Matthews – Mint Hill Weekly

MINT HILL – Sean Fisher, a 17-year-old resident of Farmwood in Mint Hill, moved up in ranks from Boy Scout to Eagle Scout in November, but he completed his transition to full-fledged Eagle Scout during his March 7 Eagle Scout Court of Honor at Blair Road United Methodist Church.

“It is truly an honor. I am grateful for all my friends and family and troop members and leaders who’ve supported me through this process, and the ones who were there at my Court of Honor,” Sean said. “It’s one of the most proud days of any Scout’s life to have their Court of Honor.”

Sean achieved Eagle Scout after completing his Eagle Scout Leadership Service project – a landscaping, lighting and irrigation project for his church, Blair Road UMC.

Sean focused on planning, submitting, fundraising, completing and presenting his leadership project between February and November 2014. The job took eight hours and was completed in one day, on April 13, with the help of 20 to 25 people. Sean said the most time-consuming part of the project was having the project approved and sending in his final report, which made up the bulk of the process.

Sean chose to devote his project to beautifying his church’s property because one side of the property had already been landscaped during a past Eagle Scout Leadership Service project. Sean wanted the front, facing the road, to mirror the look of the other area.

“It would create more curb appeal and symmetry,” Sean said.

Sean also took on this project, in part, because of his father. Sean said his dad has been a landscaper for 25 years, and has taught Sean a lot about landscaping.

Sean raised $1,010 to cover the cost of the project, which he did through soliciting donations from more than a dozen Sunday school classes at Blair Road UMC. Donations from church members paid for an automatic irrigation system, a large garden bed, several dogwood trees and a Japanese maple.

Sean said he’s happy with the project’s results and even happier with his journey forward as an Eagle Scout.

Sean started in Cub Scouts when he was 5 years old and crossed over to Boy Scouts seven years later, at 12 years old. He said Scouting has always been an important part of his life.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Sean said. “I’ve made a lot of lifelong friends through Scouting.”

Tracey Fisher, Sean’s mother, refers to her family as a “Scouting family.”

“I’ve been a Girl Scout troop leader in Mint Hill for over 15 years, and Steve (her husband, Sean’s father) is a troop leader for Sean’s troop,” she said.

Fisher also said her family loves camping, which is closely associated with Scouts.

Sean said his troop, Troop 144, normally camped once per month when he was a Cub Scout.  Sean has camped 130 days with his troop thus far. Now that he’s older, he is still involved with camping but also has moved on to more adventurous opportunities.

Sean is currently working on earning his Triple Crown for High Adventure badge. He, along with his father, backpacked 100 miles at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, learned to sail a four-foot sailboat in the Florida Keys at the Florida Sea Base and will rock climb at Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia this summer.

“Philmont was really difficult … They’re all really cool,” Sean said.

Sean said the experiences were even more fulfilling because his father participated with him, adding they were bonding experiences for him and his dad.

“As fathers and Scout leaders, we have to let them fail and learn from (challenges).” Steve Fisher said, adding watching Sean grow as a young man was difficult and rewarding at the same time.

Beyond the outdoors excitement, the Fishers believe Boy Scouts provides important skill-building opportunities that will help Sean achieve future success.

“The leadership skills that Scouts have surpass all other organizations,” Tracey Fisher said.

Steve Fisher agreed.

“It teaches them duty to God, country, self and others. It teaches them to be civic-minded, have honor and integrity,” he said. “It’s character building.”

Steve and Tracey Fisher are proud of their son for becoming an Eagle Scout, and believe this achievement reflects Sean commitment to Scouts and how much he’s grown because of it.