In June 2024, four Santa Monica teenagers will be recognized with the highest rank one can earn in Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).
The four Scouts are Julian Bender, Quentin Corbel, Cyrus Pruneau and David Zhao. All four young men attended Santa Monica High School. Bender graduated in 2023, while Corbel, Pruneau and Zhao are graduating in June.
All four Scouts were honored at the Troop 2 Eagle Court of Honor on Sunday, June 9 at the Kuruvungna Village Springs on South Barrington in West Los Angeles.
The Eagle rank honors exemplary effort, leadership, and service. Only 8% of Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle. In addition to demonstrating proficiency in first aid, citizenship, camping, swimming, emergency preparedness and many other skills, Eagle candidates must coordinate and complete a community service project that demonstrates significant leadership abilities. Each of the Scouts being honored led a major project to improve the quality of life of people in the community. All of the projects included many hours of work by other Troop 2 Scouts, working under the direction of the Eagle candidates.
The 2024 Eagle Scouts completed the following community service projects:
Julian Bender
I hosted beach cleanups for my Eagle project because they directly address a pressing environmental issue while also demonstrating to younger Scouts the impact their actions can have. Beaches are so much more than recreational spaces. They are crucial ecosystems that support diverse marine life and provide essential functions, like protection from coastal erosion. Sadly, our beaches are often littered with plastic waste and other debris, which poses a threat to wildlife, can be hazardous to visitors, and spoils the beauty of our shores. For the first goal of my project I partnered with Heal The Bay to complete three separate beach cleanups, removing over 40 lbs of trash from two different beaches. My second goal was to educate younger Scouts and inspire them to rectify the damage we’ve done to our coastal ecosystems. Hosting beach cleanups was a way for me to express my personal love for the ocean, but I hope it also inspired others to take action and give back to our community and contribute to the care of our planet.
Undoubtedly my favorite experience during my Troop 2 years was climbing Silver Peak on Catalina island in 2018. While it may not be the farthest I’ve traveled or the most difficult thing I experienced as a Scout, I believe it has had the biggest impact on me as a person. The day started at 4:30am, and I remember struggling with feelings of regret, waking up so early and setting out from our campsite near the beach in the cold morning chill. And it didn’t feel any better as I strained to climb the steep, dusty trail in the dark. The whole thing felt pretty unpleasant. But the experience changed as we neared the top of the mountain. We were hiking the second highest peak on the island, and waiting for us at the top was a spectacular sunrise. Seeing the sun shine out from above the clouds, illuminating the beautiful island below, was well worth the challenge. I felt grateful that I overcame adversity and persevered through the cold. It showed me how much I could accomplish if I just took those first uncomfortable steps out of my warm bed. And, gratefully, the hike back to camp with my friends was warm and well lit and most importantly, all downhill.
Quentin Corbel
My Eagle Scout service project was reforestation in the Will Rogers State Park. This California State Historic Park is facing serious issues due to the loss of many trees in recent years. I worked on the tree planting logistics with the California State Park team for several months, then planted trees in four pre-designated locations over the course of two days, effectively restoring the tree count in those areas. In respect for the history of the park, the planting locations were based on the original "tree lines" chosen by Will Rogers and his team in the 1920s. The project volunteers were excited to help restore the park’s canopy and preserve its biodiversity (California native plants, wild animals, etc) with their efforts. Fifty-eight volunteers invested a total of 194 labor hours in the two day event. Part of my project also involved the creation of a tree planting guide for volunteers that explained the re-planting steps as well as the benefits of the reforestation process. I feel that this project helped preserve a place for future generations to enjoy and learn about nature conveniently close to Santa Monica and the rest of Los Angeles. The project’s success helps ensure that this magnificent historic park is strong and healthy, allowing for the community to enjoy its beauty for years to come. Will Rogers Park sits at the heart of many of Troop 2’s favorite locations: Topanga Park, Temescal Canyon Park and Camp Josepho. Over the coming years, the trees we planted trees will grow with our generation, benefiting the park, the park staff and the many visitors.
Throughout my years with Troop 2, I spent many summers on high adventure trips all over the country, and they were all amazing experiences that I will cherish for a lifetime. If I had to choose a favorite it would be the backpacking trip in the Olympic Mountains in 2019. The Olympic Mountains in Washington State are dense with lush vegetation (being a temperate rain forest) and the views at the 7,000 ft peaks were so stunning and beautiful that my 13-year-old brain could barely comprehend it all. Another fond memory was the time we had to bushwhack though all that lush vegetation after a navigation mistake put us off our intended route. And then there was the day our beachside campsite was completely flooded by the morning tide. Great memories with great friends. I still find it thrilling to think about.
Cyrus Pruneau
For my Eagle project I repainted the curb markings inside the Los Angeles National Cemetery, which is managed by the United States Veterans Administration. On the dozens of curbs, letters identify the rows of the memorials, which makes it easier for visitors to locate their loved ones. Since paint fades and wears away over time, the many curbs markings need to be repainted periodically, so I thought my project would be both helpful and useful. The day we did the painting I was well prepared, but my original plan just didn’t work well, largely due to difficulties with the stencils. This created the necessity for some significant improvisation. Despite this challenge, I managed to maintain calm and clear thinking so that the people I was leading didn’t feel any stress or pressure, and we successfully finished the project within the limited time frame. This national cemetery has burial grounds dating back to 1889 and has 11 veteran facilities. I feel that the efforts of me and my team will help the many visitors to this vast facility find their destinations much more easily.
My favorite experience with Troop 2 was canoing in the Minnesota Boundary Waters. There were so many days when we had beautiful calm water, miles of lush fauna and stunning sunsets. Other days it was not so idyllic, like when we were sheltering during thunderstorms or paddling against massive gusts of wind! But altogether it was a spectacular trip and it feels good to look back at it. One favorite memory was the day we were paddling through shimmering green water surrounded by reeds and lily pads while ducks swam all around us. I also had a great group of people to share this trip with. We cooked good food, sang songs and got eaten alive by mosquitoes at the campfires, and made many memories that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. It really felt like we were livin’ it up at the Hotel California.
David Zhao
Helping my Elementary School was something I’ve always wanted to do, and being able to come back to Franklin Elementary in Santa Monica with a volunteer Scout project all these years later made me feel both proud and grateful. When I first reached out to the school, I had little hope of them responding, but to my surprise the principal emailed me a few days later and we arranged a meeting at the school. We walked around the campus, noting many things that needed to be renovated or cleaned. There were many ways I could have helped, but I thought that building benches for the kids to rest and socialize on during recess and lunch would be the most beneficial. I proposed this to the principal and he agreed. The project was approved and I was very happy with this choice because I feel very passionate about kids always having good friendships to rely on. The construction and painting took two weekends, but once it was done, both the principal and I were very pleased with the result.
Achieving the Eagle rank also means the scouting experience comes to an end for these accomplished young men. The 2024 Eagles were asked what they will remember most about their years in scouting.
For me the most memorable experience of my scouting years was the high adventure trip in the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. I was just an 8th grader on that trip and I had no experience backpacking, so what better way to learn than trekking through the unforgiving Olympic Mountains! As we hiked from mountain peak to mountain peak, I witnessed so many unforgettable scenes in this beautiful wilderness area. The feeling of summiting the peaks filled me with a sense of accomplishment. On the week-long trek we trudged through vasts forests, pranked each other by putting banana slugs on each other, and laughed so hard at the many campfires! We were all so young and full of energy. Descending huge cliffs on a rope with a 30 lbs backpack was not easy, but I did it. One lesson that I learned on the trip was that hard work will always pay off and the more effort one puts in, the more rewarding the outcome.
Troop 2
Troop 2 is one of the oldest and largest Scout troops in the western United States. In its remarkable 77 year history, Troop 2 has awarded Eagle Scout rank to 390 deserving individuals. The storied troop has traveled to Scout camps and high adventure destinations throughout the United States, and all together Troop 2 Scouts have saved more than 67 lives using CPR, water rescue, first aid, and other skills and training.
These four Eagle Scouts flourished in Troop 2 under the care and guidance of Scoutmasters John Matise and Dr. Steve Marcy, and supported by the many Assistant Scoutmasters. Dr. Marcy passed away peacefully in January, 2023, at the age of 77, after serving for 34 years as Scoutmaster of the organization.
Submitted by Liz Grossman
