Event to honor Boy Scout Eagles planned for Saturday

Judge Lewis Blanton, United States Magistrate Judge to the Eastern District of Missouri, will be the class sponsor and principal speaker at the Court of Honor held in Southeast Missouri State University's Academic Hall at 2 p.m. Saturday. This event will honor the 79 Boy Scouts from 19 Southeast Missouri counties and 10 Southern Illinois counties who earned the Eagle rank during 2002.

Joseph J. Russell is the chairman of the event. Mike Shain, KFVS news anchor, will present the Eagle Scouts. The awards ceremony is preceded by a luncheon at noon. Each scout will have the opportunity to meet with an individual whose vocation matches the career interest of the Eagle Scout.

Forty troops represent the 2002 Eagle Class. Scouts from 32 communities make up the group.

Requirements for Eagle Scout rank include earning 21 merit badges,12 of which are specifically required, a major service project must be planned and completed and the responsibilities of several leadership positions in the troop must be fulfilled. After completing all the requirements, a board of review is given by the troop and district before the application is submitted to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America for final approval.