Bedford Teen Earns Rare Honor

Joining the rank of only four percent of the boys in the nation, Chase Hughes, 15, of Bedford, has earned the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts, the Eagle Scout Award.

Hughes will be recognized in Court of Honor ceremonies on August 19, at 7 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Manchester.

A member of Boy Scout, Troop No. 388, each candidate must earn 21 merit badges and successfully complete a community, church, or synagogue-related service project to earn his Eagle; Hughes chose to earn 38 merit badges and the coveted Eagle Scout award.    

His Eagle Scout project consisted of collecting and packing hygiene kits to be hand delivered to the Faithful Servants Mission in Bajo Tejares, San Ramon, Costa Rica. 

Hughes enlisted several dozens community members and organizations, such as Bedford Little League, Bedford Women’s Club and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Bedford resident, Bob Martucci made a significant contribution of hygiene kits toward the project.

In addition, Hughes spent a week serving in Costa Rica at the mission in June 2011 working with the Spanish speaking children. Many hours of his day resulted in playing basketball with the youth. As a result, he was able to bond with many of the boys despite the language barriers. 

The community in Costa Rica consists of mostly Nicaraguan refugees that are considered “outsiders” and a burden on the country. Many people live in wooden shacks with dirt floors surviving on day labor, drug trafficking and prostitution according, to Faithful Servant Mission.

The trip didn’t start off smooth either, said Hughes  “We were in a car wreck hit by a drunk driver in Orlando on an overnight flight layover,” said Chase. “For a minute I thought to myself, ‘What am I doing?’  We aren’t even to the country yet and we are already having problems,” he said. 

But everything went fine once they landed. 

In addition to the 150 hygiene kits, Hughes spent the remainder of the donated money buying sporting goods once he saw the quality of the equipment they were using.

“I have so many basketballs and soccer balls in my garage, and they are hard pressed to have one decent one,” he added. “I immediately responded and went shopping with the sports director, Henry Granados, all of the youth were really excited.”

“Costa Rica was an experience that helped a lot of people out. Planning my Eagle project took a lot of leadership and scout involvement, but once I got my idea down and asked people in the community, it became a huge success.” Hughes said. “The people in Costa Rica were so poor and didn’t have many supplies. They were so grateful for the things we brought down. 

Hughes joins other outstanding American citizens who have become Eagle Scouts, among them former President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, cinematographer Steven Spielberg, and the head of the F.B.I., William Sessions.

“Now, I feel a little more responsibility to give to others and make a difference in the life of someone” said Hughes. “Go on as many camp outs as you can and learn all of the advance skills taught to you, most of all have fun.” are just a few words of advice Hughes gives younger scouts.

Hughes, son of Brian and Angela, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is an incoming freshman at Trinity High School and active in football, basketball, and baseball.

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