Building the Bridge from Boy Scout to Eagle Scout

Its not easy to become an Eagle Scout. While being a is a popular pastime for many, those who go on to successfully become Eagle Scouts are few.  Matthew Waldman of Canton is hammering away to become one.  The youngest of three boys, Waldman grew up in an Eagle Scouts atmosphere.  Both of his older brothers pursued and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and the family’s driveway was often the staging site for many Eagle Scout projects.

In order to achieve this prestigious honor, a boy must show leadership and ingenuity. He must craft a project that will enrich the community.  Along the way, he must design the project, present it to necessary town officials who may need to approve it, and most importantly, rally the “troops"–becoming  the true leader of a daunting undertaking and effectively reaching out for help on the final construction.

Matt Waldman will soon present his finished Eagle Scout project to the national board of Eagle Scouts.  For the past several months, he has collaborated with the Science Department to discuss ways to enrich the learning potential of the Outdoor Classroom that was recently built in the large woodland abutting the GMS soccer fields. The youngster designed a “destination bridge” in which residents of Canton can take a short hike to and observe a vernal wetland sans mud. The trail to the bridge will link to the trail to the Outdoor Classroom. The Outdoor Classroom was built as an Eagle Scout project by Pat Mangan.

On a recent Saturday morning, the Waldman family was up at dawn, organizing lumber and tools on the driveway.  Soon, a group of Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts  appeared, well before most teenage boys are out of bed. Driving from Rhode Island to lend a helping hand, Matt’s grandfather, Walter Hazard, shared woodworking advice with the group, as they assembled part of the bridge.

“It teaches them responsibility, to keep trying and it gives them hands-on experience with handtools,” said Walter Hazard.

Tim Zoidis, a Boy Scout of Canton, couldn’t agree more.

“I don’t usually get to build a bridge everyday!  Boy Scouting is something special,” said Tim.

One of the remarkable things about Eagle Scouts and Boy Scouts in general is their team spirit. When one person is organizing a major project and needs manpower to complete an Eagle Project, its not unusual for Boy Scouts from the local area to show up and volunteer, whether they know the scout or not. 

Dan Noyes, an Eagle Scout from Stoughton, explained, “I enjoyed the experience of earning my Eagle Scout and I like to help other people achieve it.”

Troop 77 Leaders Tim Mangan and David Emhardt were on site to help as well.

“What’s fun is we just show up and work. The Scout has to do all the planning, and we watch the Scout demonstrate leadership skills while the community gets improved,” explained Mr. Emhardt after a long day of working on the bridge.

While Mathew still must complete the notebook-length set of paperwork to officially be recognized as an Eagle Scout, he has clearly followed in the Eagle Scout tradition of demonstrating group leadership, innovation and craftsmanship as he brought the bridge-idea to life.

For younger boys who dream of becoming an Eagle Scout, Troop 77 is a great Troop to learn from, the scouts and families said.

“This is a great troop!” extolls Karin Robison, Matt’s aunt, who came to show her support.  “They have produced many Eagle Scouts.”

When asked what he liked most about the process of becoming an Eagle Scout, Matt was thoughtful and practical in his response.

“It is a great way to meet people, it helps with people-skills, helps with college applications and helped prepare me for life,” he said.