By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
While many families are rife with sibling rivalry, the Scholten brothers of Baldwinsville have a long history of helping each other to the next level. Now, the Scholten family has made Troop 107 history by being the first set of three siblings to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
Josh Scholten, 16, was initiated May 23 as an Eagle Scout by his two older brothers, Billy and Robbie Scholten.
“It feels good to be a part of our now good tradition,” Josh said. “The two of them put their effort in and I thought, ‘Now it’s my turn.’”
For his Eagle Scout project, Josh built and installed two benches on the hill in Van Buren Park in November 2015. He held a bottle and can drive to raise money for the materials.
“We used to sled there a lot when we were younger, and I thought about all the parents standing there,” Josh said.
Now, those parents have a place to sit while watching their little ones conquer the slope.
Like his brothers, Josh joined Cub Scouts as a first-grader. In fifth grade, he moved up to Boy Scouts and joined his brothers in Troop 107.
“We would always help each other,” Josh recalled. “They were my mentors. They helped watch over me and guide me, and they helped me become the leader I am today.”
The boys’ mother, Lisa Scholten, said the values of the Boy Scouts of America mirrored what she hoped to teach her boys: helping others, hard work, respect and responsibility. She said Troop 107 is just as proud of her three Eagle Scouts as she is.
“When you’re together that long, it’s like a family,” she said of the troop’s bond. “They have as much in it as we do.”
“I think they’re also proud because there’s been a lot of two-sibling Eagles, but we’re the first three-sibling [Eagle Scouts],” Josh said.
Josh said his and his brothers’ achievements reflected their upbringing as well.
“I think it shows that we’re a hardworking family; we’ll help each other to achieve any goal,” he said.
Outside of Boy Scouts, Josh has a full plate. A 10th-grader at Baker High School, he is on the soccer and track teams and plays trombone in the “Plan Bee” pep band and the jazz band. He works at Wegmans in Fairmount and enjoys snowmobiling and four-wheeling.
“I love getting into all different kinds of things,” Josh said.
Lisa said Billy, who just finished his sophomore year at Syracuse University, and Robbie, who wrapped up his first year at SUNY Morrisville, return to B’ville to help out Troop 107 when they can. Josh plans to follow in their footsteps now that he’s achieved the Eagle Scout rank.
“You can earn more side achievements, like the Eagle Palms,” he said, “but I’m mostly looking to help the next generation of scouts get their Eagle.”
