The sky's the limit for W.H. Eagle Scout

Honorably achieving the highest rank in scouting, 18-year-old James Kaminski, member of Boy Scout Troop 240, earned the Eagle Scout status last weekend.

The Court of Honor Ceremony, which took place at the West Hempstead Fire House on Sunday, March 13, was attended by friends, family and former teachers of Kaminski, a senior at Chaminade High School. It followed the completion of Kaminski’s required community service project, one of the last steps toward achieving Eagle rank.

Kaminski chose to revitalizing and restore the flagpole outside the St. Thomas School in West Hempstead — the school he had attended for 12 years. He added plants and stepping stones to the garden area around the flagpole, and replaced the rope along which the flag is raised and lowered. Kaminski’s mother, Kathryn, said her son spent more than 100 hours on the restoration.

The purpose of the project, Kaminski said, was to improve the aesthetics of the facility and “give back” to the school.

In his Eagle Scout address, Kaminski gave many thanks to his family members, friends and fellow troop members. He also thanked Fischetti Nursery and Westminster Nursery in West Hempstead for their generous donations to his project.

“This is a training ground for leaders,” said Troop 240 Scoutmaster Gary Port at the Court of Honor Ceremony. “Service projects demonstrate leadership.

Noting that five members of his troop have achieve Eagle Scout rank this year alone, Port went on to say that it takes dedication and hard work to come as far as Kaminski has.

“These are the people who want to be leaders of tomorrow,” Port said of his Eagle Scouts. Of the number of scouts who reach the ranking, Port said, “The potential is in the single digits … most boys don’t make it.”

Kaminski started his scouting journey in the first grade as a Tiger Scout. Since then he has been dedicated to the scouts, earning 32 badges and taking on leadership roles whenever possible. It was only natural for him to advance to the Eagle Scout ranking.

“It’s a certain degree of self-pride,” he said of his decision to pursue the status.

Working up to this rank takes much dedication — something of which Kathryn Kaminski believes her son to possess a lot. “He is a very committed and dedicated child,” she said. “[He] makes connections — people gravitate towards him.”

The Scout’s Board of Review, which determines whether a Scout is eligible to become an Eagle Scout, seemed to gravitate toward Kaminski. Review his leadership skills in church, at school and in the community, and seeing that he far exceeded the 21-badge requirement, the board determined Kaminski achieved the ranking back in November.

According to his mother, Kaminski plans to study architecture in college. He has been already been accepted by the New York Institute of Technology and the State University of New York at Buffalo, but has yet to decide on where he will attend.

Kaminski continues to stay involved in his parish, currently teaching in its Religious Education program and serving as a Eucharist Minister for the church.