FAYETTEVILLE — When Carson Baker made Eagle Scout earlier this year, his Court of Honor was a little extra special — all four of his older brothers attended and each wore his own Eagle Scout medal. That’s right, five brothers in one family and each one is an Eagle Scout.
The five brothers, sons of Susie and Terry Baker, agree there was never a question about achieving Boy Scouts’ highest honor.
“There were no ifs, ands or buts. I knew I was going to get it done no matter what,” said Peyton Baker, 20 and the middle brother. “I knew it was something I wanted to get done.”
Preston Baker, 21, and the second oldest, agrees. “There wasn’t really a question … just the expectation that we were going to finish. It just kind of happened.”
Mom Susie said much the same thing.
“It’s just been such a part of our life for so long. They (our sons) all knew this is something we’re going to do.”
Susie Baker grew up in Texas and Terry Baker is a Springdale native, but the family relocated several times while Terry worked for AT&T. When he retired in 2008, the family moved to Fayetteville where they’re members of St. Joseph Church.
As for scouting, it was an activity the family has done together.
“We’ve known families where the dads are Eagle Scouts but my husband, he didn’t have the opportunity to be in scouts (when he was growing up),” Susie Baker said. “I think we just had great scout masters and cub masters along the way.”
Terry Baker may not have been a scout while he was growing up but he’s more than made up for it with his sons. He’s gone to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, billed as scouting’s “premier high adventure base” with each son. Youngest son, Carson, credits his dad for helping with his service project.
“My older brothers had a lot of support from (all of us but when) I started working on (my Eagle Scout rank), all my brothers were in college. I got a lot of support from my dad. He was the main person who helped me along the way and I’m really thankful for him.”
Oldest of the brothers, Brandon, 23, recalls one statistic commonly cited by the scouts. “The number they always threw around is that only 2 percent of people that start end up getting Eagle Scout. I can’t imagine it’s changed much.”
The Boy Scouts of America website says 56,176 youths or about 5 percent of its members reached Eagle Scout in 2010. The average age of those reaching Eagle in 2010 was 17. Between 1912, when the rank was first introduced, and 2010, more than 2 million young men have achieved Eagle ranking.
Scouting families know the process isn’t easy. There are six levels to work through (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle) and at least 21 merit badges are required. Each scout is also required to do a community service project.
Surprisingly, five brothers in one family reaching Eagle Scout apparently isn’t a record. A book published in 2009, “Legacy of Honor: The Values and Influence of America’s Eagle Scouts” by Alvin Townley, cites a Las Vegas family of 11 brothers who all became Eagle Scouts between 1982 and 2001.
Brandon, now completing his first year at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, found the Eagle process rewarding.
“I think that it’s very worthwhile,” he said. “It’s definitely something good to have gone through and to have accomplished on your own. You prove to yourself that you can take leadership positions, learn how to be a leader and, I think the most important part is, once you’ve gone through it, it enables you to help those younger than you accomplish the same things.”
Brandon and Preston did complementary service projects in San Antonio, where the family lived a couple of times. Their projects included building sidewalks at the high school they attended. Peyton’s service project was also in San Antonio where he built raised garden beds for an elementary school that wanted to have an outdoor garden.
Fourth son Cameron’s service project was at Fayetteville’s Lake Wilson, where he built an information kiosk with information for hikers and added a park bench as well. Carson’s project was a new footbridge on Fayetteville’s Butterfield Trail.
The brothers are all close in age and as friends. Brandon is attending school in Chicago and Carson, the youngest at 17, is completing his sophomore year at Fayetteville High School. The middle three brothers are all attending the University of Arkansas, each on academic scholarship. The family attends St. Joseph but during the school year, the three UA students often attend St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish.
The brothers know Eagle Scout is a lifetime achievement. “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle,” Brandon said.
