Eagle Spotting

WE’RE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CAMBRIA EMPLOYEES WHO’VE ATTAINED THE REMARKABLE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT.

By Angela Johnson

In our modern world, a narrowed focus on certain types of success inadvertently overshadows one of the most prestigious and difficult to attain achievements for young people, the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) program.

Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.5 million youth. Children between the ages of 11 and 18 must climb seven scouting ranks, earn 21 merit badges, become a leader within their troop, and complete an approved service project. Eagle Scouts exemplify virtues such as trustworthiness, loyalty, kindness, and bravery—traits most people would love to see more of in the world.

Eagle Scout Steven Cross and son Declan, a Cub Scout.

There are Eagle Scouts among us at Cambria, impressive people, right under our noses, whose teenage accomplishments were so challenging as to be extremely rare.

At Cambria, Machine Operator Ben Wilson is an Eagle Scout. His father and uncle are also Eagle Scouts. Wilson grew up in Le Sueur, MN and his love of the outdoors and camping is what initially attracted him to scouting. But then he discovered scouting taught him all kinds of skills he plans to teach his own kids— skills he didn’t think were unique until he began meeting people in adulthood who couldn’t tie knots. “Nowadays, fewer people seem to have an appreciation for the outdoors,” says Wilson. Scouting opens up that world to young people.

Senior Operations Data Analyst Steven Cross is also an Eagle Scout. So are his brother and father! Cross says, “Scouting provided me with experiences you just don’t get in everyday life, school, or sports. Experiences in the outdoors, like how to tie a lashing or build an entryway, and how to perform life saving activities on land and in water.

It’s all about teamwork and working toward common goals.” Steven and his wife Mollie Cross, who also works at Cambria as an Executive Assistant in the Engineering department, share an appreciation for the value of scouting. Their son participates and she volunteers as committee chair.

And for those daughters and sisters of today who crave a chance to embrace this challenge, the BSA opened its organization in 2019 to girls and young women. Since then, over 1000 females have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout!

Steven Cross, Operations