Twenty-five youth were recognized at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
A Joint National Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Troop 223G and Troop 223 B was held on November 23 at Saint Matthew’s Parish in Pacific Palisades.
To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout must be an active Life Scout holding a leadership position in their troop for at least six months and provide multiple references who can attest to how that person lived the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
A candidate must also earn a total of 21 merit badges, including 13 required badges such as First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, and Environmental Science or Sustainability, as well as conduct a service project which benefits their community or an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America.
Finally, Scouts must participate in a Scoutmaster conference and complete a board of review. According to the BSA, a beginning scout working straight through the program could complete all the requirements to achieve Eagle in approximately 19 months.
Since becoming the Scoutmaster of Troop 223 in 1953, Mike Lanning has seen more than 1,000 boys attain the rank of Eagle Scout–a national record. The troop celebrated a thousand in December 2024.
In 2020, for the first time, girls were allowed to earn that prestigious award Lanning was at the forefront of welcoming them to the ranks. At a 2021 ceremony in November at St. Matthew’s Sprague Center, 12 girls became Eagle Scouts, which now total 20 from this Troop.
Although the community was decimated by fire, 25 young people were recognized with the rank.
BOYS, School and Service Project:
JACKSON BARIL (Harvard Westlake) built bat boxes to help teach and have a permaculture system at Paul Revere Middle School.
WILLIAM CHAPIN (Viewpoint) built four custom outdoor tables with built-in chessboards for the Palisades YMCA (temporarily at the Westchester Y because of the fire)
KADE CRAFT (Mira Costa) built portable storage benches for the Pacific Palisades Methodist preschool.
ETHAN DAVIS (Palisades) built two benches for Calvary Christian School’s outside classroom that was damaged by the fire.
BENJAMIN DAVIS (Santa Monica Prep) built podiums for a church in the downtown Union Rescue Mission.
FINIAN FOX (Loyola) cleaned and planted an area in front of the Homeboy Industries.
HAAKON KNAP (Mira Costa) organized and constructed barrel racks for the Westside Food Bank.
MATTHEW KRIEGER (Loyola) rebuilt a street-facing gate that provided security for women in need, who were temporarily housed.
DOMINIC LONGO (Mira Costa) built two wood planters and two A/C covers for Harvest Home, a home for pregnant, homeless women.
HENRY MAUCH (Palisades) built a comprehensive drip system in the hills above Beverly Hills, to water the 12 trees and 200 shrubs/flowering plants at Tree People.
CONNOR MERGES (Loyola) worked on a project for St. James Inn, which provides housing for outpatients and family at UCLA Hospital. He replaced an existing gate and privacy screen.
JACKSON ITAYA (Newton) built fire memorial benches for Canyon Charter Elementary School.
TUCKER ROWLAND (Loyola) painted curb markers that helped people identify areas of the Los Angeles National Cemetery.
RYAN RUUD (Loyola) performed a modernization of the planter area with turf block pavers at Saint Mark School.
MAX SZYMANSKI (Palisades) built owl boxes and predator perches for the Paul Revere School farm, to bring the birds back to control pests and insects.
Eagle Scout Cammie Lovett poses with long-time Scoutmaster Michael Lanning.
GIRLS, School and Service Project:
CAMMIE LOVETT (Marymount) restored a fallow area of the Castellammare area of Palisades near FS 23, with plantings and landscaping.
OLIVIA MACDONALD (Palisades) created an urban garden for the Upward Bound House in Santa Monica.
ELOISE MCCARTHY (Geffen Academy) planted and installed a new irrigation system by St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church.
SIENNA NOCAS (Glenbrook South High) created care bags for Altadena fire victims and handed them out at the Fair Oak Burger Farmers Market.
ALEAH PLUME (Palisades) built and painted two shelves to use for the youth and family ministries at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church.
GEMMA RAHILL (Santa Monica) built a cupboard for the Garden of Angeles Preschool to store outdoor toys.
PRESLEY TRAVALI (Palisades) planted native plants, cleaned up Channel Road in Santa Monica Canyon and replaced and painted broken fence.
AVENALI WEAVER (Marlborough) built more than 160 ash shifters that were given to Palisades Fire victims, so they could sift through the remains of their belongings.
ABIGAIL YODA (Palisades) built picnic tables for Paul Revere Middle School’s farm.
ELEANOR YODA (Palisades) cleared a field and planted some trees for the Revere farm.
At the program it was noted that this court had special meaning for community because of the fires and the displacement suffered by so many. “Yet even in this challenging year, Scouting continued to bring us together. Patrols stayed connected, Scouts supported each other, and acts of service reminded us of the strength and resilience of our Troop 223 family.
“With unity, gratitude, and hope for rebuilding.”
Congratulations to all of these accomplished young people.
Curious to learn more about Newton school that is listed for one of the boys.
A school outside of the usual names.
14 required merit badges for eagle although a minimum of 19 months is in the requirements it takes approximately 4 1/2 years in troop 223 and approximately 6 1/2 years in the average Troop to become an Eagle Scout in 2021 the troops first class a female eagles was 12 not 8
The Newton school is in Massachusetts. The family relocated after the Scout achieved Eagle.