Over 800 local Scouts honored for achieving Eagle Scout rank

Photo: New Eagle Scouts from the Narragansett Council with National Outstanding Eagle Scouts Lorne Adrain and David Preston

Inaugural Class of 11 Female Eagle Scouts Honored

Over 800 Scouts from the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America were recognized for achieving Scouting’s highest rank, Eagle Scout, at this year’s Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner. The event was held Wednesday, August 24th, at Farm Fresh RI in Providence. Eagle Scouts from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 were honored at the first in person ceremony since the spring of 2019.  

This year’s celebration included the first class of 11 female Eagle Scouts from across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Since girls were officially welcomed into Scouts BSA in 2019, the Narragansett Council has enrolled 568 girls in Scouting.

“Achieving the rank of Eagle Scout means that you exemplify the values associated with this prestigious rank for the rest of your life,” said Tim McCandless, Scout Executive and CEO of the Narragansett Council. “Becoming an Eagle Scout is a significant milestone, symbolizing years of commitment, perseverance and service” said McCandless. 

The Council also presented two special awards – the 2022 National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award to David Preston of North Kingstown and Lorne Adrain of Providence, and the Glenn and Melinda Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award to Tyler Ferreira of Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

This year’s keynote speaker was Lorne Adrain, an eagle scout, philanthropist and community leader. Adrain attended camp Yawgoog as a Scout and has fond memories of washing pots during kitchen duty while on camp staff. He earned his MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a BS from the University of Rhode Island and is the founder of Social Enterprise Greenhouse and Global Fellows in Courage, both aiming to accelerate change for Rhode Island. 

David Preston, an Eagle Scout, was a member of Troop 61 Warwick. He attended Camp Yawgoog each summer and served on camp staff. An attorney, he is a Marine Corps veteran and the founder of New Harbor Group, a regional public policy and strategic communications firm in Providence. Preston has worked closely with the Narragansett Council for over 23 years to share unique local stories about Scouts in the community through news media and other platforms, and assists NCBSA with recruiting new families to Scouting. 

Tyler Ferreira’s Eagle project consisted of planning, designing, and constructing a Flag Retirement Kiosk in Dartmouth. He raised funds by collecting and recycling redeemable cans – spending over 222 hours on the project. 

The Narragansett Council stands out nationally with more than 10,000 Eagle Scouts – only 4% of scouts across the country earn this rank. To become an Eagle, Scouts complete six prior ranks, earn a required minimum of 21 merit badges, and create and lead a service project to meet a need in their community. Projects range from organizing a blood drive, building a walking trail, or hosting a fundraiser to benefit a local charity.

“Most Eagle Scouts dedicate over 100 hours of work to their service projects,” said McCandless. “We’re proud of all that our Scouts have achieved and we’re excited to watch their next accomplishments in life.”

About the Narragansett Council: The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America’s mission is to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The Narragansett Council’s research-backed, youth development programs are for boys and girls ages 6 to 20 through Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Exploring. The council serves nearly 5,000 youth annually in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Pawcatuck, Connecticut. People can learn about Scouting programs and find groups near them at www.BeAScout.org. For more information on the Narragansett Council, please visit www.ncbsa.org or visit us at Facebook.com/NCBSA.