VJCC-Based BSA Troop 764 Court of Honor Set for May 4

One year after 13 members of BSA Troop 764 were ceremonially recognized for earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the troop has announced that 10 more young men will be similarly feted at its annual Eagle Court of Honor on Saturday, May 4 at the Venice Japanese Community Center, aka the VJCC.

The 10 scouts who will be recognized for earning scouting's highest rank are Mason Beard (Da Vinci Science High School); Benjamin Blackburn (North high school, Torrance); Aidan Brady (Venice High School); Sodoo Gadal (Venice High School); Caiden Chen (Vistamar School); Evan Chun (Geffen Academy at UCLA); Diego Heard (Saint Monica Preparatory); Kai Johnson (Culver City High School); Luke Miura (Culver City High School); and Zaxxon Rehm (El Segundo High School).

The 2024 Eagle Court of Honor will commence at 5:30 p.m. The VJCC, which is Troop 764's chartering organization, is located at 12448 Braddock Drive in the Marina Del Rey area of Los Angeles. Troop 764 is in the Crescent Bay District of the Western Los Angeles County Council and is marking its 60th anniversary this summer. Its scoutmaster is Eric Gadal.

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, the troop held its annual Eagle Court of Honor and 13 scouts were recognized for earning the rank of Eagle. They were Joey Beard (Da Vinci Science High School); Brian Beckstead (Culver City High School); Tyler Chang (Culver City High School); Jack Conroy (Culver City High School); Luke Hohmann (Culver City High School); Jameson Johnston (Culver City High School); Liam Larwood (Santa Monica High School); Coh Mihashi (Culver City High School); Trent Nishimura (Culver City High School); Taizan Oku (Culver City High School); Landon Quirarte (Loyola High School); Mitchell Saqui (Loyola High School); and Koji Schafer (Culver City High School). Lynn Murakami (Culver City High School), who also earned the rank of Eagle Scout, did not participate in the ceremony. Serving as the troop's scoutmaster at the time was Bill Conroy. It was the largest Eagle Court of Honor in the troop's history.

In his remarks, Joey Beard, who is attending University of North Dakota, said, "Scouting has taught me how to be independent and determined and always helpful, and I'm truly grateful for all the opportunities and skills I've gained through this experience."

Beckstead, who is attending Santa Monica College, noted that by being a member of Troop 764, he was able to go to the Philmont Scout Ranch twice. "We all face many challenges, and it's sometimes hard to overcome them. But when you have people supporting you and have a plan, it's a lot easier," he said.

"One major takeaway I've learned in this journey was how much anyone, like everyone, can change in seven years," said Chang, who is attending University of California Davis. "Looking back now, I understand that every mistake I made, every uncomfortable position I was forced into and every regretful moment, as well as the great memories and acts of accomplishment, slowly built the person I am today."

Jack Conroy, who is now attending Colorado State University, said his favorite part of being a scout was "spending time with all the scouts here on the stage and the ones sitting down there," adding, "Despite every Scout having their own personal challenges, myself included, I'm very proud of how far they've all come and honored to be part of the Troop 764 family."

Remarking that being in Troop 764 was where he "made his best friends," Hohmann, a third-generation Eagle Scout now attending University of Southern California, said, "I'm lucky enough to be in a troop that pushed me so much. Boy Scouts has helped me overcome any fears and try new things. ... In the future, I will continue to live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law and work to help others."

"Being an Eagle isn't just an award," said Johnston, who is attending Santa Monica College. "It is a lifetime recognition and a reminder that you will continue to grow, mature and learn from mistakes, and that can make you a better person."

Of his Eagle Scout journey in Troop 764, Larwood, who is attending UC Davis, said, "Through the years this troop has given me experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life. Memories of backpacking, camping, rock climbing and countless other activities with friends have filled my childhood and I have this troop to thank."

"Before I joined Boy Scouts, I used to quit a lot of things," said Mihashi, who is attending Santa Monica College, "but ever since I joined Boy Scouts, I learned a lot of things. And one of them is to not give up."

After thanking past and current scoutmasters, his parents and the sponsor of his Eagle Scout project, Nishimura said, "I thank Troop 764, from scouts and friends, old and new. Whether they're aware of it or not, each have made their own unique impact on my scouting career."

Speaking to younger scouts in the audience, Oku said, "The leadership opportunities in our troop are some that few people outside of scouting have access to, so take advantage of them. The different skills you learn will lead you to new and better opportunities."

Recalling a lesson learned from difficult backpacking trip when he was a new member of the troop, Quirarte, who is attending California Polytechnic State University, said, "Like the hike, life can be tough sometimes. However, if we learn to be resilient, we can make it anywhere."

For Saqui, camping trips were a big part of his journey to Eagle. "With the troop I have acquired many important experiences in my life, most specifically, many of the camping trips and other events ... have been very useful in teaching me things like leadership and perseverance."

Schafer, who is attending University of California Los Angeles, said, "Being an Eagle is not just about the accolades or the awards ... It is a sign of human growth, knowledge and maturity only Boy Scouts can cultivate. That is why I'm so grateful for the amazing challenges and experiences Boy Scouts has created for me."

A video of the 2023 ceremony may be viewed at tinyurl.com/ycyux8s3. Since 1964, the troop has seen nearly 220 boys advance to the rank of Eagle. To learn more about Troop 764 or this event, visit troop.764.com.

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TOP ROW, L-R: Luke Hohmann, Trent Nishimura, Koji Schafer, Landon Quirarte, Liam Larwood, Tyler Chang, Taizan Oku

BOTTOM ROW, L-R: Jack Conroy, Mitchell Saqui, Lynn Murakami, Joey Beard, Coh Mihashi, Brian Beckstead, Jameson Johnston

PHOTO: MATTHEW BEARD

L-R: Luke Hohmann, Taizan Oku, Trent Nishimura, Jack Conroy, Koji Schafer, Mitchell Saqui, Joey Beard, Coh Mihashi, Landon Quirarte, Brian Beckstead, Liam Larwood, Jameson Johnston, Tyler Chang

PHOTO: MATTHEW BEARD