Ian Douglas Shaw, 17, of Smyrna was awarded Scouting’s highest rank in Eagle Court of Honor at Stewart Creek Church of Christ on July 25, 2009. Ian is the son of Tim and Charlene Shaw.

In order to achieve the rank of Eagle, a Scout must earn six other rank awards and 21 merit badges, and show leadership by planning, developing and completing a community service project. Ian has earned a total of 36 merit badges. For his Eagle leadership project, Ian organized construction of a footbridge on a rustic walking trail, now under development in the wooded part of Gregory Mill Park.

Ian entered Scouting at the age of six, as a Tiger Cub in Pack 842. He progressed through Cub Scouts and Webelos, earning every rank including Arrow of Light, along with all 20 Webelos activity badges. The pack’s charter organization, VFW Post 8422, recognized Ian as its 2002 Scout of the Year. In 2003 he crossed over to Troop 422, where he has served as the troop’s Librarian, Historian, and Scribe, and for a total of two years as Patrol Leader. He was elected to the Order of the Arrow in 2005, and went through Brotherhood in 2006.

He took an active part in ten of Middle Tennessee Council’s annual popcorn sales. Ian was district top seller six times, and was council’s top seller for three of those years. By doing this, he was able to fund practically all of his own scouting experience, including extended camping trips to the 2005 National Scout Jamboree and, in 2007, to the 21^st World Scout Jamboree in England.

Ian passed his Eagle board of review on January 29, 2009, to become the thirty-third Eagle Scout from Troop 422. Since then he has also completed three Eagle Palms, each calling for 5 merit badges beyond the 21 required for Eagle, plus three additional months of participation and leadership.

A senior at Smyrna High School, Ian is in Beta Club, Beta Epsilon, Historical Society, Junior Classical League, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Science Club, and Youth in Government. This was his fourth year of marching band, playing snare and serving as drumline section leader, and is also his fourth year in Early Morning Jazz band, on drum set. He is currently a member of Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra, and will play drum set in the 2010 Mid State Silver Jazz Band. Ian hopes to enter Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Next year.

Link to Photos