SAN GABRIEL — Justin Kunimasa, Daniel Chu, Sean Tran, and Christopher Alvarado were recognized for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout at their Court of Honor on Sept. 2 at Mission Valley Free Methodist Church in San Gabriel.
All four scouts are members of Troop 365, which is led by Scoutmaster Remy Chu.
The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest rank achieved in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America and only 6% of scouts who join are able to fulfill all the requirements.
To earn this rank, a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, 13 of which are classified as Eagle required merit badges. These include: Cooking, Camping, Communication, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Family Life, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Swimming or Hiking or Cycling, Environmental Science or Sustainability, and Lifesaving or First Aid. There are currently 139 merit badges from which to choose.
In addition, he must demonstrate leadership and community service by organizing and executing an Eagle project. These requirements must be accomplished by the scout’s 18th birthday.
For his Eagle project, Justin designed and created a prayer garden in an alcove at Mission Valley Free Methodist Church.
Daniel organized a food drive and collected two tons of food for the “Friend in Need” food pantry in Pasadena.
Sean’s project involved prepping and painting one wall of the Nichigo Fellowship Hall and replacing a shade sail.
Christopher designed and built an outdoor worship stage when indoor worship services were not possible due to the pandemic. This stage made it possible for the church to hold services outdoors when it was allowed.
All four scouts graduated from high school this year and are either currently attending college or planning to attend next semester.
The troop is chartered by the Mission Valley Free Methodist Church and meets most Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. There is also a Cub Pack on campus that meets on the second and fourth Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. All boys from kindergarten through high school are welcome to visit and new members can join any time.