Matt Magelitz
Eagle Thing Feb 21 99
I was never a scoutt.. choice: 4-H or Boy Scouts.. already had a heifer .. didn’t own pocket knife or a tent.
Only other Eagle I knew of.. Gerald Ford.. was afraid you’d have to turn Republican to join.
Seen two ceremonies.. my nephew Doug’s and Josh Post’s last weekend. Doug’s outdoors.. hot, wearing kilts in the sun, standing on a hillside.. Josh’s in front of lady who coughed and talked through the whole thing. This is first one I’ve actually heard.
Faculty at Triopia call Matt Magelitz “The Little Professor.” Serious young man.. Had him in 7th grade for 5 weeks before he smiled.. then.. suspenders crooked.
From what I’ve heard about the requirement for Eagle rank, a young man must go against the grain.. He must go the right way, rather than the way of the world. Matthew Magelitz personifies this in every respect.
Matt is a member of one of the most talent.. and wildest classes at Triopia.. scholars…athletes…actors.. singers…terrorists, extortionists…perhaps a mad bomber or two. Matt takes his place on several of these lists..but where he shines the brightest is in respect to his Character… Last week at Josh’s Eagle ceremony, one of the speakers mentined that Josh didn’t always do what was popular, but he always did what was right. I would gladly borrow that phrase to describe Matthew Magelitz. Fresh from Jr High.. the worst time in life to do what’s right, rather than what’s popular.. Again and again I’ve seen him do this… Forsaking the praise of his peers at times to instead serve his God, please his parents, and do what he knew to be right.
I assume that somewhere along the line, young men occasionally become Eagle Scouts who barely fulfill the requirements. I suppose that now and then a young man will fulfill the basic requirements but may be lacking this thing called Character because it’s so hard to judge. Such is certainly not the case with today’s candidate.
Finally, the biggest test of an Eagle Scout is how he fulfills this covenant as he grows older.. so many ideals mentioned here today can only barely be realized in a person of this age. Albert Sweitzer.. “The only ones of us…” Matt knows how to serve. So far, he is the product of his parents, the adults he admires, and his church. Very shortly, the real test of an Eagle Scout will come into play.. when he makes decisions on his own. And here, it will become truly obvious that Matt deserves the honor you’re bestowing upon him today.
I know of no young man no deserving, and as Matt knows, I never lie.
Congratulations, Matthew.