MARTINS FERRY — A pair of Eagles from the same nest earned their badges with a project in Martins Ferry.

The two brothers both attained the highest rank in the Boy Scouts.

Walker Romshak, 17, was recognized as an Eagle Scout for his recent project at Riverview Cemetery, joining his brother Jackson Romshak, 19, a 2021 Eagle Scout.

They earned their rank as members of Troop 111 of Bellaire.

“I’ve been in the Boy Scouts ever since I was in fifth grade,” Walker Romshak said, adding that he became interested in the Scouts through his brother’s activities and decided to follow suit. “He got to go on camping trips and everything, go out and have fun.”

Scouting took them to sites such as Gettysburg and Niagara Falls.

Walker Romshak spoke about the preparation for his project.

“I’ve been working on it for a couple years, getting all the merit badges I needed for it, ever since I joined the troop,” he said.

“At the Riverview Cemetery I tore down an old wall, a retaining wall, and built a whole new one,” he said. “That old wall was falling over. It wasn’t even standing up and had just blocks scattered around. This new one actually looks like a wall. It’ll be safer for people who are walking by.”

The wall was close to 30 feet long and 4 feet high.

“It took the entire summer, between going up there every time I could to get rid of the old wall completely and dig a footer,” he said. “It was done towards the middle of August.”

He thanked Mayor John Davies for providing assistance.

“Anything I needed he just gave to me. I needed someone with an excavator to take out the old wall, so he had a guy come up to run the excavator any time I needed it,” he said.

Family members also lended a hand.

“I had my brother and my dad to come up and help any time I needed help shoveling gravel or anything,” he said.

Jackson Romshak said he works for the street department of Martins Ferry and was able to help.

“The excavator getting up there made it a lot simpler,” he said.

Jackson Romshak said teamwork between the brothers featured in both of their Eagle Scout projects.

“We both helped each other out with projects a decent bit,” he said. “It was pretty understanding, helping each other with projects. We did Scouts for eight years or more together. We did all the trips together, all the merit badges together.”

Walker Romshak agreed.

“When I was helping him with his project it made me see, ‘This is what I’m going to have to do,'” he said.

Jackson Romshak’s project was the construction of five benches and three lifeguard chairs for the Martins Ferry Veterans Memorial Recreation Center. He said he was impressed by his younger brother’s undertaking.

“It was a bigger project than mine, that’s for sure,” Jackson said.

Walker Romshak said his project also called for extensive planning.

“I had to plan out my whole project and figure out what I was going to do … and when I was going to do it. I had to get it approved by the (Eagle Scout Council) board before I could start doing anything at all.”

He said digging the footer was the most difficult part.

“We thought it was only going to be 12 inches, but it ended up closer to 3 feet,” he said.

He submitted a history of his project to the board, along with letters of recommendation from his teachers and church, the First Christian Church of Martins Ferry, and an essay describing his goals and ambitions.

“I want to go to college next year and go somewhere for electrical engineering,” he said.

Walker Romshak was his class valedictorian.

Their father, Ryan Romshak, is proud of them.

“It was a blessing to see both of them go through from start to finish,” he said.

Ryan Romshak was a Scout, too, although he never made the rank of Eagle Scout.

“That’s my one regret,” he said. “Being an Eagle is the goal of Scouts.

“To actually become an Eagle Scout is such a huge undertaking. It’s not just about the final project,” he continued. “If you slack off and don’t go to Scouts for a year, you’re not going to have enough merit badges to even be eligible.

“It shows the responsibility that’s involved in it, and all the planning. That shows employers, colleges, that you have the determination.”

Jackson Walker agreed that people take note of the achievement.

“It’s definitely something you can put on your resume,” he said. “It’s something you get asked about, that’s for sure.”