MARYSVILLE — Four Marysville Boy Scouts were accorded the highest honor in Scouting on Dec. 11, when Boy Scouts of America Troop 80 presented the rank of Eagle Scout to Kyle Bossom, Ethan Hirsch, T.J. McKinney and Spencer Sandlin.

During the Court of Honor ceremony at the Marysville Free Methodist Church, candles were lit by Scouts at each of the six Scouting ranks on the trail to the Eagle Scout rank, as well as in honor of the 12 foundational traits of the spirit of Scouting.

After the Scouts and their mothers pinned Eagle badges on each other, the Scouts’ fathers placed the Eagle neckerchiefs on their sons. Both parts of this ceremony recognized the families’ encouragement and support of their sons’ Scouting.

Bossom began his Scouting career at the age of six and kept with it, even as he played football and wrestled throughout middle school. He now attends Everett Community College and plans to transfer to Eastern Washington University or Willamette University. He also works at the Merrill Gardens Retirement Community and has coached the offensive line for Marysville-Pilchuck High School’s freshman football.

“I learned a lot in Scouting and football about how to be a great leader, the importance of hard work and perseverance, and just being a good friend,” Bossom said.

Hirsch has yet to complete his high school career, but he’s already planning on going to college to become an agricultural diesel technician, a career path that he hopes will take him to Montana where he has relatives and would enjoy working for Case Equipment.

“The reason I want to work there is that during the harvest the guys that know diesel tractors get work, and then when the harvest is over it’s hunting season,” Hirsch said. “I love to hunt and fish.”

McKinney’s academic record at the Marysville Arts and Technology High School includes membership in the National Honor Society, as well as terms as treasurer and vice president of his class during his freshman and sophomore years, respectively. In addition to his volunteer work, McKinney began taking college courses at 15 and was a full-time student at Everett Community College by his junior year. He’s working to obtain his high school diploma and his associate’s degree at the same time, after which he plans to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz.

T.J. McKinney echoed the thanks that Bossom and Hirsch gave to his father, Troop 80 Scoutmaster Brian McKinney, for his mentorship, but T.J. also took the time to thank Jonette Rice, a family friend, for teaching him to exercise both patience and effort in achieving his goals.

Sandlin, a senior at Marysville Getchell High School, thanked his grandfather, who had already passed away, for teaching him never to give up. He also included his parents in his words of thanks, noting the sacrifices they made to support the continuation of his Scouting career.

“I like to help people and solve problems,” said Sandlin, who hopes to pursue criminal law as a career to accomplish these aims. “I’ve had many wonderful experiences in Scouting and learned lots of life lessons along the way. I’ve made hard choices, but I believe those were necessary to get to this point and I would never change that.”

Timothy O’Kelly, another Boy Scout from Troop 80, also earned his Eagle Scout rank, but he was unable to attend the ceremony due to attending Whitworth College on an ROTC scholarship.