(4-minute read)
Scout Troop 702 of Reading, chartered under the Spirit of Adventure Council, Scouting America, held a Court of Honor on Sunday, October 25, at Old South United Methodist Church to honor Zalen Puff and Ian Guan as the troop’s newest Eagle Scouts.
A ceremony rooted in tradition
Scoutmaster Andrew Ryan speaks during the Court of Honor. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
The ceremony opened with a recognition of former Scouts and a moment of silence for the Hanafin family, followed by the presentation of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Scout Oath and Law, and an invocation. Life Scout Wesley McCarty served as master of ceremonies. Life Scout Walter Smith, Star Scout Jack Crosby, and Star Scout Max Lockhart presented the colors, Life Scout Nate Goodfellow lit the ceremony’s candles, and Star Scout Kirin Shah delivered the invocation and benediction.
During the call to order, the troop noted that 156 Scouts have achieved Eagle rank in Troop 702 to date. Seven candles were lit during the ceremony, each representing a stage of a Scout’s development. From the Scout motto of doing a good turn daily, to the unlimited opportunities ahead of a Star Scout, to a Life Scout’s lessons taken to heart, to the eagle and shield symbolizing truth and knowledge.
What it takes to reach Eagle
Scoutmaster Andrew Ryan told the two new Eagle Scouts that the rank brings both accomplishment and responsibility, and that the Scout Oath and Law should take on new meaning now that others will follow their lead and example. Ryan urged them to be loyal, as a follower to those above them and a leader to those below; to be courageous in facing the challenges ahead; to serve others, since a leader is above all a servant; and to have a vision for the future, blazing their own trail.
Mentors reflect on the journey
Mentor Jack O’Brien speaks during the Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Eric Smith, who mentored Zalen Puff, had another commitment that weekend and couldn’t attend the ceremony, so his wife, Mia Smith, read his address for him. In it, Smith said taking on the role gave him real exposure to the Eagle process, since he never reached Eagle rank as a Scout. He described working alongside Puff on a project that helped Reading Trails repair a bridge and build a boardwalk in the Town Forest, where Puff managed the removal of old materials, missing tools, and a crew of younger kids, always responding with command and confidence. Smith said Puff was further along in the process than he was at the same age and credited him with leadership and execution skills beyond his years.
Jack O’Brien, who has had three of his own children go through the troop, said it’s been a pleasure mentoring Ian Guan, who he said is often busy with sports and school, but always got things done. O’Brien, who has known Guan since elementary school, recalled a memory from a Scout ranch trip to Colorado, where Guan was one of the youngest Scouts, a freshman among juniors and seniors. O’Brien said that on the first night of the trip, in Manitou Springs, when the group had a chance to disperse and explore, Guan was already talking with the older Scouts, carrying himself differently from the other kids his age, with what O’Brien described as a true pep in his step. O’Brien said he later told Guan’s father how proud he was.
Presenting the Eagle Pledge
After the mentor address, the two Scouts’ parents received Eagle parent pins, and Puff and Guan presented mentor pins to Smith and O’Brien. The two then stood to recite the Eagle Scout pledge, pronouncing their obligations and responsibilities as Eagle Scouts before being formally recognized.
Eagle Scout Ian Guan addresses the room during the Court of Honor. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Remarks from the new Eagle Scouts
Zalen Puff thanked his family, including his mother for helping him complete his paperwork, his father for being there throughout his camping trips, and his grandparents for their stories and support. He credited three scoutmasters across his time in the troop: Mr. Myers, who first introduced him to Troop 702; Mr. Nelson, who he said scared him into wearing a helmet and kept him in track; and Mr. Ryan, who supported him through the process. Puff said scouting pushed him to try things he otherwise wouldn’t have, and that his Eagle project, replacing a boardwalk in the Town Forest, a place he has walked his whole life, is something he’s especially proud of.
Ian Guan thanked everyone for attending, recalling that he joined Cub Scouts at age seven and never expected to reach this point. He described the experiences, including a few memorably bad camp meals, that shaped who he is today, and the challenge of balancing school, sports, and the Eagle process. His Eagle project involved building display cases for a ship in Quincy, which required him to navigate the ship’s narrow ladders. He thanked Mr. Myers, Mr. O’Brien, his fellow Scouts, and his parents for pushing him even when he didn’t want to be pushed, and said he would carry scouting with him for the rest of his life.
The ceremony closed with a benediction and retirement of colors, followed by a barbecue dinner for attendees to celebrate the newest Eagle Scouts.
