Big Island Eagle Scouts honored during annual luncheon

The Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council Kilauea Service Area (Hawaii Island) recently hosted its second annual Eagle Scout Ohana Luncheon celebrating Hawaii Island’s class of 2016-17 Eagle Scouts at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center.

The road to Eagle Scout is seldom traveled as it is a long and difficult one. Approximately 4 percent of all Scouts reach the highest rank of Eagle, which includes earning 21 required merit badges; planning, leading and executing an Eagle Scout service project; and successfully passing an Eagle Scout board of review.

The class of 2016-17 Eagle Scouts from the Kilauea Service Area are:

• Justin Jennings, Derek Ogi, Trent Terada and Cameron Ventura, Troop 15.

• Nicholas Ohara, Troop 19.

• Casey Kishimori, Troop 23.

• Kenji Emerson and Joshua Watanabe, Troop 78.

• Colby Eilerman, Troop 42.

• Carl Saxer, Troop 67.

• Felix Peng, Benjamin Poppas and Isaac Suffern, Troop 95.

In addition, Big Island attorney Newton Chu received the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award for his commitment to Scouting. He serves on the Aloha Council board of directors and is active in Scouting initiatives, finance and program development.

Barry Taniguchi, CEO and chairman of KTA Super Stores, received the National Alumnus of the Year Award, the highest council recognition. For the past two years, Taniguchi served as president of the Aloha Council.

The Aloha Council Kilauea Service Area thanks the following sponsors for their yearlong support of Scouting: Big Island Toyota, KTA Super Stores, McDonald’s (West Hawaii), DMS Diesel Repair LLC, HPM Building Supply, Ted Hong Attorney at Law, T&T Electric, Newton and Roberta Chu, Terry Ku, Noe Saiki and Helen Shirota-Benevides.

The organization also thanks ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, Na Leo TV, West Hawaii Today and the Hawaii Tribune-Herald for their support.