SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS
Four Owatonna teens have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. They are, from left: Aiden Thurber, Jackson Davis, Connor McBroom and Dalton David. They celebrated with about 60 people Saturday night at the Eagle’s Club in Owatonna. Submitted photo
For Scoutmaster Bennett McBroom, Saturday’s celebration marking four Owatonna teenagers earning the rank of Eagle Scout had an extra special meaning.
McBroom’s son, Connor, became an Eagle Scout 26 years after the elder McBroom earned his Eagle Scout rank. Of this year’s four Eagle Scouts, the McBrooms were the only father-son combo.
Bennett McBroom found it difficult to explain how he felt about his son’s accomplishment following his own path to the highest honor in 1999 while a scout in Wanamingo. “There is no way to explain it,” he said, adding, “It’s super special.”
Joining Connor McBroom as this year’s Eagle Scouts are Aiden Thurber, Jackson Davis and Dalton David, all of Owatonna. Their accomplishments were highlighted during a joint celebration Saturday night at the Eagle’s Club in Owatonna where about 60 people turned out to mark the occasion. Mayor Matt Jessop shared some special remarks at the party.
McBroom’s Eagle Scout project involved constructing four large planters outside of the Community Pathways of Steele County building. His project took about one year to complete.
David constructed a pair of wooden bridges at Rice Lake State Park located east of Owatonna. The bridges replaced existing structures that were too narrow and falling apart.
Davis focused on building woo duck houses for Ducks Unlimited. He also supplied kits for others to make duck houses.
Thurber recently completed his project of refurbishing nine scoring benches for the Owatonna Gun Club where he works.
In all, the four Scouts racked up 955 hours with their Eagle Scout projects over the past two years, according to Bennett McBroom. At least 125 volunteers joined in to help the scouts achieve their projects, he said. “It’s a lot of hours, a lot of effort and a lot of determination.”
The key takeaway from all of the hard work?
“Growth, leadership and extreme character,” McBroom said. “If you look at their efforts, they show leadership, character and effort far beyond their years.”
All of the newly recognized Eagle Scouts are 16 years old, except for Connor McBroom, who is 17.
Bennett McBroom described the four Scouts as “a close-knit group of boys.” He said they decided to have their Eagle Court of Honor together rather than individually. “They came up in the scouting organization together,” he added.
McBroom noted how only 1% of all scouts nationwide or .03% of the total population complete their Eagle Scout rank. “To have four of them do it within the past year is pretty special,” he said.