Jonathan Eric Regets began his journey toward becoming an Eagle Scout a decade ago as a Cub Scout.

His efforts culminated on Sunday during an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony at Faith Lutheran Church, Hokendauqua. The 18-year-old Whitehall High School senior received the Eagle rank and pin in front of family, friends, dignitaries and fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 32. The ceremony chronicled Regits' ascension to becoming an Eagle Scout.

The son of Denise and David Olejnick and the late Mark J. Regits, he became a Cub Scout in second grade. He later became a Boy Scout and then a Tenderfoot. He held the rank of patrol leader and senior patrol leader and was an Order of the Arrow representative.

Regists is a member of the Witauchsomen Lodge No. 44, where he is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He has earned more than 21 merit badges in his Scouting career.

Scoutmaster Kevin Lilly said Regits' Eagle project involved washing, prepping and painting the Faith Lutheran Church Sunday school nursery, kindergarten classroom and cabinets. He had to develop a plan and present it to the church and to the Minsi Trail Boy Scout Council for approval.

Whitehall Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. presented the new Eagle Scout with a township commendation, saying "Jon is a great young man in the Whitehall community ... a budding young leader."

"It takes leadership, you can accomplish anything you want," said state Rep. Julie Harhart, R-183rd. She presented him with a state House of Representatives citation. A state Senate citation from Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, was presented by one of Boscola's aides.

His grandfather, Alfred Regits, read a citation presented by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II.

Troop 32 Assistant Scoutmaster Skip Geiger opened the Eagle Court of Honor. Lilly gave "The Voice of the Eagle" and Assistant Scoutmaster Joseph Gabrielle gave the "Trail to Eagle." Stephen Keiderling, also an Eagle Scout, gave the "Eagle Challenge" and Assistant Scoutmaster Jim Windisch presented the "Eagle Charge."

Several Scouts lit candles individually during the "Trail to Eagle" program. Each candle represented another step on the road to becoming an Eagle Scout.

Regits presented his mother, Denise, and his father, David, with eagle pins.

The program concluded with the Scoutmaster's minute "The Man in the Glass."