Troop 90 celebrates 100th Eagle Scout

by Joe McGhie

On May 12th, Orange County Boy Scout Troop 90 celebrated achieving 100th Eagle Scouts, with the award of Scouting’s highest rank to Trevor Lawrence McGhie. 42 of the Troop’s Eagle Scouts attended the award celebration at the Orange County Council Boy Scout Sea Base in Newport Beach.

Trevor, a sophomore at Newport Harbor High School, is the son of Catherine and Joe McGhie of Newport Beach. His two older brothers are also Eagle Scouts: Sean McGhie, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto in Canada, and Kyle McGhie, a Midshipman Third Class (sophomore) at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

Troop 90, which meets at the Orange County Council Sea Base on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, was chartered in 1988 under the auspices of the Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club by Scoutmaster Bob Edmonds. Committee Chairman Scott Jones, Scoutmaster Larry Stroman, and Director of High Adventure Ted O’Connor have led the Troop since shortly after its inception. Each has grown sons who earned the Eagle Scout rank. The Troop currently has 138 boys registered as Scouts and 24 adult leaders.

Scoutmaster Larry Stroman and his wife, Assistant Scoutmaster Debbie Stroman, met on a Scout outing in 1993. They were married in their Scout uniforms in the Southern California mountains in 1994 and have continued to volunteer their time with Troop 90 in the ensuing 15 years.

To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout is required to complete 21 merit badges and perform a service project for a non-profit community organization. In its 21 year history, Troop 90 has contributed over 40,000 hours of volunteer service to community organizations including local parks, schools, churches, the Back Bay, and the Environmental Nature Center.

In the 7 years since 2002, Troop 90 has seen 70 of its registered Scouts achieve Eagle rank, averaging 10 Eagle Scouts each year.

Scott Jones, Committee Chairman of Troop 90, attributes the Troop’s success to the ongoing commitment of the many parent volunteers who help keep the Troop active, vibrant and fun for the boys. “ Troop 90 has always been a backpacking Troop, and our motto ‘We take you there’ expresses our goal of allowing boys to experience the outdoors, learn important life skills, and become responsible citizens, all while having fun. Scouting gives young men the opportunity to learn and practice skills they don’t learn in school”, he said.

Troop 90, along with its sister groups Ship 90 and Venture Crew 90, are comprised of youth from Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, and Corona del Mar.