Eagle Scout project another helping act from local student

Published 12:09 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

NORTH BEND – For Mount Si High School senior Tyler Troutman, helping others seems to be par for the course.

The 18-year-old North Bend resident has spent time in Costa Rica with fellow students helping to reclaim forest land and protect leatherback sea turtles, in addition to being a tutor for classes on campus at Mount Si.

Troutman’s latest effort was aimed at helping those in his community, but it doubled as his Eagle Scout project that will bring closure in the upcoming weeks to a scouting journey he started about 10 years ago.

“I decided we needed [the project] out there and I figured if I could at least do some, it was better than none,” said Troutman.

That “it” was more than 80 address signs posted along Mount Si Road to help emergency vehicles and domestic delivery agencies quickly identify the location of homes, many of which share driveways and are not in plain sight.

Troutman spent more than 40 hours orchestrating the event that included 17 volunteers, replete in orange safety vests, spending a busy day installing the signs. While the majority of the signs were donated by Eastside Fire and Rescue, Troutman made about 30 extras.

To ensure the project met the standards needed to receive Eagle Scout consideration – one of the highest honors in the Boy Scouts of America – Troutman had to go through a series of steps that included meetings with advisors and meticulously documenting the project through pictures and journals.

Now that the project is finished, Troutman must complete a review of his work and scouting knowledge before Boy Scout officials, who then need to approve granting him the rank of Eagle Scout.

The process isn’t an easy one.

According to the Boy Scouts of America, only about 4 percent of all Boy Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. This represents more than 1-million Boy Scouts who have earned the rank since 1911.

It was at the suggestion of his mother that Troutman entered the scouting program in the second grade. He enjoyed the experience and decided early on that achieving the rank of Eagle Scout was something worth pursuing.

“I always wanted to, but I wasn’t sure if I’d make it,” said Troutman.

It appears that he has.

Travis Peterson can be reached at (425) 888-2311 or by e-mail at travis.peterson@valleyrecord.com.