Milford scout completes Eagle Scout project

Logan Huey began searching for an Eagle Scout project in January of 2022, struggling as many Boy Scouts do to find a project that he could accomplish and that would keep him interested. He heard that the City of Milford Public Works department was looking for assistance in refurbishing fire hydrants in town, he jumped at the chance because it was interesting and he knew he could complete the project.

“I am restoring/refurbishing 40 fire hydrants throughout the Milford community,” Huey said. “This involves cleaning, painting and then numbering each. I am also adding each hydrant as well as the valve that connects the hydrant to the water line to a GPS system to help maintenance and emergency crews find them more easily.”

The most difficult part of the project, according to Huey, was planning the project. He had to look at every angle to be sure he had all the proper approvals, the right materials and enough people to help him complete the task.

“Surprisingly, the fun part of the project was talking to people who lived in the developments where we were working,” Huey said. “People would either see the GPS device and ask what we were surveying or see that we were painting and strike up a conversation. It was fun getting to talk to people I had never met before and they were all very interested when they heard it was for my Eagle Scout Project and were all very appreciative of our work.”

Becoming an Eagle Scout takes many years, Huey explained. When someone first joins Boy Scouts, they often are not focused on becoming an Eagle but are focused on completing different requirements and working on merit badges to advance through the other ranks in scouting.

“This allows them to gain knowledge in a variety of fields from personal management to community service, first aid and environmental science,” Huey said. “Once a scout reaches the rank of Life Scout, they can begin working on finding a project. Once I reached Life Scout, I began searching for a project. I had to write out a proposal and have that approved by a beneficiary representative, then by the Delmarva Council which is the local branch of BSA and then I could begin physically working on the project.”

Now that the project is completed, Huey must fill out a report which is basically a post project review to see what he did well or what he could have done differently. Once that is completed, he can begin filling out applications to gather letters of recommendations, compile evidence of why or how he thinks he has earned the rank of Eagle Scout and then go through a board of review. During the review, he will be interviewed by a panel of people from the Delmarva council where he could then be granted the rank of Eagle Scout.

“The Eagle process is very difficult but also very rewarding,” Huey said. “The goal of the project is to use all of the knowledge and skills a scout has learned over the previous years to lead the project in a way that successfully gives back to the community.”

Because earning the rank of Eagle Scout takes years of dedication and hard work, Huey believes that having it on his resume or job application in the future will make him a more desirable candidate to employers.

“An employer would notice that and understand that I embody the qualities and ideals of a scout,” Huey said. “Someone who’s dedicated and hardworking but also respectful, courteous, trustworthy and so much more. At this point, I have been in scouting for more than 10 years of my life, so these ideals have played a large part in making me the person I am today. Being an Eagle Scout is helpful but having been in scouting at all is helpful as well. I’ve had the opportunity to meet new people, learn new things, go new places and make memories I will remember for the rest of my life. I will always be able to look back and make decisions based on the lessons scouting has taught me and being an Eagle Scout will help my future self understand that I really did get the most out of my time in scouting.”