Boy Scout Thomas E. Kersting of Boonsboro Troop 20 has been awarded Eagle Scout rank, the highest in Boy Scouting.
He is the son of Eric and Kim Kersting of Boonsboro.
A Court of Honor to present the award and celebrate the achievement was held on June 2, 2013 at Fort Necessity Pavilion at Washington Monument State Park. Troop 20 Scoutmaster Andy Twigg was master of ceremonies. Donnie Drawbaugh gave the invocation & said grace; Daniel Cook played reveille; Joey Horner and David Drawbaugh were flag-bearers; Zane Poffenberger, Senior Patrol Leader of troop 20, began the ceremony with introductions; Steve Shaffer, Committee Chairman; and Andy Hoffman, Washington County District Chairman for Mason Dixon Council and treasurer of Troop 20 assisted as well. 4 Eagle Scouts from Troop 20, Tyler Garner, David Heim, Joshua Bikle and Nick Dougherty played out an Eagle Challenge skit during the ceremony. Mark Barbernitz, Mason Dixon Council Scout Executive administered the Eagle Charge to Tom.
Presentations were made by Washington County Commissioner Jeff Kline; Boonsboro Town Councilmembers Howard Long and Sean Haart; Hagerstown Model Rail Road Museum members Frank Schaller and William “Bill” Wellman; Bill Shelton of the Boonsboro Lions Club, Charter Organization of Boonsboro Troop 20; Andy Hoffman; Mark Barbernitz and Gerald Cump of Elks Lodge 378, he read the Pledge of Allegiance as written by Redd Skelton and presented an American Flag.
Recognitions were received from President and Mrs. Obama; a Governor’s Citation from Martin O’Malley of Maryland; Resolution from Maryland Senate, Senator Christopher Shank; US Congressman John Delaney; Eagle Scout Mike Rowe (television show Dirty Jobs host); and the Association of Professional Firefighters.
Tom’s Eagle Project was completed on June 29 and 30, 2012 at Hagerstown Model Rail Road Museum, 17230 Shepherdstown Pike, Sharpsburg, MD 21782. He built 2 steps for the entrance; built a platform to display the front plate from engine 102; rebuilt the railing that surrounds the basement entrance so it can be removed and reinstalled easily when needed to get large items in the basement; and repainted the entire building.
Tom started his scouting career in 2003 with Den Chief Susan Myers at Benevola United Methodist Church in Boonsboro earning Arrow of Light Award, the highest award in Cub Scouting; then crossed over to Boonsboro Boy Scout Troop 20 in March 2006. Tom worked his way through the program, achieving Eagle Scout rank on Dec. 14, 2012; he earned 40 merit badges during this time. Tom along with 6 others went to Philmont Scout Reserve, in Cimarron, NM and backpacked 90 + miles in the summer 2010; he achieved Order of the Arrow Brotherhood on 07/05/2012; received the Historic Trails award on 03/19/2013, to get this he hiked the four required trails, Forbes Road trail, the C and O Canal tow path, Mason Dixon section of the Appalachian Trail and Antietam Battlefield trail; and he had 105 camping nights during his boy scout career.
He participated in many special events including 150th encampment at Antietam Battlefield in September 2012; helped set up for Antietam Battlefield Luminaries for many years, and helped pack boxes for the South Washington Co. Military Support Christmas Packages.
Tom graduated from Boonsboro High School June 7, 2013. He was in the marching band, ran varsity on the cross-county, indoor track and outdoor track teams for all four years in high school. He will be going to Hagerstown Community College in the fall to pursue a career as a mechanical engineer.