 | | | New Troop 57 Eagle Scouts, from left: Tom Kunkel, Matt Coupin, Alex Mangus, Jimmy McFeely and Alex Jordan Photo provided | | | | | | Orinda's Boy Scout Troop 57, charted by St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Orinda, proudly announced that Matthew Coupin, Alexander Jordan, Thomas Kunkel, Alexander Mangus and Jimmy McFeely achieved Scouting's highest rank of Eagle Scout.
Their achievement was celebrated at an Eagle Court of Honor held March 23 at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church in Orinda. Each was presented with a proclamation from Orinda mayor Sue Severson, as well as congratulatory letters from elected officials including Rep. George Miller, Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Diane Feinstein, Vice President Joe Biden and President and Mrs. Barack Obama. Sen. Feinstein also sent U.S. flags that were flown over the U.S. Capital in honor of each Scout.
To become an Eagle, the candidate must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, including 12 Eagle-required badges, demonstrate leadership and scout spirit, and successfully complete an Eagle service project.
Matt Coupin, currently a freshman at MIT, constructed an outdoor art studio for The Orinda Preschool (TOPS). The project effectively converted the vacant deck into a functional, creative workspace. Alex Jordan, a freshman at Santa Barbara City College, designed and constructed a vegetable garden including a picket fence border and arbor entrance for the Northern Light School in Oakland, a private school serving underprivileged children. Tom Kunkel, a freshman at DVC, built a 900 square foot patio in the environmental garden at Miramonte High School, and built a cement block border and decorative trim around two trees. Alex Mangus, a freshman at Pratt Institute in New York, painted and installed a 7 by 11 foot mural with help from students of Vincent Academy, a recently opened charter elementary school in West Oakland. Jimmy McFeely, a freshman at UC Santa Barbara, interviewed and videotaped seven veterans about their experiences in World War II and Korea. Jimmy sent the interviews and service information to be archived at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
These five young men join less than 4 percent of all Scouts who achieve the Eagle rank. In Troop 57's more than 50 year history, 132 have become Eagle Scouts. The Troop has 55 Scouts, and meets Tuesday nights at Orinda Intermediate School. For boys in fifth grade through high school interested in learning more about Scouting, visit www.orindatroop57.com or contact the Troop Committee Chair, Steve Tennant, at (925) 788-1092.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA