Senior Benjamin Foltin has always loved being outside and camping, but he never guessed that his love for the outdoors would lead him to find something more meaningful and important in his life.

After six years of participation and preparation in the Boy Scouts, Foltin has recently become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank that a Boy Scout can receive. In order to become an Eagle Scout, Foltin had to work his way up the Boy Scout ranks, participating in countless activities in order to learn and acquire different skills.

“I joined the Boy Scouts when I was in the sixth grade,” Foltin said. “I have had to work really hard to keep moving up the ranks and it is really exciting to finally become an Eagle Scout.”

To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, Foltin had to lead a community service project. Foltin acquired leadership skills that helped him on his path to becoming an Eagle Scout. He oversaw the collection of used bicycles, which he donated to Bikes for the World, a nonprofit organization that distributes used bikes to the needy. He put in 100 hours of work for his project.

“I decided to collect bikes because I worked at the Bikes for the World warehouse,” Foltin said. “I just felt very comfortable working there.”

In order to prepare for his project, Foltin completed paper work and met with the manager of Bikes for the World. He collected over 50 bikes.

According to Foltin, the bikes he collected through his project went to Panama, where many people use bicycles as their primary form of transportation to commute to and from their jobs.

Foltin’s project generated attention from the local ABC station, WJLA, which featured him in a news story. Foltin is still active in the Eagle Scouts today, and on May 16, his Boy Scout troop will convene a Court of Honor officially recognizing his achievement.