How do you get to be an Eagle Scout? Anyone who has ever taken on that lofty goal will tell you it's not easy but it's the hallmark of someone who believes in themselves and has the drive to make it. Bryce Manley of West Seattle is that kind of person and will soon have the badge to prove it. Getting to that status requires earning 21 merit badges including emergency preparedness, swimming, first aid, camping, hiking and more.

Part of becoming an Eagle is the completion of an "Eagle Scout Project" whose requirements alone are daunting. Bryce, who is a 3.0 student, a musician and cross country runner at Kennedy is a proud member of Scout Troop 375 in Burien. His Scoutmaster Mark Ufkes drew his attention to what had become a sad eyesore. 

The once attractive Welcome to White Center sign at the corner of 108th SW and SW 4th Avenue had been hit by a drunk driver more than two years ago, its red bricks smashed, and welcome sign knocked off its holders. The original had been built with the help of the community and commissioned by the White Center Chamber of Commerce. But no budget existed for such an extensive repair.

Thus came Bryce Manley to the rescue.

With help of his parents, Scoutmaster Ufkes and others, Bryce developed a new design from building stones used for walls and planters. After first removing the debris they had to prep the site for a fix. The slope of the land was a problem but he and his father got the dirt level enough,laid in sand, then gravel then the first course of stones and got them perfectly level. From there it was just a matter of completing the oval design he had come up with after seeing others as inspiration, then setting the posts that hold up the sign in concrete. The restored sign lacks the colorful circular emblem and the welcome in mulltiple languages of the original since they were stolen. He filed a police report and would happily re-attach those elements if he got them back.  If you've seen them, notify the police.

But for now the restored sign looks good and serves the purpose. Bryce said he has about 90 man hours into the project and close to $1000 in materials. It's against scout rules to hold fund raisers for projects so, he and his parents footed the bill.

Bryce followed all the requirements set forth in the Scouting rules and will get his Eagle Scout badge soon. He's turning 18 on Aug. 18 so he has to do that before that day. Bryce intends to go to college, perhaps following his interest in biology, and has worked at the MAST Center for Marine Biology in Redondo on the shores of Puget Sound. That makes a lot of sense. Where else would you expect to see an Eagle?