Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Garcia soars as Ruston’s newest Eagle Scout

Saturday, February 1, 2025
Article Image Alt Text

Courtesy photo
A newly minted Eagle Scout, Jackson Garcia (left) and 4 PAWS Director Sue Martin display the “After Hours Donation Bin” produced as part of his Eagle service project to benefit an organization within his community. The bin is located at the gate of 4 PAWS as a place where people can leave donations in a safe, dry location during hours when the rescue’s gate is closed.


Another Eagle has officially landed in Ruston.

While not every Boy Scout qualifies for the rank of Eagle Scout, Jackson Garcia is now one of the 4% of all scouts who complete the requirements needed to achieve the prestigious rank.

“Our boy has finally completed his Eagle Scout journey,” his grandmother Lisa Holmes said. “He will officially be recognized on May 13 but his journey is complete.”

Garcia, a 17- yearold senior at Ruston High School, has been in scouting since first grade when he joined Pack 45 Cub Scouts. There he achieved the highest award of Cub Scouting, the Arrow of Light, before joining Troop 45 Boy Scouts in Ruston.

He then progressed through the ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life ranks, completing 36 merit badges over the past six years in his “Trail to Eagle” journey.

“Jackson spent hours learning life skills, camping and outdoor skills, service to others and community, financial literacy, and many more skills that he will use throughout his entire adult life,” Holmes continued. “ Along the way, he learned to work with other Scouts and adults as a team toward common goals and how to lead others by demonstrating Servant Leadership.”

In Scouting, the eagle stands for strength of character and knowledge of all phases of Scouting; it also represents an understanding of and deep respect for community and nation. A symbol of what a young man has done as well as what that young man will do and be when he grows to manhood, the eagle is a leader respected by both peers and adult leaders.

“This represents many years of dedicated effort and the successful completion of a long process,” Holmes said. “It’s a demonstration of how people, working together, can truly help mold a young man with a solid sense of leadership, citizenship, and responsibility. I have watched him grow in self-confidence, life skills, and understanding that he is part of a bigger community that needs him.”

To attain the rank of Eagle, a scout must complete requirements for 21 merit badges, 14 of them required. They must also advance through and complete requirements for six different ranks, each increasing in scout skills, leadership, and service.

Along with these requirements, which take years to complete, a scout must plan and conduct a service project to benefit an organization within his community. Garcia selected 4 PAWS Rescue to benefit from his service project.

“He first began volunteering at 4 PAWS to complete his Citizenship in the Community merit badge and then continued to volunteer his time and energy at the rescue,” Holmes explained. “ He and his dad (Jesse Garcia, also an Eagle Scout) spent months working with Sue Martin, the rescue’s director, determining needs and possible service ideas.”

Once Garcia’s project proposal, to build a donation bin at the gate of the rescue plus host a collection day for donations, was approved, he moved forward with planning and implementing the project. The “After Hours Donation Bin” at the gate of 4 PAWS has been a place where people can leave donations in a safe, dry location during hours when the rescue’s gate is closed.

“The bin has been a blessing and people are using it regularly to drop off their donations,” Martin said.

The final Eagle rank requirement is the Eagle Board of Review, where the Eagle candidate engages in an interview before a board of past Eagle Scouts.

Garcia completed his board of review in December, giving him the opportunity to share his experiences and demonstrate through the interview process his confidence and dedication to the program.

With approval of his rank through the board of review completed, Garcia now holds the rank of Eagle Scout. At the Troop 45 spring court of honor, he will be officially recognized for this highest honor in Boy Scouts.

“Being an Eagle Scout is obviously an honor, but it also is an obligation that has been taken on by the Scout,” Holmes added. “ The bar has been set and now Jackson will be held to that standard. His obligation now is to live up to the standards set by being an Eagle Scout.”

Category: