This Wednesday evening, 13-year-old Lefolasalifa Alapati Taputu of Makakilo Hawaii will formally join an elite group of men that includes the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, first person to walk on the moon astronaut Neil Armstrong, and Heisman candidate of college football’s #1 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, Manti Te’o.

On Nov. 28, 2012 at the LDS Chapel in Kapolei Hawaii, Lefolasalifa will receive the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America [BSA]— that of Eagle Scout.  He is a member of Troop 361 that is sponsored by the Maili-Kai Samoan Ward.

Those already confirmed to attend the Eagle Court of Honor include former American Samoa resident Oahu Senator Mike Gabbard, a representative from Hawaii Congresswoman [born in American Samoa] Tulsi Gabbard’s office, representatives of the Office for Hawaiian Affairs, local LDS Church leaders, and Aloha Council District Leaders from the BSA.

Lefolasalifa is the grandson of Samuelu Taputu and Sa Taputu of Tula and Masausi and BMC Valo Valo Aoelua and Lusila Galea’i Aoelua of Afono and Aua. He is the oldest child of Fa’amati and Barbara Aoelua Taputu of Makakilo, Hawaii.

Since its introduction in 1911, the rank of Eagle Scout has been attained by only 2% of the approximately 100 million former & current boys of the BSA. In addition to those mentioned previously, other notable Eagles include Nobel Prize Laureate Robert Coleman Richardson, Wal-Mart Founder Sam Walton, Pulitzer Prize winner E.O. Wilson, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Bryer, Academy Award movie maker Steven Spielberg, NBA Hall of Famer & former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, President of Ohio State University Gordon Gee, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Cardinal Archbishop William H. Keeler, and Howard W. Hunter — 14th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Upon completing numerous scouting skills and leadership requirements for the rank of Eagle, Lefolasalifa had to conduct a significant service project. For his Eagle service project, Lefolasalifa coordinated and carried out “Bus Stop Beautification” that stretched over 20 miles of the Leeward side of Oahu, Hawaii beginning from the Makakilo Mountain Top in Kapolei to Makaha Valleys. Over 200 volunteers painted and cleaned more than 70 bus stop shelters this past summer.