Fraternal 18-year-old twins Christopher (right) and Shawn Maloney finish a project this month to become Eagle Scouts. Both entered Boys Scouts in first grade and graduated different high schools this year. When asked which one is the more serious of the two, both laugh and Shawn points in Christopher’s direction, Thursday, June 7, 2012, Philadelphia, Pa. (Maria Pouchnikova)
Christopher and Shawn Maloney are Eagle Scouts.
That’s a rank most Boy Scouts don’t attain, Shawn said Thursday during an interview in their Bustleton home. He estimated maybe one in 200 become Eagle Scouts.
What probably makes the brothers’ achievement even more extraordinary is that the 18-year-olds Evans Street residents are twins who became Eagle Scouts at the same time this past December.
But although they both earned Scouting’s highest honor while members of Boy Scout Troop 174, they didn’t do it all together. Each had very different and very separate Eagle Scout projects.
To attain Eagle Scout designation, a Scout must accumulate more than two dozen merit badges and rack up 100 hours of community service before even getting a project off the ground.
For the twins, it all started in first grade in Maternity BVM parish school in Bustleton when they joined the Scouts.
Christopher, a Father Judge grad, said an Eagle Scout project must help the greater community. He decided to do something for his high school.
He put up new shades in the school’s art room, his mother, Lisa Maloney, said. He obtained art supplies, cleaned windows and desks, repainted cabinets, supplied new shelves and reorganized books.
It’s not a solo act, he said. Scouts get other members of their troop, family and friends to help out.
“It’s about leading people, showing them how to do it right,” Christopher said.
“You show your leadership skills,” Shawn agreed, adding he also was helped by Scouts from his troop as he collected letters, toiletries, books and gum to make up 75 packages to send to American soldiers stationed overseas.
Putting those packages together turned out to be only part of the project. Shawn, who is graduating from Connection Academy, conducted a pretzel sale to raise $700 to pay for the postage needed to mail those parcels. ••
