Out of 100 Boy Scouts, only two will go on to become Eagle Scouts.

That’s according to Mattapoisett Boy Scout Troop 53 leader Dennis McGlaughlin. That’s why it’s so extraordinary that seven boys in the troop have attained Eagle Scout status since the beginning of the year.

Four of those seven - Adam Perkins, Davis Mathieu, Justin Sayers and Matthew Kieran - celebrated their achievements at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Sunday, April 23.

Perhaps the reason why so few Boy Scouts become Eagle Scouts is the sheer amount of work that goes into progressing through the seven Boy Scout ranks. As McGlaughlin admitted, it gets difficult to get through all the requirements, especially when teenagers are holding down a job and going to school. Becoming an Eagle Scout requires completion of 21 different merit badges, ranging from Personal Fitness, to First Aid, Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Communications and something called "Citizenship in the World".

The potential Eagle Scouts must also serve in a leadership position within the troop for at least six months, and complete an Eagle Scout service project. The project must benefit a religious institute, school, or community. For example, Perkins built kayak racks which are now in place at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett, and Mathieu built a bird observation stand at the Walega-Livingstone Reserve at Hammond Cove.

The celebration was held at Camp Cachalot, deep in Myles Standish State Forest, on a perfect sunny day. Each Eagle Scout was presented with an Eagle Scout pin, which their parents pinned to their shirts. The celebration, however, didn’t end there. In recognition of the parents’ dedication to their children, each received a mini Eagle Scout pin, presented by their child.

After receiving their pins, the boys each came to the stadium for a short speech. Kiernan went first. “I started with these three buffoons seven years ago,” he began. Laughter broke out among the crowd. An avid fisherman who works at the camp over the summer, he noted, “I love my job! I caught 87 bass over the summer…that works out to several every day, and it’s one of the reasons I’ll need to visit Fishermen Anonymous in the future.”

McGlaughlin, who had already warned the crowd of Kiernan's fishing addiction, laughed.

Kiernan then added thanks to friends and family for filling the black hole that was his stomach and treating him like a second son. “Since we’ve all been here, we’ve all done things we didn’t think we could do. Thank you everyone for celebrating with us.”

As fate would have it, the four Eagle Scouts were not the only ones to receive an award. Recognizing McGlaughlin’s role in their life, the four boys presented him with individual merit badges for mentorship.

“Oops, how are we going to fit each of our badges?” Kiernan wondered, surveying McGlaughlin’s already decorated shirt.

Having found a solution, McGlaughlin stepped to the podium to offer advice to the newest Eagle Scouts. “These are the kids you never had to ask to do anything, because they always did it themselves,” he said fondly. “You’re what we strive for here. Go out and offer your gifts to the world, to your family, and to your community.”