Four La Cañada Boy Scouts were recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor on Sunday, Aug. 28 at La Cañada Presbyterian Church. James DeRose, Travis Ford, Matthew Franklin and David Lam completed their Eagle Scout service projects within the last year. The boys have been members of Troop 502 since the fifth grade and the ceremony was the culmination of their Scouting experience and service to the community.

James Peter DeRose V, a senior at St. Francis High School, began his Scouting experience as a first grade Cub Scout at St. Bede School. It was important to DeRose to do something that benefited the less fortunate. His Eagle project included replacing school and playground benches and the beautification of the entrance to St. Lawrence Brindisi Elementary School in Watts. With the assistance of his advisors, parents and willing Cub and Boy Scouts from St. Lawrence Brindisi, he replaced 15 playground benches with new wood and hardware so the children would have a safe place to sit while at recess. Adding a personal touch, DeRose painted the benches in school colors (black and gold) so the kids would feel a sense of school pride. He also refurbished the front of the school by cleaning and painting the lettering for the school name on the entry way, cleaned up the front garden area by weeding, planting new plants and laying down new decorative bark and, most importantly, inspired the Scouts from St. Lawrence Brindisi to help maintain the improved garden.

DeRose plays soccer and lacrosse at St. Francis, is a teen leader for the confirmation group and a Eucharistic minister at St. Bede Church. He enjoys spending time with his friends and family, never met a sporting event he didn’t like and next fall would like to attend a college in the Midwest, study communications and continue playing soccer at the collegiate level.

Travis Ford began Cub Scouts in the fourth grade with Pack 515 at Palm Crest Elementary School. Through Webelos, he received the Arrow of Light award and bridged to Boy Scout Troop 502. In Boy Scout Troop 502, Ford was inducted into the Order of the Arrow and attended the national youth leadership training. The leadership positions he held were assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, and troop guide. Ford attended summer camps at Cherry Valley and Mataguay and had many wonderful Scouting experiences including rock climbing in Joshua Tree, the Centennial Jamboree and many nights camping at Camp Trask. His most memorable adventure in Scouting was Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where the crew backpacked 100 miles through the rugged New Mexican wilderness.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Ford led a group of Troop 502 Scouts, troop leaders and volunteers in building eight barn owl boxes for Descanso Gardens. The owl boxes will be used for barn owl nesting keeping the animals safe from predators and creating safe rodent control in the gardens. Under Ford’s leadership, this service project took over 120 hours.

Ford is a senior at La Cañada High School and has been a member of the La Cañada High School robotics and engineering clubs for six years.

Matthew Franklin began his Scouting career as a Tiger Cub with Pack 515 and continued through Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

As a member of Troop 502, Franklin held numerous leadership positions including assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader and troop guide. He attended the national youth leadership training. Franklin has also attended many camp outings at Cherry Valley, Holcomb Valley, Mataguay and Joshua Tree. The pinnacle of his adventures was a 100-mile backpacking trek through Philmont Ranch in New Mexico.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Franklin coordinated a work crew that planted trees, installed irrigation and beautified a break area at Union Station in Pasadena. Under his direction, Scouts and adult volunteers completed the project that took more than 60 volunteer hours.

Franklin is a senior at Loyola High School, a member of the Loyola Speech and Debate Team and an active volunteer at Lake Avenue Church’s STARs program. He reached his goal of Eagle on April 19.

David Lam began his Scouting journey at Cub Scout Pack 515 at Palm Crest Elementary School in 2008 as a third grader. In February 2010, Lam bridged to Boy Scout Troop 502 where he participated in all aspects of Scouting, held leadership positions such as troop guide and patrol leader. He attended numerous merit badge seminars, several summer Scout camps as well as national youth leadership training.

For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Lam led a team of Troop 502 Scouts and adult leaders, family and friends – working 180 hours – in building an 8’ x 4’ shed for Palm Crest Elementary School. The shed will be used to store a variety of games to be used by students who do not wish to participate in physical activities at the lower playground.

Lam was awarded the rank of Eagle on June 30. Currently a senior at La Cañada High School, he is the brass captain for the LCHS marching band and the lead trumpet player in the jazz ensemble. Lam plans to attend a university in fall 2017 where he will continue to hone his leadership skills and expand his love for the great outdoors.