BALL, La. - This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the Eagle Scout award, the highest honor awarded to Boy Scouts.
News Channel 5's Kathleen Witte spoke with some Eagle Scouts right here in Cenla today, and found out why this award is so special.
Albert Hamblin has been part of the Boy Scouts for more than forty years. And for him, this is just one of many proud days as the scoutmaster of Troop 49.
Hamblin: "We develop them into young adults because they are the future leaders of our country."
Hamblin's troop is honoring six new Eagle Scouts, the highest ranking awarded in Boy Scouts.
Hamblin: "They also learn that still today, honest hard work is rewarded, and it is worthwhile."
Nationally, only 4 percent of all Boy Scouts go on to become Eagle Scouts. That's because each Eagle earns his rank by creating and implementing a community service project all on his own.
Hamblin: "These scouts, with all of their volunteer effort, will put in anywhere from 60-200 hours on an Eagle Scout project, and it's something that benefits the community for a long time."
But Troop 49's numbers are more than double the national average.
And Zach Doucet is one of the success stories.
Doucet: "It's something I've been looking forward to since I first joined the Boy Scouts."
He says scouting has given him more than just badges.
Doucet: "It's somewhere you can go and kind of get away from the world a little bit."
Doucet starts college in Nachitoches in the fall, but he says the distance from Troop 49 won't compromise his commitment to scouting.
Doucet: "Take what I learned from scouting, and try to influence people and show people what true scouting is every day.
Albert Hamblin says he'll miss the scouts that are leaving town, but he doesn't worry about where they'll end up.
Hamblin: "Once an Eagle, always an Eagle."
The Boy Scouts of America has 2.7 million youth members and over 1 million adult volunteers.
