Michael Ederer was presented with his Eagle Rank at a special Court of Honor held in the auditorium in the East Hills Elementary School on April 17. Nationally only about three percent of all boys who begin in scouting ever earn scouting's highest honor, and politicians and dignitaries were on hand to offer their congratulations.

Rabbi Lee Friedlander of the Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore opened the "Court" with an invocation. After a brief explanation of the significance of the Eagle rank by Life Scout Dan Mageau (who served as Master of Ceremonies), there was a candle lighting ceremony conducted by some of the boys in the troop. Scout Executive Ed McLaughlin represented the Theodore Roosevelt Council and administered the Eagle Oath. He presided over a moving ceremony in which Michael had the Eagle Medal pinned to his uniform with his parents on stage by his side.

Nassau County Director of Veterans Affairs Edward Aulman, Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink, and District Court Judge Andrea Phoenix each made presentations to Michael, as did Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth and Christine Turner, President of the Herricks Board of Education. Letters of congratulations were received from President and Mrs. George Bush; US Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama; State Senator Craig Johnson and others.

Congressman Gary Ackerman, himself an Eagle Scout sent an American Flag which had been flown over the Capitol building in Michael's honor, and State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel sent a New York State flag, along with her congratulations.

One of the many requirements for Eagle is the completion of a significant community service project. Each candidate must plan, coordinate and implement the project by managing others in the completion of the tasks. The project is designed to teach leadership and responsibility, not merely to ensure hard work. Michael successfully designed and constructed a sukkah for the benefit of his congregation, the Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore. A sukkah is a temporary hut, erected during Sukkot, the Jewish holiday commemorating the 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. The congregation spends time in, and takes meals in the sukkah each year during the holiday. The challenge was not merely to build a structure - but one that could be taken apart for storage, and reassembled year after year for the benefit of the congregation. It not only filled a true need of his synagogue, but served as quite an introduction to those unfamiliar with Scouting's meaningful service to the community.

In recognition of this and other community service efforts, Michael was presented with the American Legion's Outstanding Citizen Medal by Dr. Anthony Buzzitta and James Brooks the Commander and Vice Commanders respectively of American Legion Post 304 of Manhasset. He also received recognition from Jewish Committee on Scouting's Chairman Alan Yanofsky of Merrick, and from the National Eagle Scout Association's Arthur Eldred chapter representative, Lt. Cmdr. Bill Kempner of Albertson.

Troop 267 was established in 1992 in the Roslyn/Albertson/Searingtown area. The troop's program teaches self-reliance, leadership, and responsibility to boys ages 11 - 18 in the community, at weekly meetings and on monthly camping trips. (The Cub Scout Pack is open to all boys 6 - 10.) While not everyone becomes an Eagle Scout, every boy who enters the program takes away skills he can use for a lifetime. If you have a son or grandson who could benefit from the scouting program, call 621-1634 for registration information.