CLAYTON – A BSA Eagle Court of Honor ceremony was held on April 13, 2024, for Garrett Daniel Petree of the Cleveland Community. Garrett is the son of Tim and Teri Petree and brother to Autumn Petree. In October 2012, at age 6, Garrett joined BSA Pack 64 in Garner, NC. Working his way through the Cub Scout ranks, he achieved the Arrow of Light Award in 2017 and crossed over to Boy Scouts.
In June 2020, Garrett joined Troop 57 in Clayton, NC, serving in several leadership roles over his BSA career including Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and Chaplain’s Aide. In scouting, he has earned 32 merit badges, well over the Eagle Scout required amount of 21, enough to earn his Bronze Eagle Palm and Gold Eagle Palm along with his rank of Eagle.
Garrett is an outdoors enthusiast and has earned every merit badge related to fishing. He has also earned the 50th Anniversary Environmental Protection Agency Award and the Complete Angler Award. His Eagle Scout project was to design and lead the building of several “Georgia Cubes”, artificial fish habitats that promote the conservation and development of various fish species. The cubes were submerged in the lake at the non-profit Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Four Oaks, NC. An interpretive educational sign educating the public on game fish and the benefits of the conservation cubes was also installed.
One of the most exciting aspects of Scouting for Garrett has been attending all four of the BSA High Adventure camps. The Philmont Scout Ranch In New Mexico challenged him and his crew to hike more than 75 miles and summit Baldy Mountain at 12,441 feet. He earned his 50-Miler Hiker Award for this camp. The following summer he attended Northern Tier in Minnesota where he portaged and camped the Boundary Waters between the US and Canada. He and his crew paddled over 130 miles and earned the 125 Miler Award.
In the summer of 2023, he earned the rare Triple Crown Award by attending the Florida Sea Base Scuba Adventure. The crew participated in 10 underwater ocean dives in the Gulf of Mexico, including a night dive. Finally, Garrett earned the coveted Grand Slam Award by attending Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia for the Marksman experience. The crew spent a week learning about gun safety while experiencing a wide variety of firearms including high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns, and archery. Capping off the trip, they white-water rafted class 4 rapids on the New River together.
During his Eagle Scout Court of Honor, Garrett was presented with the North Carolina flag from NC House of Representative Donna White, the Eagle Scout Good Citizenship Award from Eagle Scout Coordinator Bob Long of the Johnston County Marine Corps League Carry-On Detachment 1236, and the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution’s Eagle Scout medal presented by Ken Van Valen, Eagle Scout Chairman.
Currently, Garrett is dual enrolled as a senior at West Johnston High School and Johnston Community College and will earn his Associate’s Degree from JCC next month before graduating from West Johnston High School in June of this year. In addition to his heavy course load and Scouting activities, he works in the accounting department at Piedmont Service Group part-time and is part of the National Honor Society. He plans to attend UNC Wilmington in the fall of 2024, where he will study Accounting followed by Law.
Trail Life > SoA