LYNN — Colby Stevens of Lynn has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. That in itself is a significant accomplishment. But there’s more to the story than that.
Colby, 18, who will graduate from Lynn Vocational Technical Institute next month, comes from a scouting family. His father, Matthew Stevens, was in Troop 121 out of St. Mary’s in Lynn, and his grandfather, Mark Stevens, was the assistant scout leader of the troop. In addition, Stevens’ uncle, Dana Robinson, is an Eagle,”and he’s one of my role models,” Stevens said.
In the last two years, both of Colby’s parents — Matthew Stevens and Alyse Robinson — died. His grandparents, Marsha and Dean Robinson, have raised him.
Colby became a Cub Scout at age 8, and graduated to Boy Scouts by the time he was 11.
“I just wanted to be a part of it,” he said.
Because of his uncle, Colby made the decision to work toward getting his Eagle Scout rank. He juggled that with taking an electrical course at Tech and playing saxophone in the Lynn Public Schools band.
For his Eagle project, Colby and a crew of fellow scouts (along with one friend) rerouted a trail around Ramsdell’s Swamp in Lynn Woods, which had been partially flooded because of beavers.
Like all Eagle projects, this one involved more management than labor. Colby had to plan and supervise it.
“I gave everybody a list of jobs that had to be done, from cutting down trees, to clearing brush, to trail markers,” he said. “Then we had to build a bridge. Some hikers had built a makeshift one, but it was just a bunch of logs. The ranger (Dan Small) had me build the bridge with planks.”
When it was over, Colby felt as if he’d accomplished something.
“I had fun, especially being a part of something bigger than myself,” he said.
Colby achieved high honors while at Tech, and he was also the school’s student of the year. He has obtained an IBEW Local 103 apprentice scholarship as well.
He credits both sides of his family, along with Paula Dow, Troops 80 (his home troop) and Troop 222 and Richard Whittaker, his electrical teacher.
