop to earn six Eagle palms. Between one and two Scouts out of 100 earn Eagle. Approximately one Scout out of 4,000 earns six palms. Good job, Scout. Congratulations.