SUSSEX-WANTAGE - Boy Scout Troop 97 of Sussex-Wantage celebrated its newest Eagle Scout at a recent Eagle Court of Honor. David Berardi received the Eagle Scout award, the highest honor given a scout by the Boy Scouts of America. The Eagle Scout award is a performance-based award achieved by about five percent of boys entering scouting. Some 1.7 million Boy Scouts have earned the Eagle Scout rank since 1912. Boy Scouts have until their eighteenth birthday to earn the Eagle Scout award and must complete a number of merit badges on citizenship, camping, first aid, personal fitness and others. The scout must then complete a service project which helps the community and demonstrates leadership. Berardi’s Eagle project was a playground for young members of his church, St. Frances de Sales RC Church in Vernon. Berardi started in Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub in 1996. He progressed through the Bobcat, Wolf, Bear and Webelos ranks. He earned the highest rank in Cub Scouting, the Arrow of Light, in 1999 and crossed over into Boy Scouting. While a Boy Scout, David has earned 28 merit badges. He has held numerous leadership positions including librarian, instructor, assistant patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and patrol leader. David has enjoyed camping with the Scouts and has attended summer camp and Camp Turrell and Camp NoBeBoSco, the annual winter Klondike camping trips, trips to historic sites such as Gettysburg and a troop excursion to the National High Adventure Camp at Sea Base in the Florida Keys. During the trip to National Sea Base, Hurricane Katrina passed over the barrier island on which they were camping and the group really had to employ their survival skills. He has also been an active participant in community service projects with the troop. David will graduate High Point Regional High School in June. While at High Point, David has been on the High Honor Roll all four years as well as being a member of the tennis team. He has plans to attend college in the fall to study physics.