By Margaret Mager, Troop 5 Community Service Liaison

Nov. 16, 2016:  On Monday, October 24, Boy Scout Troop 5 held a Court of Honor. Sixteen Scouts advanced rank, and 89 merit badges were awarded to a total of 26 Scouts.

In scouting there are seven ranks and more than 135 merit badges a Scout can earn. In order to advance, all candidates must participate in a Scoutmaster Conference and pass a board of review. 

Scout:  Upon crossing over from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts, a boy must first earn the rank of Scout. After that, he must then learn basic knots, help on camping trips, and become proficient in other Scout skills in order to become a Tenderfoot. The Scouts who advanced to Tenderfoot at the Court of Honor are Willem Bender and William Tinson.

Second Class:  To earn Second Class, a Scout must learn how to use a map and compass; how, when, and where to build a campfire; and how to safely use pocketknives and wood tools. A Scout must also prove his abilities in camping, first aid, swimming, and other Scout skills to become Second Class. The Scouts who advanced to Second Class are James Rohr and Hudson Schnier.

First Class:  In order to achieve First Class, Scouts must learn how to use a compass, learn about nutrition, cook for their patrol, speak with civic leaders, learn lashings and how to tie a bowline, pass the BSA swimmer test, and be prepared to administer all kinds of first aid. Scouts who advanced to First Class are Christian Kirchmann, Marco LaVecchia, Andrew Mager, and Billy Rizzo.

Star:  To earn the rank of Star, the focus shifts to developing leadership skills and earning four merit badges of the twelve required to make Eagle Scout. The Scouts must also complete hours of community service. Star Scouts are expected to provide leadership, guidance, and inspiration to younger Scouts. Ben Mehler advanced to Star.

Life Scout:  In order to become a Life Scout, a Scout must be active in his troop in one or more positions of responsibility for at least six months as a Star Scout. He must demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. He must earn five more merit badges (so that he will have 11 in all) and participate in six hours of service. At least three hours of this service must be conservation related. While a Star Scout, he must use the Teaching EDGE method to teach another Scout (preferably younger) certain skills he will need as a Scout. The Troop 5 Scouts who advanced to Life are Clay Layton, Giovanni LaVecchia, and Francis Segarra.

Eagle Scout:  Three Scouts achieved Scouting's highest rank:  Charlie Vorbach, Michael Landy, and Will Rabsey. In order to become an Eagle Scout, a boy must live the Scout Oath and Scout Law. He must earn a total of 21 merit badges, 13 of which are required for Eagle. He must receive recommendations from a variety of people who know him. He must plan and execute an Eagle Project, which can take many months, during which he receives approvals, organizes volunteers, and completes the project. All of this must be achieved before the Scout turns 18.

Troop 5 has been very active in 2016. Five Scouts from Bronxville Troop 5 completed a twelve-day, 88-mile hike this summer at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmaron, New Mexico. The boys were Kenny Taylor, Karsten Schnier, Xavier Layton, Giovanni La Vecchia, and David Stinga. The hike included summiting Mt. Baldy (elevation 12,441 ft.) and the Tooth of Time (9,003 ft.), made famous by Norman Rockwell's painting. Philmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, covering 140,177 acres of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico.

Also in July, many Troop 5 Scouts spent a week or more at Camp Read in the Adirondacks, where there were numerous opportunities to earn merit badges and complete requirements for rank advancement. It was an exciting week with several unexpected turns. Ask a Scout about it!

Pictured at top (L to R):  William Tinson (Tenderfoot), James Rohr (Second Class), Clay Layton (Life), Willem Bender (Tenderfoot), Andrew Mager (First Class). Photo by Margaret Mager.

Second photo (L to R):  Karsten Schneir, Vincent La Vecchia, Giovanni La Vecchia, Xavier Layton, John Layton, David Stinga, and Kenny Taylor at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmaron, New Mexico. Photo by Vincent La Vecchia.