More than 100 youths from the north suburbs were among 297 members of the 2003 Eagle Scout class of the Greater Pittsburgh Council, Boy Scouts of America, honored at the Hilton Pittsburgh. According to the council, only about 4 percent of all Scouts nationally become Eagle Scouts, but the local rate is 5.6 percent. The council's recognition dinner, the oldest in the country, has honored 15,000 young men since it began in 1950. "In this world today, things are not always going in the right direction," council spokesman Bruce McDowell said. "This (Scouting) is going in the right direction. "Boys who wear the uniform, say the Scout oath and understand what it means have goals and show progress. "Now, it's OK to be a Scout. Strength of character is seen as more important. It's not the only answer, but it sure helps." Northern honorees, listed by Scouting district, were: Beaver Valley: Nicholas James Barson IV, Joshua T. Bauer, Ronald Douglas Bender Jr., Brian Joseph Breznai, Charles E. Brightwell Jr., Jason Andrew Bystry, Robert W. Cochran, Blaine Lee Deafenbaugh, Neil Armstrong Finn, Tyler Kent Frear, Arnold Lee Garlick Jr., Nicholas Christopher Gray, Jason E. Gregorakis, Eric Andrew Halavanja, Jesse Lee Hayhurst, Joseph John Hummel, David Paul Kaufman, Joshua Thomas Kolenda, David Matthew Kowalsky, Kenneth James Kucel II, Chad Vincent Kuny, Eric K. Marker, Michael Brian McGee, Michael A. Natarianni, Christopher Warren Rogers, Bo Michael Ronosky, Michael Salopek, Justin Charles Sciulli, Jeffrey Douglas Smith, Carl Emil Sutherland Jr. and Andrew Reed Swope. Japeechen: Joseph Vincent Balestrino, Paul Joseph Brandimarti, David Anthony Casavale, Jonathan Oliver Clarke, Brandon Matthew Ehrhardt, Harlan German, Kevin M. Giel, Charles William Holet III, Erik Thomas Interval, Karl L. Kambic, Sharan Kumar, Brian Reed Lucas, Michael Christopher Machuga, Sean Thomas McGuire, Douglas Allen Miller, Matthew Regis Nebel, Anthony Michael Peduto, Joseph D. Peterson, Matthew Thomas Repp, Andrew P. Rodgers III, Brian James Sawford, Christopher Michael Sarandou, Corey Allen Stevens, William Johnathan Streiff, Nathaniel Biering Thomas, Kirk William Thompson and Michael Anthony Ulizio. Seneca: Erik Dean Agle, Benjamin Azzarello, Nicholas G. Baran, Evan William Barna, Daniel Robert Burnos, Justin Alexander Causey, Olav Iain Christianson, James R. Dickhans, Douglas Anthony Doyle, Ford Prioleau Fuller IV, David Shane Glick, David William Hague, Robert Alan Hartman, Justin Michael Herzing, William Maurice Jenkins IV, Chinmay Jain Jinasha, Daniel L. Kim, Justin Louis Klingenberg, Robert James Lawson, Eric Grant Lewis, George Jerome Magovern III, Bryan W. McCall, Cletus Thomas McKeown, Andrew Michael Molnar, Charles Robert Moneypenny II, Christopher Twynham Moore, Brian Thomas Morros, Keith Nemeth Jr., Grady Benson Nye, Logan Walker Nye, David Logan Omara, Bryan M. Oxendale, Reed Markus Pelly, Paul Gregory Purdy, the late D. Grant Rava, Nicholas Christian Sciulli, Collin David Swan, Mark Andrew Szymecki, Bradley Scott Thompson, Evan Powell Vaughan, Daniel Robert Waruszewski, Steven Peter Wood and Christopher A. Zellers. Steel City: David Bryan Garlock.