Our Opinion: Capitol ceremony shows value in Boy Scouts

On Tuesday, we published a report about 265 Boy Scouts being recognized at the Capitol for earning scouting's highest honor.

At the same time, the Boy Scouts of America was in the news as it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid sexual abuse lawsuits.

This juxtaposition shows a troubled organization to be sure, but one that also has provided Christ-centered leadership, with a focus on outdoor adventures and public service.

The 265 Boy Scouts at the Capitol were among 1,257 who earned Eagle Scout awards over the past year. In their Eagle Scout projects alone, they have contributed more than 220,000 hours of community service.

Great Rivers Council Board President Richard Mendenhall told Scouts that they follow in the steps of some famous people from Missouri who were also Eagle Scouts - including Walmart founder Sam Walton, the late U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton and the late entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman. Being an Eagle Scout helped these men develop their leadership skills, and members of this Eagle class could go on to do great things themselves, he said.

Gov. Mike Parson told the group: "Very few people in this old world will truly be leaders.

"The secret to leadership is no secret. It's about making everyone around you better. That's what you should focus on. It's about being a public servant, and that means you're willing to do for others that you'll never see or never know the outcome of what you do for them."

We commend the latest class of Eagle Scouts in Missouri. They have achieved scouting's highest award, something achieved by only about 6 percent of Scouts overall. We expect they will go on to do great things for their communities and beyond.

News Tribune