The Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America held its annual Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet at the RiverCrest Golf Club in Phoenixville on Thursday, May 23 to celebrate its Class of 2018, which included 189 Eagle Scouts, 47 of whom were able to attend. One Summit Award recipient and one Silver Hornaday Award recipient also attended.

The Eagle Scout Award is the highest rank a youth member can achieve in Scouting. Eagle Scouts have all of the fundamental outdoor skills and are proficient in camping, hiking, cooking, and first aid. They must earn at least 21 merit badges to symbolize such knowledge and achievement. Eagle Scouts have also held leadership positions and participated in numerous community service projects, one of which he personally planned and directed.

Most importantly, the lessons of discipline, character, and service learned in achieving the rank of Eagle Scout last a lifetime.

“The Eagle Scout Award is the ultimate award,” said Sigmund Fleck, an Executive Board Member of the Chester County Council, BSA and a partner with the law firm Brown McGarry Nimeroff LLC. “Leadership is one of the hallmarks of this organization. We can talk about tying knots and setting up tents in the rain, but what this program really brings is the ability to understand teamwork and leadership.”

The Summit Award represents the Venturing program’s highest honor. Venturing is a co-ed program of the BSA serving young adults ages 14 through 20 years old. To earn this award, a Scout must serve their crew as a leader and mentor to others. This award’s requirements also include completing an extensive service project.

The Silver Hornaday is the ultimate conservation award in the BSA and one of its rarest honors. Youth must earn all six award-specific merit badges, plus three others. Then plan, lead, and carry out four significant projects in natural resource conservation or environmental improvements from within specific categories.

Former Philadelphia Eagle Kevin Reilly – an acclaimed speaker, author, and former broadcaster – shared his inspirational story at the banquet.

Reilly’s football career ended when he was diagnosed with a rare tumor that led to the amputation of his left arm. Despite his body and life being forever altered, he earned success in the corporate world and has reached thousands of people with his messages of strength and perseverance.

“You have been so well-trained that it’s almost going to be impossible for you to fail,” Reilly, a former Boy Scout, told the Eagle Scouts being honored. “But you have to maintain your principles.”

Chartered in 1919, the Chester County Council is celebrating its 100th year of preparing youth to become responsible, participating citizens and leaders and awarding young men the rank of Eagle Scout. The Council looks forward to awarding young women, along with young men, the rank of Eagle Scout in a future Eagle Scout class, as Boy Scouts of America launched Scouts BSA on Feb. 1, 2019, which allowed young women to join its iconic program for the first time in its history.

Watch the highlight video of the banquet above or the entire banquet below.

Click here to learn more about the Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America.