Riverhead teen Eddie Bedell earns rare Eagle Scout rank
Since its formation in 1911, only 4% of Scouts have earned the title of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable within the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. And one Riverhead High School senior just achieved it.
Eddie Bedell, 18, has officially been part of the scouting world since he was in first grade. He started in a troop in Riverhead that his mom, Amy, led before heading to Wading River and East Hampton, ultimately finishing his scouting tenure with a troop in West Islip. Despite what the paperwork may say, Mr. Bedell was truly a scout from birth. He was meant for this — it was in his blood.
“My family has always been big into scouting,” Mr. Bedell said. “My mom got the highest rank in the Girl Scouts. My grandpa was a pack leader in East Hampton. All my uncles were in scouting. It was inevitable that I would follow in their footsteps.”
Over the years, Mr. Bedell worked hard to earn badges every time he attended a camp. Attaining Eagle Scout wasn’t always something he desired, but as the badges started to pile up and he grew older, it became apparent that the highest rank was within reach.
There are numerous requirements to be considered an Eagle Scout. One of them is that a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges in total, with 14 of them specifically tied to Eagle Scout requirements. Some of these required badges include personal fitness, communication, family life, first aid and even cooking. During his time with the scouts, Mr. Bedell earned 34 badges.
“The badges are really geared towards your interests, which I thought was super cool,” he said. “But the required badges definitely challenged me, including the one that had me conquer my fear of public speaking. Everything you do in Scouts translates to the real world. You learn so much and truly become a well-rounded individual.”
A scout also has to serve in a leadership position for at least six months, demonstrate Scout Spirit, attend a Scoutmaster conference, complete a significant community service project and then take part in a final Eagle Scout board of review.
Mr. Bedell took his time deciding what to do for the community service project was something. His intention was to leave a lasting impact on the town he grew up in.
“I wanted to do something at Aquebogue Elementary School,” Mr. Bedell said. “I had so many great memories there as a kid. Some of the best teachers I ever had were in that school.”
His first idea was to create a raised garden bed, but that was shut down because of it being a potential tripping hazard. While walking around the playground at Aquebogue, Mr. Bedell noticed that the picnic table by the trees that was there when he was a child had become dilapidated. Creating a new table became the first part of his contributions to Aquebogue.
“I wanted something that would last long, so I used composite,” he said. “I also made it wheelchair accessible because I feel like people with disabilities aren’t seen enough. I made it octagon-shaped, so now they can pull right up to the table and have someone to the left and right of them.”
Mr. Bedell was also inspired to make a bench in commemoration of his favorite teacher, Keri Stromski, who was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer and passed away at age 48 in 2021.
“I was always very close with the Stromskis,” he said. “She was a teacher in Aquebogue, but I was also in Troop 161 with her son. I wanted to honor her. She loved Winnie-the-Pooh in her classrooms, so I chose a Winnie-the-Pooh quote.“
Mr. Bedell’s bench that sits by the back of the school reads, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
It’s a quote that he took and held on to his entire life.
Eagle Scout has to be reached before the scout’s 18th birthday. Mr. Bedell got all the requirements completed a week before he turned 18.
“It was a long road with a lot of steps and paperwork, but I’m glad I stuck with it and reached Eagle,” he said. “It’s a major achievement, and I’m proud to be able to say that I did it.”
