SAN MARCOS — Boy Scout Troop 612’s Jeff Nair was honored by the City Council at the March 11 meeting for being the first in his three-year-old troop to achieve the highest rank of Eagle Scout.

“Making Eagle Scout is no easy thing to do, and you being the first one of your troop is really a great thing,” said Mayor Jim Desmond, whose son also just became an Eagle Scout in a different San Marcos troop.

In addition to the city-awarded plaque and proclamation, Jeff Nair was also presented with an American flag, which was flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19 in recognition of his achievement at the request of Sen. Barbara Boxer.

“(It’s) pretty cool!” said Jeff Nair, the oldest of his troop at 18, after the meeting. “I gave up a lot of weekends to finish my projects, but it was worth it in the end.”

“We’re very pleased that Jeff wanted to do this. Of course we encouraged him, but he did want to do it,” said Ralph Nair, Jeff Nair’s father.

Jeff Nair, like all of the Scouts in Troop 612, is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He plans to go on his two-year proselytizing mission for the church after he graduates from Mission Hills High School. After that, he said he plans to attend Palomar College before transferring to a four-year university.

Jeff Nair said the qualities he developed in the Scouts will translate well into his future endeavors.

“(I learned the value) of hard work, patience and not procrastinating, that’s for sure. It’s really going to help me with my mission,” he said.

One of the requirements to make Eagle Scout is to do a 60-hour-minimum project for the community. Jeff Nair built a portable ceremonial bridge to be used by the Girl Scouts for events honoring their promotion.

“They only had one, and it was heavy, made of two-by-fours. My sister, who is a Girl Scout leader, thought it’d be cool if I could make a bridge they could transport around,” Jeff Nair said.

He also gave them the plans for the bridge so they could construct their own.

“He had to call all the boys and organize them to come and people to come and help with the project and he had to find the funding for the project,” said Denise Nair, Jeff Nair’s mother. “Toyota of Escondido was really wonderful to fund this project.”

Twenty-five-year veteran Scoutmaster Randy Knight, who has led Troop 612 since its inception, is very proud of Jeff Nair’s accomplishment.

“Only 3 percent of all Boy Scouts worldwide ever reach Eagle. It’s like making general in the Scouts,” Knight said.

There are several more members of Troop 612 who will soon make Eagle Scout. The mayor invites all Eagle Scouts and silver- and gold-awarded Girl Scouts to attend City Council meetings so that they can be recognized like Jeff Nair.