Troop 1 Gaspee Plateau has fledged 96 Eagle Scouts in its 86 years, and recently added three more names to that list from Cranston and Warwick.

James Stubbs Jr., from Warwick, began his scouting career with Pack 1 Gaspee Plateau in the fall of 1999 as a Tiger Cub. After earning his Arrow of Light in early 2004, he crossed over into Troop 1 Gaspee Plateau and began the long road to Eagle.

James teamed up with the Keys for Hope organization for a unique and innovative Eagle Project. He led a collection drive to collect old keys, which were recycled in exchange for food for the RI Food Bank. Under his guidance the troop went door-to-door distributing flyers promoting the drive and collecting keys. James also set up collection sites around the area. These efforts resulted in the collection of 90 pounds of keys, which were exchanged for 236 pounds of food.

James is a 2011 graduate of Pilgrim High School in Warwick. He is now finishing his degree at Southern New Hampshire University, where he is majoring in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism. James also works as a veterinary assistant in an emergency/critical care unit in Nashua New Hampshire.

Another new Eagle Scout is Michael Sean Stubbs, also the son of James and Mary Stubbs.  

Michael followed his brother James’s footsteps, joining Pack 1 Gaspee Plateau in 2002. After earning his Arrow of Light in February 2007, he moved up to Troop 1 Gaspee Plateau and began the trail to Eagle.

Michael’s Eagle project was a book drive to benefit Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Under his leadership, the troop created collection boxes, which Mike placed around the area. The troop then assisted Michael in sorting and delivering the collected donations. The results of his efforts helped many patients at Hasbro get through a difficult time.

Michael is a 2014 graduate of Pilgrim High School. He recently completed his Associates degree at the Community College of Rhode Island. This fall he is enrolling at the University of Rhode Island to major in English. His goal is to become a college English professor.

The third Eagle Scout is Thomas Yakey Jr.

Thomas has earned 45 merit badges on his way to Eagle, and is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. Thomas has been very active in OA, serving on the Ceremonies Team and attending the National OA Conference. His many leadership positions in Troop 1 include Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Troop Guide, and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. Today, he continues to serve as an example to younger scouts in the role of Assistant Scoutmaster. Thomas passed his board of review and became and Eagle Scout on January 31, 2018.

Thomas’s Eagle project was an eyeglass collection drive for the RI Lions Sight Foundation. He lead the troop is creating and setting up collection boxes, and in publicizing the drive thru social media.  The drive was very successful, collecting over 500 pairs of glasses to be refurbished and distributed to those in need.

Thomas is a 2018 graduate of Cranston High School East. Throughout high school he pursued his musical interests as member of band, orchestra, and choir groups. In his senior year he was honored to serve as the Drum Major for East’s award winning marching band.  This fall he plans to attend Rhode Island College to major in music.

(Submitted text and photo by Tom Yakey)