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After spending his entire childhood on summer camps, badge-earning, friendship-building oath-reciting and boy-scouting, a Nicholasville native is now an Eagle Scout.

The Eagle Scout rank is the highest honor someone can earn in Boy Scouts of America, and Joseph D. Gallo III is a part of the seven percent in the organization who reach the ranking. Gallo is a part of Troop 473 and is the troop’s 97th Eagle Scout.

“It feels great, I’ve been here for so long, and I put in so much work before being 18. Once I turned 18 and could come back and plan this wonderful event, I couldn’t ask for anything else,” Gallo said.

Gallo organized the Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony with his parents, scouts and leaders at the Nicholasville United Methodist Church. Loved ones filled several pews for a busy yet intimate ceremonial induction of Gallo as an Eagle Scout.

He graduated from East Jessamine High School in 2022. He is now a freshman at Western Kentucky University, where he is majoring in business finance and cheerleading with the university’s co-ed cheer team.

In third grade, Gallo joined the Cub Scouts, and when middle school came, he moved on to the Boy Scouts.

During the event, current scouts stood to participate in smaller ceremonies to honor Gallo’s fidelity to the scout oath and law. After that, Gallo’s entire scouting career was read out, each year, accomplishing more and more.

Among other requirements, Gallo received 48 merit badges as a scout, which is 27 more badges than the requirement. For his required Eagle Scout project, Gallo redid the path at the Jessamine Career and Technology Center.

Gallo’s former scout leader, James Roberts, attended the event with about eight other former scout leaders in the audience.

Roberts spoke on Gallo’s career on the church stage and awarded his parents a pin to adorn their son’s uniform.

With tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, Roberts also gave Gallo a special gift, the grommet from their troop’s retired flag.

In his speech, Gallo thanked his mother, his father, and older scouts for their support of him throughout his life.

As he gave his speech, smiles and emotions scattered throughout the crowd, he left the crowd with a piece of wisdom, no matter who ignites it and who extinguishes it, “Every campfire is important.”