"Once an Eagle, always an Eagle."

These words, spoken by keynote presenter Dr. Charles D. Peters, are not an original statement, but rather a lasting mantra that has been used over the years at Eagle Scout celebrations.

It was only appropriate that he chose such a long-standing phrase for the 100th anniversary of the Eagle Scout Award, which began back in 1912.

A total of 213 Eagle Scouts from the class of 2012 were honored May 22 for attaining the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, Fogelsville.

"First of all, congratulations Eagle Scouts," Peters said. "You recently joined an elite group of Scouters. There are just over 2.2 million Eagle Scouts who can wear the highest rank attainable in Boy Scouts."

Among the most famous are astronaut Neil Armstrong, former President Gerald Ford, U.S. Secretaries of Defense Robert Gates and Donald Rumsfeld, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and entertainers Steven Spielberg and Mike Rowe, he said.

"This day is strictly a celebration," said William Coles, chairman of the Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner and a Minsi Trails Council board member. "This is for them to stand up in front of their parents, family and friends and be recognized as one of those 5 percenters in the country."

Five percent of Scouts nationally receive the distinguished Eagle Scout award, which must be earned before their 18th birthday.

Locally, approximately 6 percent have attained the rank of Eagle Scout through hard work and persistence in the program.

"It's exciting, seeing that there's this many people in the area who have managed to become Eagle Scouts, [and I'm] realizing now how much work it actually is," said Jonathan Vielstich of Philipsburg, N.J., and Troop 187, of Nazareth.

In order to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, complete an Eagle Scout service project and pass a board of review.

It is by no means an easy task but, for the more than 100 Eagle Scouts in attendance, it was one that was well worth it.

"It really means a lot. I've been given great leadership skills [and] great life tools for operating as a person, as a citizen, and as a leader," said Ethan Bauer of Allentown and Troop 72, Fogelsville.

"It's just been a great program, [and] helps by building skills that you need not only in Boy Scouts, but throughout life," added Albert Menio of East Stroudsburg and Troop 83.

The celebration began at 6 p.m. with an open reception. Parents, family, friends and all other attendees were ushered into the conference room at 7 p.m.

The Eagle Scouts proudly marched in bearing the United States and Pennsylvania state flags a few minutes later.

Lined up in single file, they encompassed three sides of the large room.

After dinner was served, Peters took the newly minted Eagle Scouts through his journey with a slide show presentation on his trail to becoming an Eagle Scout, and how it has helped him be successful over the years.

Peters is a general cardiologist with The Heart Care Group, the largest independent cardiology practice in the Lehigh Valley.

He is also active in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and served a stint working in a hospital tent in Kuwait while serving in the U.S. Navy.

Peters used his final few minutes to encourage the new Eagle Scouts to continue living the life of a Scout, and to honor the rank of Eagle.

"Being an Eagle Scout has helped me to become successful, and being an Eagle Scout will help you to become successful if you live by the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and remember the responsibilities of being an Eagle, and trust your Scout training," Peters said in his presentation.

"As I progressed through the ranks, I began to learn the meaning of the Scout Oath and Law and began to apply them where ever I could," he said. "I was developing good personal character and leadership skills and my fellow Scouts, Scoutmaster and father were guiding me."

Two Scouts a couple years older than Peters served as role models for the younger boys. When they became eagles in 1986, it made everyone work harder, he said.

Peters said one of the proudest moments in his life was standing at his Eagle Court of Honor with his mom and his Eagle Scout father, realizing he had reached his goal.

"Each rank had been earned and each requirement had been completed in a slow but methodical manner that made the trail both fun and educational," Peters said. "The Eagle Court of Honor is the time to reflect on the responsibilities of an Eagle Scout."

Peters compared his service in the military to being an Eagle Scout.

"The Core Values of the United States Navy are honor, courage, and commitment, which are identical to the responsibilities of an Eagle Scout (honor, loyalty and courage)," Peters said. "The Navy was a perfect fit for an Eagle Scout and I enjoyed every moment of my time on active duty.

"I used my knowledge as an Eagle Scout to successfully process through the ranks, grow my teaching and leadership skills."

While serving at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Peters was selected to be the director for graduate medical education.

He was awarded the Teach of the Year two years in a row for outstanding teaching and leadership skills initially developed during Scouting.

Peters also deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I was attached to Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait stationed at Camp Arifjan. I spent seven months in an austere desert environment practicing medicine in a tent hospital that tested not only my Navy but my Boy Scout skills.

"If there was time to remember to be prepared, this was it. You never knew what medical emergency was going to come through the door at any moment, from the mundane to the bizarre to the unexpected. During this time I saw it all."

In addition to Peters' talk and othere festivities, two Eagle Scouts were honored as scholarship award recipients.

Matthew Planer of Troop 94 was unable to attend, but he recorded a reading of his application essay, which was played for the audience to hear.

The other, John Veiszlemlein of Troop 43, Bath, presented his essay in person before receiving a check from Michael Grabarits of Step by Step Learning.

"Everyone who's here is definitely a very well accomplished and worthy Eagle Scout, so to be picked among those people is a great feeling," Veiszlemlein said. "It's given me so much. Boy Scouts, we focus a lot on wilderness survival skills, but it's really so much more than that. It's leadership, it's being able to work with other people around you, it's communication skills, it's personal honor, personal character, and it really has meant a lot to me."

To conclude the evening's celebration, the Eagle Scouts were given the Eagle Charge by the Honorable James Knoll Gardner, U.S. District Judge, and recognized for their accomplishments as members of the Eagle Scout class of 2012, the 100th class of the Eagle Scout award.

"I think it's great that in this day and age, with technology and with other avenues that they can pursue, that being in Boy Scouts still is a strong tradition," Peters said in an interview following the ceremony. "Boy Scouts is strong. Boy Scouts is alive. Boy Scouts has adapted to the modern technology, and Scouts flock to it. It's nice to see that it is thriving so well."

As the Eagle Scouts made their way out of the conference room surrounded by family and friends, they left knowing that they had reached the end of a long road to achieve the distinguished rank.

Then again, the end of their path to Eagle does not mean the end of their life's journey as a Scout.

After all, they have a long-standing mantra to fulfill.

"Once an Eagle, always an Eagle."