Point Loma High School freshman Eric Cibit was recently honored for achieving the highest rank in Boy Scouts during a picturesque ceremony held at Shelter Island.
Cibit was recognized during an Eagle Scout ceremony attended by about 130 onlookers.
The Point Loma High freshman is a member of Troop 500, sponsored by St. Agnes Catholic Church in Point Loma.
At age 14, Cibit is one of the younger Scouts to achieve Eagle Scout, an honor that is reached by fewer than 4 percent of Scouts nationwide.
One of the requirements for the Eagle Scout rank is to complete a major community service project. For his project, Eric built a bridge at the Famosa Slough Wetlands Preserve. The bridge spans a low spot on the trail which becomes muddy and impassible during wet weather.
His project required coordination with government officials, several fundraising presentations before community groups and management of materials and volunteers. As a part of the Eagle Scout ceremony, Cibit presented a check for $322 to Jim Peugh, chairman of Friends of Famosa Slough, to apply toward the preservation of the wetlands. The amount represents the balance left from the Scout’s fundraising effort after completion of the bridge.
During the ceremony, Peugh discussed the importance of the bridge and expressed the appreciation of his group for a job well done.
Among the other speakers was Correia Middle School science teacher Sean Gardinier. An Eagle Scout himself, Gardinier described the significance of the award and cited an example of Cibit’s character. Gardinier said he believed the single most important thing leading to Gardinier’s selection as 2007 Science Teacher of the Year for San Diego, and subsequently Correia Teacher of the Year, was the compelling and unsolicited letter that Cibit wrote to the San Diego Science and Engineering Fair selection committee nominating Gardinier.
Other recognitions of Cibit’s achievement came from the Shelter Island Rotary Club, District 2 City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, County Supervisor Greg Cox, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the White House.
Cibit’s Scouting experience began when he was a Pack 546 Tiger Cub as a 1st-grader at Silver Gate Elementary School. He advanced through numerous progressively difficult ranks to reach Scouting’s top rank of Eagle Scout. In addition to his required rank advancements, Cibit earned 33 merit badges ” well beyond that required for Eagle ” and served in a number of leadership positions in his troop.
This summer Cibit will serve as a counselor at a Catalina Island Scout Camp. In addition to Scouting, Eric is an honor-roll student, plays in the school orchestra and is a member of the nationally ranked Point Loma High School varsity sailing team.
” Staff and special contribution
