Josh Brenneman, 18, of Prospect was following a family tradition when he achieved Eagle Scout status earlier this year. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Josh Brenneman, 18, of Prospect was just following a family tradition when he recently completed the requirements to become an Eagle Scout.

“I have a brother (Jim) who was an Eagle Scout before me,” said Josh. “My father (Mike Brenneman) got me into Scouts. He was also an Eagle Scout.”

Josh, who is a 2022 Slippery Rock Area High School graduate, was a member of Troop 33 of Prospect under the leadership of Scoutmaster Brian Jesteadt.

“Josh joined us a few years ago. He’s been a senior patrol leader. He’s an active member of the Order of the Arrow Kuskitannee Lodge 168. He was a mentor for the younger Scouts in the troop,” said Jesteadt, an Eagle Scout himself from Troop 33.

Josh joined the Boy Scouts in 2017 as a part of Troop 235 in Cambridge Springs in Crawford County and joined Troop 33 when his family moved to Prospect.

Josh received his Eagle badge during an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony Jan. 29 at the Presbyterian Church in Prospect, the sponsor of Troop 33.

“There are quite a few requirements for Eagle Scout,” Josh said. “I’d say I started working directly on the Eagle badge in 2020, 2019. I got all the stuff done in late April of 2022.”

Eagle Scout requirements include being active in troop as a Life Scout for at least six months, earning a total of 21 merit badges and completing a service project.

The project he picked was to place a bench and complete gravel repair of a section of Oak Woods Trail at Jennings Environmental Education Center, 2951 Prospect Road in Brady Township. He was aided in his effort by fellow Troop 33 members.

“Easily a dozen of our Scouts helped him,” said Jesteadt. “That’s a big part of the project: management and team activity.”

“It was probably a half mile total of trail work we did. We had to widen the trail a bit to accommodate some the rangers’ vehicles and put in gravel in spots that had been washed away,” Josh said.

“When we started work last April, there was a good amount of my troop that helped on the project both youth members and parents. It was very helpful,” said Josh.

“It was a wooden bench. We had to paint it with a paint color the park provided to protect it,” he said. “We did most of the bench and gravel, but we came back the second day because of the weather. That’s when we did a majority of the gravel work.”

His troop does annual maintenance, such as clearing brush, at Jennings. The idea for his project came from one of the rangers, Josh said.

“My brother was helpful but my dad was a big part of how I got Eagle in the first place. I don't think I could have done it without him,’” said Josh. “He gave me a lot of practical advice and encouragement.”

Eagle is the highest rank one can achieve in scouting, and Josh earned his badge just before he aged out of the Scouts at 18.

Josh, who said he’s working on his future plans said he was grateful for his Scout experience.

“It’s definitely the fastest way to learn respect and leadership roles. I think it is one of the best programs out there for that sort of thing,” he said. “I pursued outdoor programs the most. It’s unique and does a good job of teaching youth.”

Josh’s Eagle badge was the third one awarded in two months to members of Troop 33.

Jesteadt said Andy Hudak and Lucas Jesteadt had their own Eagle Court of Honor ceremony in December.

Jesteadt said Hudak restored the cemetery headstones at the Prospect Presbyterian Church as his Eagle Scout project. Lucas Jesteadt, who is Brian Jesteadt’s son, repaired erosion damage on trails at Alameda Park.

Jesteadt said about 20% of Troop 33’s 16 members have achieved the rank.