Kyle Rex and Benjamin Gangaware, of Boy Scout Troop 261, Breinigsville, were recently inducted into an elite group of young men.

The two joined the ranks of Eagle Scouts Sam Walton, James Lovell, Hank Aaron and President Gerald R. Ford, among other notables.

Rex and Gangaware, who became friends in first grade, have spent the last 12 years in Scouting encouraging each other when needed.

They celebrated their accomplishments during their Eagle Court at Ziegels Union Church, Breinigsville.

Rex obtained the rank of Eagle Scout Aug. 25, 2011, but decided to wait for Gangaware to complete his requirements to celebrate their achievements together.

For his project, Rex cleared the nature trail at Ziegels Union Church, which had become overgrown and impassable.

He also rebuilt the alter at the outdoor chapel.

Gangaware completed his requirements on March 22, after rebuilding the fire pit and patio at the entrance to the nature trail.

Each was expected to spend at least 100 service hours planning and executing their project as well as soliciting funding and building materials required to complete the project.

At the Court of Honor, Lutheran Pastor Bruce MacLaughlin, an Eagle Scout himself, congratulated both young men.

"What you have earned and what you have achieved will be with you for the rest of your life," MacLaughlin said.

Assistant Scoutmaster Larry Wiersch spoke of his experiences with Rex and Gangaware, reminding the audience the two began as Tiger Scouts in first grade with Cub Pack 61, under the guidance of their parents, Shawn Gangaware and Laurie Rex, den leaders.

They advanced through the Boy Scouting program earning the Arrow of Light award in 2005 prior to advancing into Boy Scout Troop 261 where they would obtain the rank of Eagle Scout.

Wiersch said they were comfortable with nature and could identify safe plants and animals.

He called Rex and Gangaware "avid outdoorsmen."

Part of their journey included one week each summer at Camp Trexler, a Boy Scout camp in the Pocono Mountains, where they worked toward earning badges.

One of the highlights of their Scouting years was traveling to the Florida Keys with their fathers and leaders, Jeff Rex and Shawn Gangaware and other Scouts to experience Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, a Boy Scouts of America experience, where they participated in the Out Island Adventure program. The week included camping on the beach in July, snorkeling, shark fishing and deep sea fishing.

Other guests at the Court of Honor included Eagle Scout Joel Schmoyer of Kutztown.

Schmoyer obtained his rank in 1997 and presented the Eagle Scout Challenge and Oath to the two soon-to-be Eagle Scouts.

After receiving their Eagle Scout awards, presented by Scoutmaster Todd Williams and Wiersch, Rex and Gangaware addressed family and friends.

Rex said he always knew he would earn Eagle Scout rank.

He credited watching older Scouts obtaining the rank and his parents for motivating him.

He thanked his parents for their support and encouragement when he needed it.

"I would like to encourage any boy who is thinking of joining Cub Scouting or Boy Scouting, they should do it," Rex said. "It's worth the time and effort. I got to do so many things in scouting, that I wouldn't have been able to do if I wasn't in Scouting."

Gangaware thanked his grandparents, relatives and friends for supporting Scouting and he thanked Don and Leslie Dietrich, owners of "Four Seasons and Valley View Landscaping" and his fellow Scouts for helping with his project.

"Lastly, I would like to say thank you to Scouting in general, because it taught me so many things and prepared me for the future," Gangaware said.

After watching a compilation of photos following their scouting journey, Pastor Candi Cain-Borgman read "One Hundred Scouts," which includes the following: "Of any 100 boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that 30 will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but in later life all of these will remember that they had been Scouts and will speak well of the program..."

Rex is attending Kutztown University, where he is studying communications design.

Gangaware is attending Slippery Rock University, studying environmental science.