Alejandro Mejia received his Eagle Scout Award at a court of honor on Friday, January 15, 2016 at the Veteran’s Center. His Eagle Project was setting up baseball foul poles on both Old Mill Baseball fields for the City of Mesquite. Alex earned 30 merit badges; only 21 are required to receive the Eagle Award. He said his favorite merit badge was Wilderness Survival when he had to build a shelter and sleep in it. He is a freshman at Virgin Valley High School where he is a member of the football and basketball teams. He is a member of Troop 2060 sponsored by the Elks Lodge and is the son of Shelia and Miguel Mejia. Petra Jones, his scoutmaster, gave him the Eagle Charge. “I challenge you to be a responsible citizen and to be an example to the younger scouts. Scouting has given you great opportunities and now you have a responsibility to serve your fellow scouts and help them on the trail.” The Eagle award was given to his mother to pin on his uniform. Alex gave his dad a pin also to thank him for his help in reaching his rank of Eagle Scout. Mr. Mejia said, “I have worked with the troop since Alex started in cub scouts and I was his Webelos Leader and it is a great occasion to see him receive his Eagle Award!” Father Blaise of the Catholic Church spoke about the scout law and said, “Reverence is the last article of the scout law but it is not in last place or in first place, it holds up every other word; it is the whole. Without reverence the rest of it will collapse. A scout being reverent is so vital to everything he does.” Alex gave his mentor pin to Ms. Jones. She has taught me everything I know about scouting,” he said. Ms. Jones has been the scoutmaster for 6 years and served 6 years’ prior as assistant scoutmaster in Troop 60. Alex spoke to the scouts in his troop and told them, “Keep on working at it although it is hard you learn so many new skills. I thank God for helping me and Roger Gessell. I want to thank you fellow scouts for helping me with my project.” Alex was presented with a pocketknife engraved with “Eagle Scout” by Duane Thurston of the Virgin River Valley BSA.
