OREGON — Seth Baertlein, a member of Scout Troop 168 from Oregon, has completed his Eagle Scout project, a part of the process for obtaining his Eagle Scout rank. 

This rank is a substantial accomplishment for members of Scouting America. 

It must be completed before the scout turns 18, and there is a significant list of requirements. 

Over the first century of the Scouts, from 1912 to 2012, typically less than 5 percent of Scouts earned the honor each year.

Baertlein wanted to pursue this accomplishment. 

“I wanted to be an Eagle Scout mostly because it’s a big achievement, and a lot of places will recognize it . . . as a point of leadership, where you’ve proved yourself as a sufficient leader . . . I figured it would both help me grow as a person and help me in the future.” 

Baertlein started in the Cub Scouts when he was in second grade, and then moved on to Boy Scouts. 

He’s been involved in the Scouts for about a decade at this point. 

One of the most well-known parts of obtaining the Eagle Scout rank is the Eagle Scout project. 

Scouts plan and lead a service project to give back to their community. 

Baertlein wanted to pursue something to give back to either the Church or his school, St. Ambrose Academy in Madison. 

He ultimately chose to build six outdoor benches for Camp Gray. 

“I had never gone to a summer camp there, but with St. Ambrose, we went there for the spiritual retreats, and I really enjoyed my time there. My friends went to summer camp there, [and] they really liked it. And when I was picking my Eagle Scout project, I wanted to give back to the Church or to the school, so I asked around to some teachers, and they said . . . ‘I bet Camp Gray would love it if you would do something for them.’ So, I reached out to them.” 

Besides the project itself, the rank of Eagle Scout requires a certain amount of time in the Scouts, demonstrating leadership and responsibility, and earning 21 merit badges. 

“The Eagle required merit badges. Those were fun, at least most of them, because there’s just a lot of different experiences that I could do, and be more educated and [well-]rounded.” 

The list of merit badges includes some that the scout can choose, and some that are required for every Eagle Scout, such as first aid, camping, cooking, family life, personal fitness, and citizenship in the nation. 

Asked if he found the experience complementary to his Faith, Baertlein commented that it was in some ways. 

“It was a lot dependent on the people that I was in relationship [with], rather than the organization as a whole.”

And his Faith is central to him. 

He’s grateful for his education at St. Ambrose. 

“It’s a good crowd of people. It teaches a lot about focusing on Christ and having Him as your center, and then building your world around that. And just having that rock for your life, just kind of makes me a whole lot more confident for the rest of my life, because I feel like, even if I don’t know what my next steps are 
. . . I’ve learned that if I just keep close to God, then it’ll just go out the way He wants it to, and that’ll be the best for me.”