BIDDEFORD — Astronaut Neil Armstrong, director Steven Spielberg and former President Gerald Ford are just a few of those who have earned the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank: Eagle Scout. One day soon, Erin and Ryan Donlon, both of Biddeford, hope to become Eagle Scouts themselves.

Both have earned 57 merit badges, more than double the 21 required to meet the Eagle Scout requirement, and Erin has already completed a community project, renovating Jubilee Park in Saco, one of the main requirements for becoming an Eagle Scout. He has a few more minor steps to go.

This weekend, Ryan will complete his project, removing rust and painting the fence at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Biddeford.

The twins, who are homeschooled and will graduate this year, said they wanted to become Eagle Scouts because their father had, as well as several of their cousins.

Becoming an Eagle Scout also had a few other attractions.

“Scouting is our big socialization thing,” said Ryan. “It’s a way to get out of the house and do things.”

Since joining he Boy Scouts, they have made friends not only within their own troop, No. 308 in Biddeford, but throughout the state.

Ryan said he likes what scouting teaches it members: “It teaches leadership, citizenship and every day values you can take with you through your life.”

While many Boy Scouts quit before earning the Eagle rank, the twins said it is important to them to finish what they start.

Erin, who has already finished his project, said he didn’t realize all that would be involved in the process. First, several of his initial ideas didn’t work out for various reasons. Then when he finally decided to work on Jubilee Park, he had to get donations of labor, material and money. Finally, it was his job to be in charge, and whenever there were problems on the work days everyone, even the adults, came to him with their questions.

“It was cool. Adults came to me” for answers, said Erin.

In addition to being in charge, Erin said he enjoyed going to local businesses seeking donations.

“Person to person is more challenging,” he said, “but people get to see who you are, how your present yourself.”

He said people were more apt to donate when they met him in person than when he called them on the phone.

For his project, Erin and his crew built bird and bat houses, cleaned up brush, planted a garden and chained down park benches that were overturned.

Now it’s Ryan’s turn. He said his project turned into more work than he expected. He didn’t realize all the research that was involved in picking the best products to use, which paint will work best and the proper sandblaster that won’t be harmful to those who use it, he said.

Both are eager to achieve their goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. Once completed, they both plan to continue their education through the Naval Academy. Ryan wants to be a nuclear engineer, and Erin hopes to be a pilot in the Marine Corps.

If their past provides any insight into their future, there’s little doubt they will fulfill their dreams.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.