Matt Wohlleben, 16, Earns Prestigious Eagle Scout Award

Matthew Ryan Wohlleben of Governors Run in Oakton on Sunday received his Eagle Scout designation at a Court of Honor conducted at the Vale United Methodist Church. Friends, family and troop leaders attended the celebration, including his parents Sharon and Paul Wohlleben.

Matt, age 16, a junior at Oakton High School, is a member of Troop 1983 of the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, led by Scoutmaster Dwight Reed. During his scouting career, he has participated in a variety of events, culminated thus far with a trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and a sailing expedition at the Chesapeake High Adventure Sailing Experience. His plans include a scuba-oriented adventure in the Florida Keys next summer at Seabase.

Matt completed his Eagle Project for the Waples Mill Estates Homeowners Association. The purpose of the project was to build two benches on nature trails in the park-like common ground of the association. Matt organized his project into two stages. In stage 1, he and his team built the benches; in stage 2 they cleared the site and installed the benches. The benches are installed adjacent to a bridge and stream in a popular segment of the trail, used extensively by local residents for nature and dog walks and riding horses.

During his remarks at the Court of Honor, Matt recalled that “over the course of my scouting path, I have spent the night in the Pennsylvanian forest under a shelter I built myself, climbed the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains along the Sante Fe Trail, and weathered a derecho from inside a sailboat on the Rappahannock River, but I know that I could not have accomplished any of these feats without the friendship and support of the scouts in my troop.”

The fact that a boy is an Eagle Scout has always carried with it a special significance, not only in Scouting but also for the young man as he enters higher education, business or industry, and community service. Only about 4 percent of all Boy Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Matt is the 101st scout in Troop 1983 to earn the rank since the Troop’s founding 31 years ago.

PHOTO: Mattew Ryan Wohlleben