Johnsburg Boy Scout Troop 455 has 100th, 101st Eagle Award presented

Boy Scout Troop 455, sponsored by Johnsburg Community Club, has reached a major accomplishment with the awarding of its 100th and 101st Eagle Scout rank since the troop's inception in 1972.

Scouts complete requirements for Boy Scout's highest rank by working on required merit badges, leadership roles and completing an Eagle project that benefits their community.

Troop 455 Eagle projects have included conservation projects for McHenry County Conservation District, various service projects for local schools, libraries and churches and the villages of Johnsburg, Ringwood, Wonder Lake and Fox Lake.

"Along the way they have outdoor adventures and leadership opportunities they might not have outside of Scouting," said Nicole Sherman, troop committee chair. "We are proud to see these young men grow into responsible adults, giving back to their community and having fun with a purpose."

The two Scouts attaining the 100th and 101st Eagle achievement this fall were Drew Johnson (100th) and Brian Thomson (101st), both students at Johnsburg High School.

Drew, 17, is the son of Joel and Linda Johnson of Ringwood. For his leadership project, he constructed park benches for the village of Ringwood's park.

Brian, 16, is the son of Barry and Maureen Thomson of Johnsburg. His project was erosion prevention of a lake front in one of the lakes at the Hollows Conservation area for MCCD.

"We've been talking about this moment for the past year, once we realized how close we were to 100 Eagles" said Troop 455 Scoutmaster Mike Lumpp. "We actually saw a number of our Scouts accelerate their efforts toward this goal."

Scouts are known for working together and, according to Mr. Lumpp, "We don't wish to recognize just one Scout with the 100th spot. The troop stands proudly together with all of its Eagle Scouts, starting with its first in 1975.

Only about four percent of all Scouts have attained the rank of Eagle since it was first awarded in 1912. Troop 455 is relatively small, averaging about 30 Scouts in the program per year. The Troop has consistently had two or more Eagles awarded each year for the past fifteen years, with some years as many as six awarded.

Troop 455 meets at the Johnsburg Community Club every Tuesday night during the school year at 7 p.m. Further information can be found at www.bsa455.com.