Reflecting on a sunny afternoon in May, when the scouts and alums of BSA Troop 89 Medfield scouts and alums gathered at the United Church of Christ, Medfield, with friends and family to celebrate four scouts achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill leadership, service, and outdoor skills requirements. Alex Munz, James Kemp, Michael Iannone, and Everett Lybrand have earned the rank of Eagle Scout; only four to eight percent of all Boy Scouts achieve this rank.
The requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout are as follows:
• A Scout must earn 21 merit badges, including 13 required Eagle Badges
• A Scout must serve actively in a troop leadership position for at least six months
• A Scout must plan, develop, and carry out a service project worthy of an Eagle Scout
• A Scout must appear before a Board of Review of prominent persons to demonstrate that he has done his best to live up to the Scout Oath and Law and has qualified as an Eagle Scout.
Munz, Kemp, Iannone, and Lybrand are an impressive group of scouts with a lengthy list of achievements in and out of scouts. Still, theirs is also a story of an enduring friendship between three scouts who met in elementary school and welcomed a fourth in middle school. Their unwavering support of each other has propelled each to achieve more. The following is a summary of their achievements.
Alex Munz is now a Senior at Medfield High School, an Honor student enrolled in AP classes, and a member of the Spanish Honor Society. Munz played percussion for the Medfield High School Concert Band. Munz is a pitcher and catcher on the varsity baseball team. As a linebacker and quarterback on the varsity football team, Munz has been the recipient of the "Heart of a Lion," "Unsung Hero," and "Sportsmanship" awards.
Outside of academics, athletics, music, and scouting, Munz is active with the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is A Right-Hand Man for Miss Amazing. His hobbies include club baseball, hiking, swimming, sailing, skiing, and music.
Munz's Eagle Service Project was to build a 50-foot bog bridge on the Bay Circuit Trail. The bridge allows accessibility for hikers, cyclists, and families to access the trail throughout the year, especially during high water levels. Work included leveling the foundation to ensure it was solid and the treads could level and support any weight throughout the entire length. Additionally, there needed to be a seamless transition from the dirt trail to the bridge to ensure all users' safety.
James Kemp is now a Senior high honor student at Beaver Country Day, captain of the cross-country team, and a wrestling team member. In addition to sports, Kemp was a member of the Student Council and currently participates on the debate team. Kemp is the recipient of the school's Mente Et Manu Service Award – as chosen by his peers.
After high school, Kemp is interested in pursuing a degree in robotics. Outside academics, athletics, and scouting, Kemp is active with BCP Tutoring. His hobbies include building electronic devices, canoeing, and reading.
Kemp's Eagle Service Project was to assemble, stock, and install three Little Free Libraries at assisted living homes for people with disabilities. The project included site and design selection and a community book drive. All three libraries are currently providing their communities with books.
Michael Iannone is now a Senior at Medfield High School, an Honor student enrolled in AP classes, and a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. Iannone is a two-time Spanish Award recipient.
Iannone plays the saxophone for the Medfield High School Concert and Pep Bands. He is a Medfield High School DECCA Club member, where his team placed third at the district level and advanced to compete at the state finals. Iannone is active in athletics at Medfield High School as captain of the winter indoor track team, where he was recognized as an ALL-TVL athlete. Iannone is also a member of the varsity lacrosse and golf teams.
Iannone’s Eagle Service Project was to research, design, plan, and lead the construction of five double-sided shotgun racks for exterior use, as well as one double-sided, foldable shotgun rack for interior use at the skeet and trap range at Fin, Fur and Feather Game Club. These racks provide a place for shotguns to be safely stored on the skeet and trap range.
After high school, Iannone is interested in pursuing a degree in engineering. Outside of academics, athletics, music, and scouting, Iannone is active in the Medfield High School Chapter of Best Buddies and is A Right-Hand Man for Miss Amazing. Iannone is also an active Medfield Strong Service Group member and works as a lifeguard at The Kingsbury Club and Camp Everwood. His hobbies include club lacrosse, sports, skiing, and music.
Everett Lybrand is now a Senior at The New Hampton School in Meredith, NH, where he is a member of the New Hampton Husky football team and is a candidate for the International Baccalaureate ("IB") Diploma. Lybrand has been on the high honor roll for all five semesters at New Hampton, received the 100-hour service award each year, and led his IB service project - which involved building benches for the New Hampton community. At New Hampton, Lybrand is a member of the computer science club, founder of the Husky Highlight club, which focuses on video editing and is a student project leader for a drone and quadcopter class. After high school, Lybrand is interested in pursuing an engineering degree.
Lybrand's Eagle Scout Service Project included the design, planning, execution, and leading a team of scouts in the assembly and staining of ten benches decorated with slogans or mottos associated with the Club or Scouting, such as "Safety First" and "Be Prepared.", for the Fin Fur and Feather Game club in Millis.
In November of 2022, Lybrand was recognized with the Gold Medal of the Congressional Award, the highest award for student service - based largely on his activities with Troop 89, the Mayflower Council in Massachusetts, and the Daniel Webster Council in New Hampshire. Congress bestows the award as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions - he will receive the award in person this June on the floor of Congress. The College Board has also recognized Lybrand with the Rural and Small Town Recognition Award.
Lybrand works as a waiter at the Town Docks on Lake Winnipesaukee. His hobbies include drone flying, skiing, and 3D printing. Lybrand has volunteered as a math tutor in the Inter-Lake Schools and founded the New Hampshire Benches for Hope project.
Each Eagle Scout spoke and directed their speeches to the younger scouts sitting in the audience. James Kemp beautifully summed up their experience with Troop 89 and the BSA program.
"You need two things to grow; Challenge and support. Troop 89 will give you both. That's the magic of scouting. Troop 89 will test your personal limits, but we will do so in the best possible environment so that there are always people there to help you be better next time. You will fail, that's true, but you will come away stronger. You'll come away with knowledge, not just skills, but knowledge of yourself, which is the best kind of knowledge there is. This knowledge that I have gained from scouting has changed my life." said James Kemp, Eagle Scout.
"Say yes to scouting. Go on trips, Go to meetings, run for leadership positions, volunteer, and above all, do things that scare you and push you outside of your comfort zone. And when you're standing up here, you'll have fond memories of hard times, too, because those are the times you were challenged. You'll have strong bonds with the boys and adults of the troop because they were the people who helped you rise to meet that challenge. And those two things mean more to me than any medal..." continued Kemp. "If you commit to it, and if you go through with it even when it's hard or boring or frightening, scouting will change you, like it has changed me and like it has changed all of us up here. And when you've done all that, the award is just a shiny-looking thing on a ribbon. Because the real reward, one that doesn't tarnish and can't be lost, is the person you've become."
While the group of family and friends gathered to celebrate the Scout's specific achievement of Eagle Scout, they also celebrated the leaders these scouts have become through their friendship and the knowledge they gained through challenge and support. The Eagle Scouts continued their celebration by going camping together at Rocky Woods in Medifeld, where their earliest scouting memories started. A fitting end to a terrific journey.
