Matthew Hegel, 14, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Gravois Trail Dis-trict of the Greater St. Louis Area Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Matthew is a member of Boy Scout Troop 61, which is chartered with the Oak-ville Elementary PTO. He was honored earlier this month at a ceremony and reception at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Oakville. His Eagle project was building a reading loft for a preschool classroom at the Assumption Early Learning Center.

He has been an active Scout leader at the Sea Base High Adventure in the Florida Keys, at Philmont High Adventure in New Mexico, at Boy Scout Junior Leader Train-ing Camp, by assisting in Adult Scout Leader Training and by being an activity leader at Cub Scout Adventure Camps and Gravois Trail Fall/Spring District Camps.

Matthew has been bugler at the Memor-ial Day ceremony at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery for two years. He is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He has earned 31 Boy Scout Merit Badges.

He was a den chief for Webelos and Bear Cub Scout Dens. He also contributes many hours of service each year as a volunteer for Scouting activities.

Matthew is a freshman at Oakville Senior High School and has received numerous academic awards while in the Mehlville School District.

He was in the STRETCH gifted program throughout elementary and middle school, earning many awards for academic excellence.

Matthew was one of only 50 Medallion winners in the 2005 St. Louis Area Student of the Year-Young Achievers program. He is a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. His future goals include finishing Oakville High and attending college.