Eagle Scouts Speech

On Sunday afternoon, boy scouts in Seward’s Troop 256 gathered at the St. John Lutheran Church to honor eight members’ induction to Eagle Scout. Also present were six members of the troop’s class of 1967, which reunited to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary as Eagle Scouts.

State Sen. Mark Kolterman of the 24th District, one of nine members of the 1967 troop, said he knows first hand how big of an honor the award is.

“You work hard for it,” he said. “It’s something that nine of us have in common from that era, and we’re all close friends because of it."

While the qualifications for the honor are different today than in 1967 -- members today complete an Eagle Scout project in place of receiving 21 merit badges -- Kolterman said the core

“Throughout history, some of the greatest leaders have obtained their Eagle Scout awards,” he said. “It’s important to recognize them and hold them up as potential leaders. It’s not everyday that a boy scout troop gets eight Eagle Scout honors in one day."

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, an honored speaker at the event, awarded each of the new Eagle Scouts a certificate on behalf of the United States Congress during the induction ceremony.

“Just think of what our country would be like right now if every young man raised his hand and said, ‘I am going to be obedient … I am going to be cheerful, I will be thrifty,’” he said, referring the the 12 points of scout law. “... Your country needs you to uphold these virtues, not just tomorrow, but throughout your entire life.”

Kolterman, who was a mentor to one of the scouts earning the Eagle Scout title, said the boy scouts program and its virtues made an impact on both his personal life and career.

“It taught me many leadership skills,” he said. “It also gave me a very good perspective on life … You just can’t put into words the kind of things that you learn in a good quality scouting