Troop 533’s Michael Coby receives Eagle Scout rank

Michael Coby, a member of Troop 533 chartered by Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church in Shelby County and under the leadership of Scoutmaster Mark Clark, was recently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America.

Michael’s scouting career began in 2007 as a first-grader and Tiger Cub in Cub Pack 533. Michael enjoyed five years in the Cub Scout Pack, completed the God and Family Program in 2011, participated in four Cub/Webelos Day Camps, competed in five Pinewood Derbies, spent the night on the USS Alabama battleship and earned the highest award in Cub Scouting, the Arrow of Light in early 2012. 

Michael crossed over to Boy Scout Troop 533 in spring 2012 and has been to four summer camps at Camp Sequoyah, as well as many monthly outings with the troop that included spelunking, horseback riding, shooting, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, hiking, canoeing, river rafting, snow skiing, camping, cooking and much more. During a trip to the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier in Charleston, he was honored to help the U.S. Park Service fold one of the flags flying over Fort Sumter.  

Michael has served as a Den Chief and Scribe in his troop, and served as a Head Chorister with the Birmingham Boys Choir from 2014-15. Michael completed National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) in June 2016. He is a sophomore at Oak Mountain High School and plays the alto saxophone and bassoon in the band.

Special thanks to Mrs. Christy Holt, Oak Mountain Middle School’s social studies teacher, for sponsoring Michael’s Eagle Scout project to refurbish a life-size replica train railcar for use in teaching the sixth-grade Holocaust unit. 

Michael is the son of Mark and Merrilee Coby.  

– Submitted by Mark and Merrilee Coby.