David Hunter explained that all Scouts need to meet certain requirements and obtain a set number of of merit badges to become an Eagle Scout, but that the Eagle Scout project is one of the most significant challenges to overcome.
“The Eagle Scout project, as a rule of thumb, takes about 100 man hours to do,” said David, “my project was building a bridge at the Loring Wildlife Refuge. I went to the wildlife refuge and asked if there was anything they needed help with, and they suggested building a bridge on the Beaver Pond trail over a swampy area.”
After enlisting the help of fellow Scouts from Troop 184, David Hunter led the bridge-building project and crafted a 40-foot bridge for the Wildlife Refuge.
David’s brother Caleb built a nesting box for the Wildlife Refuge, which was roughly three feet tall.
“We had to make sure bears and raccoons couldn’t get into the box and take away eggs that belong to waterfowl,” said Caleb. “A lot of research went into the project, and I learned a lot along the way, like how the hole had to be an oval, and that it couldn’t be circle.
To become an Eagle Scout, David and Caleb had to go to Fort Kent and describe their achievements with their Caribou troop. Both needed to turn in paperwork describing their projects, which were then reviewed by a supervising body. In addition, they were asked questions about Scout spirit, leadership, and how Scouting has helped them.
“It feels pretty nice to be at this point and I like being able to look back and say that I was able to lead that project and make a bridge,” said David. “My advice (for current and prospective Scouts) would be to stay with the program and keep going to the meetings. Even if it feels like you’re not learning much, you learn something new at each meeting.
“You just need to remember that, even if what you learn seems small, it will help you become an Eagle Scout,” he added.
“A big part of being an Eagle Scout is giving back more to the Scouts than you’ve received,” explained Caleb. “Even though David and I are over 18 and no longer in the program we still teach skills to the kids, come to events like the Winterama, and help other kids on the way to becoming an Eagle Scout.”
