Stephen Michael O”Neill of Boy Scout Troop 42, sponsored by the Lakeport Lions Club, completed his project for the community and has earned the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts, the Eagle Scout Award. O”Neill was recognized in a ceremony on Aug. 2 in Lakeport.
According to Scoutmaster Sabrina Pickersgill he is one of approximately 4 percent of all Boy Scouts who attain the Eagle rank. Each candidate must earn 21 merit badges and successfully complete a community, church, or synagogue-related service project to earn his Eagle.
O”Neill”s project benefits eleven classrooms at Kelseyville Elementary School. O”Neill first held a yard sale to help with the needed funds. He then organized a team of scouts, friends, and family to design and install wood shelves with coat hooks outside of the classrooms, providing a way to easily hang their backpacks and coats to keep them clean and safe. Prior to the installation students could only pile their packs and coats outside the rooms.
O”Neill held several leadership positions while a member of the troop, including Senior Patrol Leader, and was an active member for eight years. He now joins the ranks of many outstanding American citizens who have become Eagle Scouts, among them former President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, cinematographer Steven Spielberg, and head of the FBI, William Sessions.
A flag was flown over the capital in his honor and he was awarded the flag at the Eagle ceremony. O”Neill has gone on to major in Business Administration at Sonoma State University.
