Three Washington-area Boy Scouts achieved the rank of Eagle Scout on Sunday.

The new Eagle Scouts are Thomas A. Perry Jr., Allen McLeod Crisp and Courtland H. Whitley. They are members of Troop 21, sponsored by First Christian Church, where the Eagle Court to award the rank began at 11 a.m.

Shane Whitley, former Scoutmaster of Troop 21, was part of the Eagle Court. “In full awareness of the challenges of these times, the parents of these Scouts and their leaders have labored land and faithfully to develop them toward an alert and participating citizenship through the Boy Scout programs. Their efforts culminate today in the presentation of the Eagle badge,” he said. “The success of these efforts will manifest in the way that these Scouts and every other Eagle Scout set a social pattern for the lives they touch.”

Bryan Belote, current Scoutmaster of the troop, presided over the Eagle Court, talking about each of the new Eagle Scouts.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America. The award is a performance-based achievement whose standards have been well maintained over the years. Meeting the requirements, including earning at least 21 merit badges, to become an Eagle Scout takes years to complete. Only about 1 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the rank each year, according to Belote.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Perry selected John Cotton Tayloe Elementary School as its beneficiary. After researching the school’s needs, Perry developed a plan and obtained the necessary approvals to proceed with his project. Perry led Troop 21 in raising $1,545, purchasing and packing 30 book bags (two for each classroom) with school supplies to be distributed at the school’s discretion to needy students. The remaining balance of the funds ($1,024) was given to the school’s PTA to buy recreational supplies as a surprise gift at Christmas.

Asbury United Methodist Church was the beneficiary of Crisp’s Eagle Scout service project. After meeting with church leaders and developing a plan, Crisp worked with other Troop 21 Scouts to clear and mark an area for a quarter-mile walking/running trail that begins at Asbury Church Road and connects with the Washington Montessori Public Charter School’s similar trail. Signboards along the church’s trail accommodate signs that can be changed as the seasons change. Currently, they display the 14 Stations of the Cross. An outdoor fire pit was built near the trail entrance.

Whitley selected Camp Caroline to benefit from his service project. After meeting with Jane Alligood and camp counselor Casey Perry, Whitley developed specifications to build a A Little Chapel in the Woods. With help from his family, Whitley cleared a site adjacent to the camp’s walking/running trail (a previous Troop 21 project). He then raised money to buy supplies and material for the chapel. With assistance from Troop 21 Scouts, he placed a cross, worship table, benches and bin for recycling items and a box for book storage in the structure.

Perry is the son of Heather and Armistead Perry. Crisp is the son of Mary Beth and Lindsey Crisp. Whitley is the son of Kara and Shane Whitley.

Perry, among his other Scout-related achievements, earned 31 merit badges. Crisp earned 32 merit badges on his way to Eagle Scout. Whitley, who’s been inducted into the Order of the Arrow, earned 32 merit badges.