On May 8, after making his case to an Eagle Board of Review, the prestigious rank was officially bestowed upon him. The next day, he took the unusual step of wearing his scout uniform to school. He was proud of the accomplishment, and wanted to share that with his classmates, noted his father, Michael.

Powers said he still wants to be involved with his troop and help other boys who want to become Eagle Scouts. For those scouts, Powers has simple advice: “try hard and don’t give up.”

There were a few moments when he felt like quitting, but Powers said those thoughts were fleeting. He said his father always encouraged him to stick with it and he’s glad he did.

“I’m proud of him,” Michael Powers said. “This is something he stayed with. It turned around his life.”

Michael Powers used to bowl on Friday nights, but gave that up to take his son to scout meetings. Watching Shaun move through the ranks and enjoy himself along the way made the sacrifice worthwhile. He said Shaun’s mother would have been proud as well.

Shaun Powers is looking forward to a Court of Honor ceremony in September, where he will take center stage and be celebrated for his accomplishment. Powers said he wants it to be catered by Augello, one of his roles models.

Powers said he knows that being an Eagle Scout comes with a lot of responsibility. He also expects to earn the respect of others. “They’ll see me as equal as them,” he said, “that a kid with a disability has got a high achievement.”