O’NEALS — Working since he was nine years-old, now eighteen-year-old and senior Hunter Ahrens has earned the honor of Eagle Scout.
Hunter started as a Cub Scout in 2011, as a Bear, then he went to Bobcat, and then earned his Arrow of Light Award.
He then joined the Boy Scout troop at ten and half and worked his way up the ranks, first as a Scout, then Tenderfoot, Second-Class, First-Class, Star Scout, Life Scout and then finally Eagle Scout.
Hunter had first decided to become a Cub Scout because his close friends participated, but over the years he has been one of the last of his group to stay with it.
When asked about his time in the scouts he said, “I’ve learned a lot of new things and life skills, the scouts do something called merit badges and each badge is awarded for a new skill learned, for instance, it could be anything from like personal management, learning and working on financial skills, to personal fitness. There are a lot of activities and skills that you will learn that will help you in a career or open your eyes to what the world has to offer.”
Hunter has a total of 37 merit badges, enough for the third and last Eagle Palm. He would encourage young students to participate and join the Scouting Program. He earned his Eagle Scout on February 20th. The process includes an interview panel where he was asked about his Eagle Scout Project and evaluated. Hunter’s project was to create a sign for the North Fork School Garden. The Garden is a place that was very special to him as he grew up helping there.
“On the eagle coin I received for this, it says Once an Eagle always an Eagle,” Hunter said. “This is a huge honor and privilege that not a lot of scouts achieve, and it is a huge reward.”
In his future Hunter says he sees himself helping young scouts to achieve their goals.
Hunter is also a four-year participant of the Ag Mechanics program at Minarets and recently completed a year and a half of work on something he’s very passionate about, custom-made welding booths.
