Notre Dame Academy sophomore Adam Brada recently became an Eagle Scout.

He started Cub Scouts, the lowest rank of scouting, in kindergarten and continued until he became an Eagle Scout this August. 

“I joined Scouts because my dad put me in it, but my brother was also in it so when I saw him get his Eagle I wanted to get mine and be just like him. My dad was also in Scouts,” said Brada.

“What it means to be an Eagle Scout to me is that you follow everything that you have been taught and to keep spreading it and help others. In Scouts, you are there to do the little things that other people don’t take the time to do, like give a helping hand or holding the door for someone,” said Brada.

Before becoming an Eagle Scout there are other rankings such as First Class, Second Class and Life. 

“To become an Eagle Scout takes a great deal of patience and hard work. We had Scout meetings every Monday night, and you had to keep up with the work you were given otherwise you would be taking longer to get your Eagle,” explained Brada. 

An Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scout program. According to Blog Scout Magazine, in 2018 only 6.49 percent eligible Scouts became Eagle Scouts. 

Around 52,000 young men earned Scouting’s highest honor last year. 

As an Eagle Scout, one requirement is to make a “lasting impact on the area where the project will take place and shows leadership to others,” according to Bennet Smith, a junior Eagle Scout at NDA who completed his project last year. 

Brada’s project involved “installing backstop poles and nets behind goals on both ends of this field, like the ones they have at Cornerstone, to keep balls from going into the playground or the parking lot.” 

This contributed a positive impact on the community, which is what the project intends to do. 

Brada is also involved in varsity soccer and cross country at Notre Dame. 

Sam Lagowski, another NDA sophomore, received his Eagle Scout award the same night that Brada did.