BLUNT TO SPONSOR SEMO COUNCIL EAGLE CLASS

Missouri Secretary of State Roy Blunt will serve as sponsor of the Southeast Missouri Boy Scout Council's 1991 Eagle Scout Court of Honor Saturday.

More than 50 boys from throughout the 14 counties of the SEMO Council who attained Scouting's highest award during the past year will be honored at the event.

Blunt's remarks at the court of honor will serve as the dedication of the Eagle class.

The ceremonies will begin at 3 p.m. at Southeast Missouri State University's Academic Hall Auditorium. It will be followed by a dinner at 5 p.m. in the University Center to honor the Eagle Scouts.

Mark Wappel, scout executive for the SEMO Council, said that while only about 2 percent of all boys in Scouting nationwide attain the rank of Eagle, the 1991 class represents about 4 percent of the Boy Scouts in this council.

Blunt, 42, was first elected secretary of state in 1984, and won re-election in 1988 with over 60 percent of the vote, carrying 107 of Missouri's 114 counties. Prior to his election to statewide office, Blunt served 12 years as clerk of Greene County.

He served as co-chairman of the Missouri Opportunity 2000 Commission, chairman of the Governor's Council on Literacy, and chairman of the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

Blunt has taught American and Missouri history and government at both the secondary and college levels.

In his present position, Blunt serves as Missouri's chief election authority and now serves on the advisory board to the Federal Election Commission. He has authored and co-authored several publications dealing with voting procedures and voting rights.

In 1986, Blunt was chosen one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the U. S. Jaycees; in 1981 he was chosen Missouri's Outstanding Young Civic Leader; and in 1980 was chosen as Springfield's Outstanding Young Man.

He and his wife, Roseann, have three children: Matthew, 21, who is in his third year at the Naval Academy; Amy, 18, a freshman at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and Andy, 15, a sophomore at Jefferson City High School.

To attain the rank of Eagle, the Scouts must have earned 21 merit badges, including 11 that are specifically required; must have successfully held several leadership positions in their troop; and must have completed a major service project where they had to demonstrate an ability to plan, develop, and give leadership to others.

Before their application was submitted to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America for final approval, boys were given formal reviews at both the troop and council levels.