Congratulations, John Ditch, Junior Welder!
According to Scout Smarts, “Eagle scouts are extremely rare — in fact, 19 out of 20 young people who join Scouting won’t actually reach the rank of Eagle.”
Countless completed requirements and merit badges plus years of community service and troop leadership experiences are just a few of the accomplishments necessary to earn the Eagle rank. In their journey to Eagle, scouts will likely be exposed to many valuable experiences such as:
at least 21 career-ready experiences through merit badges. At least 14 badges include life-ready skills including First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Nation, and Society, Communication, Cooking, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Personal Management, Hiking, Camping, and Family Life.
leadership through the responsibility of leading a patrol of other scouts, planning itineraries for trips and excursions, and volunteer projects — including an Eagle project.
giving back to the community and connecting with community leaders.
Through John’s experiences, he has accumulated a whopping 43 badges, and knowing John, he’s probably not finished yet. In addition to his Welding Merit Badge, some of his favorites have been Shotgunning, Rock Climbing, and Archery.
Part of the idea for his Eagle project came from completing his Dog Care Merit Badge. He came to understand all the responsibility that came with having a pet and learned of the expenses that can occur. Speaking with the folks at local animal hospitals, he learned that proper care and exercise are vital to the health of pets. Combining these two ideals, he was inspired to help families going through hard times to make sure their pets were well cared for — thus, the Pet Pantry!
His new principal, Mrs. Diana Caiazza, admits that she has never been to a ceremony like this before. “I was really glad that I was able to attend,” she states. “I was incredibly impressed with all that went into a project like this; John clearly learned a lot from this experience.” Caiazza is also excited to see all that John, a first-year student at LCCTC, will learn during his next two years in the welding program.
Also present were Father Joseph McCaffrey of the Holy Spirit Parish of Lawrence County and his furry friend, Ailis.
Now that he has completed this milestone project, John will soon sit for his Eagle Board of Review where he will encounter formal interview-style questions about his experience in Scouts which include the details of his project.
John is currently a junior at Lawrence County CTC. He is incredibly excited to begin his career as a welder — a career he discovered through the welding merit badge he earned when he went to summer camp at Camp Mountain Run in the rolling mountains of DuBois, PA.
Congratulations, John! We’re so proud of you!
