Pastor
Mary Konopka of Redemption Lutheran Church led the congregation through a quick
service, including the singing of a hymn, before dismissing them. It was
Sunday, April 15 and Boy Scout Troop 100 was setting up the church, located at
the intersection of Rhawn and Bustleton Avenues, for Michael Leggerie II’s Eagle Court of Honor.
Most
of the congregation remained for the 16-year-old’s ceremony, moving up to the
front pews. At the center of those present was Leggerie’s mother, 12-year Juniata
Park resident Judy Nicholls-Leggerie, doling out hugs and kisses and thanks for
coming.
Soon a trumpet was sounded by Leggerie’s brother Benjamin, 15, and Scoutmaster Vince Serianni called for
Troop 100 to carry in the flags and take their seats in the front row. Carmella
"Millie" Cappetti, mother of two of Leggerie's fellow Boy Scouts,
delivered her “Trail of the
Eagle” speech. Troop 100's Alex Olsen,
who recently made Eagle Scout, followed Cappetti with a speech about the
importance of becoming an Eagle.
To become an Eagle, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts
organization, one has to complete 21 merit badges, serving in one or more
leadership positions, and complete a service project benefitting some group
other than the Boy Scouts. Leggerie, a sophomore at Philadelphia’s Girard Academic Music Program, completed 35 merit badges before
making Eagle. He served as Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader and Den Chief
within Troop 100. For his service project, he operated the Kids Zone when Troop
100 volunteered with the American Heart Association's Heart Walk. Leggerie and
his mother arrived at the walk before dawn to set up for the walk with the rest
of the troop.
After
Olsen’s speech, Leggerie’s parents, Nicholls-Leggerie
and Michael Leggerie I, and his maternal grandparents, Richard and Jean
Nicholls, were escorted by members of Troop 100 to the front of the church.
They watched with smiles on their faces as Michael lit a candle signifying his
rise to Eagle, and then his mother and father were asked to place Leggerie’s Eagle pin on the right side
of his olive green Scouting uniform.
Leggerie
placed an Eagle Mom pin on his mother’s ruffled black blouse before
he was asked, along with all other Eagles present, to take the Scouting oath.
When given the chance to make his remarks, Leggerie said,
"What's most important to me is what I learned. I learned so much about
leadership."
Leggerie told The Juniata
News after the ceremony that he hopes to carry these leadership skills
through college, where he hopes to study mathematics and music, and into a
career as a college professor.
During
the ceremony, Leggerie thanked family and friends who had helped him on his
journey to Eagle Scout. He had a mentor pin to give away and it was his
grandfather, Richard Nicholls, whom he called forward for this honor.
Serianni
read two of Leggerie’s many letters of
congratulations – these were from President Barack Obama and
Vice President Joe Biden – and made some final
statements before Pastor Konopka read the benediction and Troop 100 retired the
flags.
Attendees
were asked to join Leggerie and his family in the church’s basement for food and fun.
In
honor of his achievement, Leggerie and his mother have been asked to join Rep.
John Taylor in his office on the night of Tuesday, April 24.
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This story ran in today's issue of The Juniata News.
