Earning the rank of Eagle Scout, as most know, is prestigious with high standards, and according to scouting.org, only about six percent of all Scouts BSA will earn the highest level of Eagle, and there’ve been over 2.75 million Eagle Scouts since 1912.
Not everyone will reach the honor of Eagle Scout, but Edna’s Austin Sommerfeld did late last year.
Sommerfeld said he’s been working toward Eagle since he was in the sixth grade when he crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. He’s in Troop 138, with his advisor/ scoutmaster, William Reeves, and assistant scoutmaster Justin Sommerfeld.
Reeves said he’s known Austin since he was seven years old. “He’s the type of young man that once he starts a task, he will complete it, 100%,” Reeves said.
“Earning Eagle has proven that I can accomplish anything when I set my mind to it,” Sommerfeld said. “Being an Eagle shows true respect and dedications to scouts.”
He said becoming an Eagle Scout has changed in some parts, but he still learned the same skills that Boys Scouts learned back in the day. “But with your project it shows you how to be a leader and manage people, since you aren’t allowed to do the work,” he added.
Sommerfeld’s project for the performancebased achievement was designing and building two L-shaped wooden benches for the Texans Museum. He built them with legs in the middle two help prevent people from tripping on them.
“I came up with the designs so it could seat more people, but also be able to see things on the building or face each other,” he said. “It took multiple designs to finally figure out what would work best and have the strength to hold all the weight.
But after talking to designers and discussing what would make it the best and strongest, he’d come to his final design.
Another milestone to becoming Eagle Scout was when he crossed to Boy Scouts and attended his first summer camp, and him and his dad competed in the shooting contest and won.
“I want to thank my parents and scoutmaster for supporting me through my project and also for their advice and options of ways to do things,” he said.
Sommerfeld also wanted to give thanks to Alamo Lumber, Edna Ag Mechanics and HEB for their donations and supplies for his project.
“I’m proud to have watched Austin grow from a shy little kid into the outgoing young man he is now,” Reeves said.
