Myles Sterling Copeland, 15, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America.

Copeland is the son of Dr. Bruce A. Copeland and Allison L. Copeland. He is the brother of Alandra Nicole Copeland and grandson of Mary Elizabeth Baker, Evelyn Faye Ledbetter and the late James Willie Ledbetter Sr.

To earn the rank of Eagle, a Scout must earn at least 21 merit badges and demonstrate Scout spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages.

On June 20, Copeland completed his Eagle Scout service project at the Western Tidewater Free Clinic. He built two planter benches and refurbished the existing landscape at the clinic. On Aug. 20, Copeland completed his Board of Review, the final requirement to earn the rank of Eagle.

From 1912 to 2013, 2.3 million Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank. Around 7 percent of all Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2013. The average age of boys earning the Eagle Scout rank was 17. Only 1 percent of African-American Scouts ever earn the Eagle badge.

Copeland is a sophomore at King’s Fork High School. He is an honor student who completed middle school with high school credits in math and Spanish. He is enrolled in honors English, biology and history.

Since middle school, Copeland has maintained positions on the King’s Fork High School junior varsity and varsity baseball and wrestling teams. His hobbies and interests center on sports and spending time with family and friends. He is college bound and plans to earn a degree in law.

In the community, he is a member of the Portsmouth chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc. He has served that organization as teen treasurer and now as vice president. Recently, his peers voted him Athlete of the Year.

Copeland is also a member of the Hampton-Newport News chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Kappa Leadership Development League, also known as Kappa League. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 934, First Baptist Church South Hill in Chesapeake.

Prior to becoming a Boy Scout, Copeland was a Cub Scout and earned the highest award available to Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light. It requires the Scout to have earned the Webelos Scout badge and eight activity badges.

In addition to the skill and activity requirements of the preceding ranks, the Arrow of Light requires Scouts to learn the Scout Promise and Scout Law, and visit one meeting and one activity of a Boy Scout troop, in preparation for advancing to the Boy Scouts.

As a Boy Scout, Copeland has earned 39 merit badges and has served in leadership positions as scribe, quartermaster, assistant patrol leader, patrol leader and senior patrol leader. He contributed more than 45 hours of community service and has 52 nights of camping.

He is also a member of the Order of the Arrow, the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America. It is an honor bestowed on Scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting.