3 Maplewood Teens Earn Eagle Scout Rank, Complete Community Projects

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Three teens from Maplewood’s Troop 5 recently earned a prestigious Eagle Scout Award, the highest rank in Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).

The Eagle Scout Award is given to youth that show exceptional character, leadership and service to their community. Only about 5 percent of Scouts nationally earn the prestigious designation.

To earn the award, Scouts must complete a variety of requirements, including a project that helps their community. The local Scouts and their projects included:

BUILT AN AMPITHEATER – Keegan Bohlman of Maplewood, a junior at Saint Peter’s Prep, worked with Tuscan Elementary School in 2024 to renovate an outdoor amphitheater called the Tuscan Dell by repairing and improving the main path and stairs with gravel, cleaning out and replanting a decorative bed and replacing a worn sign with a newly made one. He attended Tuscan and wanted to help make sure the dell could continue to be enjoyed by future students for educational and theater programs.

REFURBISHED A TANK – Christopher Ferrell of Livingston, a senior at Livingston High School, worked with the 102nd Cavalry Regiment Association (“The Essex Troop”) in 2024 to clean, de-rust and repaint the M60 battle tank on display in front of the West Orange Armory as well as make some improvements to beautify the site and signage. He chose this project to honor those who have served in the unit since its 1890 founding including his father.

BEAUTIFIED A MEMORIAL – Aidan Michael Sheridan of Maplewood, a freshman at American University, worked with the Meadowland Park Conservancy (MPC) in 2023 to beautify the area around the South Orange Veterans Memorial Rock near South Orange Middle School including replacing worn asphalt around the memorial with a six foot circle of paving stones which brings a focus to the memorial. This project was the first step of a larger MPC project to make the space into a Gold Star Garden and Amphitheater.

The Scouts were honored during an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony held on Saturday, May 24, at Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church, surrounded by family, friends, and community leaders.

Each youth was presented with the Eagle Award medal, a wooden keepsake box to store their Boy Scout merit badges and memorabilia from the Maplewood Rotary Club, letters of congratulations from Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and proclamations from Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams and South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum. Scouts were also presented with walking sticks from the local Lenape Trail scouting district which supports troops in Essex County.

Each teen thanked their family, friends and troop leaders, while sharing stories from their years in Scouts:

• Bohlman spoke on the theme of the most important skill he has learned in each year of his scouting journey including obedience, resilience, bravery, leadership, loyalty and patience. He reflected on learning that scouting is not just about camping and earning badges, but is about “making sure that all young men who join the scouting family live up to their true potential.” He said that he hopes to learn wisdom in the upcoming year in his new position of Assistant Senior Patrol Leader.
• Ferrell spoke about how he has applied knowledge and skills from scouting in an entrepreneurship class he took by preparing a Shark Tank style pitch for a proposed hiking apparel company. He used his in-depth knowledge of hiking and related gear and clothing as well as the public speaking skills he practiced repeatedly in scouts to make a very successful pitch.
• Sheridan spoke on the scouting lesson of taking advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. He talked about his experience applying this lesson during his first year of college and how he felt that it served him well academically and socially through his willingness to talk to a lot of people and get involved in a lot of activities.

Sponsored by the Maplewood Rotary Club, Troop 5 Maplewood provides boys ages 11–17 with opportunities to grow as leaders and citizens through outdoor adventure, community service and personal development.

Troop meetings are held Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. during the school year at Seth Boyden Elementary School. For more information, email info@troop5.us or visit www.troop5.us.

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