15 Year Old Has Special Birthday

A local teenager had a very special birthday that he will never forget. John Ross Peedin was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on January 12th which was also his 15th birthday. The Eagle Scout ceremony was held at Hopewell Free Will Baptist Church near Smithfield.

John completed all of his Eagle Scout requirements and finished his Eagle Scout Board of Review while he was only 14.   That’s an amazing accomplishment since most Scouts across the nation do not complete the requirements until their junior or senior year of high school.

John also earned 53 Merit Badges and 6 Eagle Palms on his journey and plans to continue in Scouting by giving back to younger Scouts by teaching them the skills and knowledge he has learned.  He currently holds the position as Senior Patrol Leader in Boy Scout Troop 66 of Smithfield.

For his Eagle Scout project, John installed smoke detectors and co2 detectors at Hopewell Free Will Baptist, created evacuation maps, handout brochures, and trained the congregation and children on how to safely evacuate in an emergency. He is a member of the Future Farmers of America at Cleveland High School where he is a freshman. John plans to attend Johnston Community College in the future and further his education in biology and science as a Veterinary of Medicine at NC State.

During his Eagle Scout Court of Honor, John was presented with the Eagle Scout Good Citizenship Award from the Marine Corps League Department of North Carolina Assistant Eagle Scout Coordinator Devell “Bull” Durham Jr. (right), and the Johnston County Marine Corps League Eagle Scout Coordinator Lewis W. Rice III (left).

John is the son of Steve and Angela Peedin of Clayton.