Local Teens Earn Coveted Eagle Scout Rank In Belleville Area

BELLEVILLE — Three young Belleville area men were recently honored with the Eagle Scout rank, the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America. Sultan Al-Uqdah Jr., 15, a sophomore at Althoff Catholic High School, and twins Khalil and Khalif Morehead, both longtime Scouts, received the distinction that only 4 to 6 percent of Scouts nationwide attain.

Al-Uqdah has been involved in scouting since he was about 8 years old. Khalil and Khalif began their participation at age 10. Khalil attends Belleville East High School, while Khalif is enrolled in a high school program at Southwestern Illinois College.

State Representative Kevin Schmidt congratulated the new Eagle Scouts, saying, “Congratulations Khalif Morehead, Khalil Morehead, and Sultan Al-Uqdah!” Althoff Catholic High School also issued a statement celebrating Sultan’s accomplishment, calling it “an amazing achievement.”

The Eagle Scout rank requires completion of an extensive application process reviewed by the council. Eagle Scouts have to earn 22 merit badges — 14 mandatory —demonstrating leadership, and completing a community service project. The process can span several months or years, depending on the Scout’s pace. Al-Uqdah Jr. finishing his Eagle Scout rank at age 15 is a remarkable achievement.

For their service projects, Khalif led a beautification effort at the Caseyville Moose Lodge 4, organizing volunteers for painting, cleaning, and landscaping over several days. Khalil distributed gun locks by coordinating with a local police department to arrange events and locations for distribution. Sultan promoted literacy among youth, which involved collecting and analyzing data and developing marketing strategies for his message.

The Eagle Scout rank is recognized as a lifetime achievement, offering benefits such as advanced enlistment grades in the military, scholarship opportunities for higher education, and access to the National Eagle Scout Association’s lifelong network.

If you have an Eagle Scout story, e-mail news@riverbender.com with a photo and information.

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