Community Corner
Whiz Kid: Eastlake High School Student Makes Eagle Scout
Sammamish's James Salmon has earned the rank of Eagle Scout thanks to a love of the outdoors and a desire to get involved.
Each week, Sammamish Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams who wow us with their accomplishments.
For the week ending Friday, June 10, we congratulate an Eastlake High School student - James Salmon for becoming an Eagle Scout.
Name, age: James Salmon, 18.
School and Neighborhood: A senior at , James lives in Sammamish. James also takes classes at as a Running Start student.
Accomplishment: A Scout since he was eight-years-old, James recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Sammamish Troop 500.
“It’s a big accomplishment,” said James. “It feels great.”
Key to awesomeness: Inspired by two older brothers who made Eagle Scout and his father who was a Queen’s Scout in Canada, James started as a Cub Scout when he was about eight.
“You want to be like them,” said James about the Scouting accomplishments of his brothers and father.
James was drawn to the outdoor adventures that Scouting afforded, the chance to do things he couldn’t just do in his yard.
“I like being out in nature, being away from everything,” said James.
James is particularly fond of mountaineering. “I like climbing a mountain and defeating it,” he said.
James said that the responsibilities that have come with Scouting have helped build his confidence and given him skills that transfer into other parts of his life.
James has earned many merit badges as a Scout. Camping, wilderness survival, pioneering, swimming, biking, fishing, woodcarving are some of his favorites. He also has an interest in playing the trumpet and earned a merit badge in music.
One of James’ more unusual merit badges was for fingerprinting. James has an interest in studying forensic science and may pursue a career in public service.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” he said.
James has already receiveda start in public service through a major project he helped pull together to remove invasive species from a retention pond in Sammamish. James and several other volunteers helped remove blackberry bushes and restore the natural beauty of the ecosystem.
James is also spending the summer working for the .
