Eagles pass board with flying colors

   I knew the rank of Eagle Scout was a great honor, but I never knew what all was involved until when I witnessed two Eagles pass their Board of Review.
   After submitting a report comparable to a doctoral dissertation, the Eagle candidate must sit before a board of three scout leaders who grill them on everything in the book. Before they even get to explain their projects, they must display knowledge of maps, compasses, knots, first aid, Boy Scout history and community issues. As for the bookwork, Eagle Project Coordinator Larry Lynn says they aren't expected to memorize everything, but their resourcefulness is put to the test when they are called upon to look up information on the spot.
   Mark Brown, a junior at Parkview High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 50 in Snellville, earned his Eagle rank by designing and implementing an insect control project at Mountain Park Park. Brown drew blueprints for five bat houses and fifteen bluebird houses then supervised 13 teenagers and adults who logged a total of 128 hours on the project.
   While Matthew Frisch, of Troop 555 in Norcross, answered detailed questions about his Eagle project, his identical twin Michael Frisch was across the hall going through an identical ordeal. (Matthew, who is 30 minutes older, passed his review 30 minutes before Michael did.) I watched the older Frisch explain all that went into his project of collecting 80 children's books and audio taping them for patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Hospital. 
   Frisch said he was pleasantly surprised to discover how willing people were to help. Local donors included Sonny's Barbecue, Temple Emanu-El Schiff Preschool and Sony Electronics of Norcross. Gwinnett County's Emergency Management Coordinator, Frank Daniell, an Eagle Scout himself, read "The Fire Engine Book" on tape.
   Brown and Frisch both participate in leadership roles outside of Scouts. Brown, whose father Greg Brown is also an Eagle Scout, is a lance corporal in the US Marine Corps JROTC and Frisch serves on the chapter board of B'nai Brith Youth Organization. 
   Frisch's unit leader, Allan Hytowitz of Norcross, praised him for his accomplishments and said, "The Eagle project teaches you how to deal with success, rather than overcome failure. That's why so many Eagle Scouts are successful leaders in business, government and technology. Twenty percent of our House of Representatives and one-third of the cadets at military academies are Eagle Scouts."
   Lynn reported 115 new Gwinnett Eagle Scout for 2003. The total value of materials used on Eagle Leadership Service Projects was $66,619. Volunteer working hours totaled 21,781. At $10 an hour (even less than I make) that would be nearly a quarter-million dollars worth of free labor, all going toward the betterment of the community. 
   I used to think of Gwinnett's motto and wonder exactly where "success lives here." I know now for sure success thrives among our Boy Scouts.

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