St. Paul Pioneer Press ran an article today on Anthony Thomas of Lakeville, Minnesota, the Scout designated the 2 millionth Eagle Scout.
Caption from the St. Paul, Minnesota, Pioneer Press: Anthony Thomas, 16, of Lakeville, will encourage other Scouts to work towards the Eagle rank. (Pioneer Press: JOHN DOMAN)
In a sort of luck-of-the-draw deal, Thomas has been named Scouting’s national youth ambassador for Scouting’s 100th anniversary in 2010. He’s scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama, to ride in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, and for dozens of other less well-known affairs.
On Wednesday, he helped Northern Star Council celebrate the opening of a new Scout Camp, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
It was a special day, according to coverage at Northern Star Council’s website:
History was made as Thomas was introduced as the BSA’s two millionth Eagle by Minnesota State leaders. Making the presentation were Associate Justice Christopher Dietzen, Representative Kate Knuth and Representative Cy Thao. Each shared their reflections on the importance of Scouting in their lives and then read a Proclamation from Governor Pawlenty declaring June 17 as “2 Millionth Eagle Scout Day” in Minnesota.
Scouting began awarding Eagle badges in 1912 — Thomas Eldred was the first Eagle. The 1 millionth Eagle was awarded in 1982, 70 years later. It’s been 27 years for the second million. About 100 million boys are or were Boy Scouts since 1910.
You’d think this news would be a bigger deal. Why isn’t this news going farther, faster?
Send this to your local newspapers and television stations — ask them to make a note of Thomas’s achievement, to encourage local kids.
More news stories:
- Story in the Mormon Times, from Utah’s Deseret News
- Another story in Mormon Times about an Eagle badge helping kids get into college
- Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the other local daily paper for Anthony Thomas, covers the announcement and camp opening
- Coverage from Minneapolis’s CBS Television affiliate, WCCO
- Story from Northern Star Council, BSA, with additional photos
- Minnesota Public Radio story
- Scoutcast story
- USA Today story (from the Associated Press – may not be copied in any way)
Other resources:
- Northern Star Council, BSA website
- Find your local Boy Scout Council to volunteer, or to sign your son up
- Wisdom Trail District website –– information about Scouting in southwestern Dallas County
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
Likewise. I was involved in scouts for a long time, before I became fully aware of national council’s policies. I fully support the boys, and my biggest regret is that there isn’t a program that is comparable in character building that doesn’t actively discriminate that I could support and be involved in.
I don’t know where to find statistics – frankly, I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look. I suspect the information isn’t laying around for easy access… but my distaste for the actions of the program’s leadership is in no way directed at the scouts, or the scouters who have no hand in the policies.
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I earned my Eagle Scout and I’m proud of everyone who does it. It might be a milestone but I still think it detracts from all the other Eagle Scouts who aren’t getting recognition…
I’m not proud of the BSA and their statements and actions towards homosexuals and atheists. That of course is a subject for another post…
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Two million is a milestone. One Eagle was picked to represent the two million. The point isn’t the boy — he’s only got 26 merit badges, he’s only 16, there are a lot of accomplished Eagles.
Last time I checked there were about three dozen Eagles who had been stripped of the rank, none for being homosexual or atheist. Those awards usually stay. If you’re aware of someone actually being stripped of rank for religious or sexual orientation issues, I’d like some statistics.
It’s against the law in most states to discriminate against kids working for Eagle on the basis of sexual orientation. Leaders may not be homosexual.
Don’t blame the kids for errors of the leaders, please.
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Why is the 2 millionth Eagle Scout in more important than the 1,999,999th or the 432,761th? It’s not so I don’t really see a story here…
Also what TwoYak said, has the BSA every released the number of people they’ve stripped of it their Eagle Scout?
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I hate to sound embittered, but is that counting all the Eagles they’ve stripped from gay and Atheist members? Because over the years, they’ve taken a few away for being trustworthy (in not lying about themselves), and more than a bit brave (for standing up to BSA national council on the matter of discrimination).
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