Teen to be honored as Eagle Scout: Marcel Joseph, son of Rico Joseph of Darlington
Walkers and hikers can now enjoy what was once an overgrown and hazardous trail thanks to Marcel Joseph, son of Rico Joseph of Darlington, S.C. The 18-year-old improved a hiking trail for his Eagle Scout project. He is being recognized for his leadership during a Court of Honor ceremony.
Only 6 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the highest rank of Eagle Scout, which requires a lengthy review process of leadership, service and outdoor skills, according to Boy Scouts of America. An Eagle Scout project must benefit and impact an organization beyond the Boy Scouts.
“Being an Eagle Scout is like being a member of a global group of leaders,” Marcel said.
Famous Eagle Scouts include President Gerald Ford, Little Rock Nine student Ernest Green, astronaut Guy Bluford Jr., broadcast and political pioneer Percy Sutton, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, HUD Secretary Samuel Pierce and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
To achieve this coveted rank, which dates back more than a century to 1912, Marcel led a team of 18 people who overhauled a hiking trail at Centennial Park in Ellicott City, Md. The team pulled more than 60 steel stakes, lined the trail with logs, and constructed and installed benches. They spent 158 hours on the project over a period of five days.
Marcel has been a Boy Scout since the fifth grade, when he joined Troop 75 in Columbia, which is part of the Baltimore Area Council. His leadership positions included Camp Fire Coordinator, Assistant Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader.
A 2016 graduate of River Hill High School in Maryland, he studied technology-based art at the Applications and Research Laboratory (ARL). Marcel is now a freshman at Drexel University in Philadelphia, majoring in animation game design and visual effects. He is also a ski instructor at Liberty Mountain Resort in Fairfield, Pa., where he was a member of the racing team. He is also a former soccer player.
He was be recognized for his leadership during a Court of Honor at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church, 6419 Amherst Ave. in Columbia, MD..
He is the son of Rico Joseph of Darlington, S.C., and retired Lt. Col. Michelle Rice Trotter of Columbia.