Statistics complied by the Boy Scouts of America show only 2 percent of all Boy Scouts earn the Eagle badge, Scouting's highest honor. If that's true, Troop 535 has had more than its share.
The troop, sponsored by St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, awarded Eagle badges to Frederick J. Luminoso, David McCandless McKell IV and Matthew J. Snelham during a Nov. 29 Court of Honor recognizing their achievements.
The requirements for the Eagle rank are: to earn 21 merit badges, 12 of which are required; to serve actively in a troop leadership position for at least six months after becoming a Life Scout; to plan, develop and carry out with the assistance of others a major service project for the benefit of a community organization; and to appear before a board of review and satisfy them that all requirements have been met.
Luminoso, who joined the troop in 1991, has earned 36 merit badges and held virtually all of the leadership positions within the troop, as well as leadership positions within the Order of the Arrow, a group of honor campers within the Boy Scouts.
His major service project was the repainting of the parish office building at Church of the Ascension, 12033 Miller Ave. He organized 27 volunteers, who spent 178 hours restoring the exterior of the building.
Luminoso has spent four weeks at Scout summer camps, and he represented the Santa Clara County Council at the World Jamboree of Scouting held in Holland in 1995. He is a BSA certified lifeguard and has completed two 50-mile, week-long backpacking trips in the Sierra.
He has also been a successful scholar-athlete at Los Gatos High School, where he is a junior.
McKell joined the troop in 1990. He earned 25 merit badges and has held nearly all of the leadership positions in the troop. His service project was the partial demolition and restoration of a wooden bridge in the hills of Woodside off La Honda Road. The bridge had washed out over the course of two wet winters. Seventeen volunteers labored 152 hours over two days to complete the project.
McKell has spent five weeks at summer camps, earned his BSA lifeguard certification and led Troop 535 to a district award as senior patrol leader. He has completed two 50-mile backpacking trips in the Sierra.
He recently graduated from Monta Vista High School and is currently a freshman at De Anza College. At Monta Vista, he was captain of the varsity wrestling team and captain of the varsity football team.
Snelham has earned 31 merit badges since joining the troop in 1990. As a member of the Order of the Arrow, he was responsible for planning three major camping activities. His service project was the building of a quarter-mile trail in Los Gatos' Belgatos Park. Thirteen volunteers spent 114 hours clearing tree limbs, brush and grass and cutting the trail.
He has spent six weeks at summer camp and has completed five 50-mile backpacking trips.
Snelham is a National Merit Scholar and a freshman at the University of California, Davis. A member of the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honor Society, he received undergraduate awards in technology and journalism and a senior award in science.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, December 25, 1996.
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