On the outside, Jacob Bindics looks like your average high school student; however, if you take a look at what he’s accomplished in the first 17 years of his life, it becomes clear he is a rather extraordinary individual.

Like a lot of kids, at the urging of his mother, Jacob became a Cub Scout. He was 7. He never really thought about it; it was just an activity to do. But something happened when he crossed over into Boy Scouts. Jacob said that was when he was inspired to become an Eagle Scout. As a Scout, he started learning what the program was all about and he was old enough to appreciate it.

“I was about 14 when I started really researching the Scout program and learned it was more than just cooking and campfires. It was about learning things, being a leader and doing things on your own. I thought to myself, ‘That’s pretty awesome. It actually means something, and I want to commit to it.’ And I did. I’m 17, and I’m almost done now.”

The demanding list of requirements to become an Eagle Scout includes, but is not limited to, advancing through seven ranks of Scouting; passing the specific tests and earning the specific merit badges associated with each rank; earning at least 21 badges, with 13 of them being Eagle specific; and completing an Eagle Scout project.

The whole Eagle Scout program takes four to six years to complete. Jacob disagrees, however.

“That’s like really grinding it out — four to six years. It should honestly take you almost six or seven years,” he said.

Either way, it must be completed by a Scout’s 18th birthday.

According to scoutsmarts.com, only 5% of all Scouts become an Eagle Scout.

By the beginning of this past summer, Jacob had completed all the other requirements, including earning 50 merit badges, and had already gotten much of the work done to prepare for the execution of his Eagle Scout project.

Jacob is part of Troop 93, out of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 19th and Lincoln avenues, Northampton, where his father, Steve, became a Scout leader shortly after Jacob joined. He is currently the Scoutmaster. With Steve’s help, Jacob found a local candidate for the project — Northampton Area Food Bank’s garden, Canal and West 16th streets — where they would install three new garden beds and a sign and do landscaping. The plan was written up, and the funds were raised at a pancake breakfast in May.

An important part of the project was for Jacob to supervise the work rather than actually doing it, but he still needed to learn how it was done in the first place. Steve, no stranger to gardening, showed Jacob the ropes, teaching him how to build a bed, so he could turn around and teach his Scouts, volunteers and anyone else who helped out.

From there, the work took place sporadically through a fickle summer of heat waves and hurricanes, with Jacob overseeing every aspect.

“The best part of doing this project was probably working on it all day and then being able to look at it all completed,” Jacob said.

The installation of the landscaping and sign was done Aug. 31, marking the completion of the project.

In the end, even though there was no grand unveiling or ceremony of presentation, not only did Jacob soar to the elite rank of Eagle Scout, but he also fulfilled an important part of the Scouts oath “to help other people at all times” — threefold. First, with the addition of three new corner beds, which are roughly the equivalent of six new beds, the garden volunteers gained a large amount of space in which to grow more much-needed fresh food for the community. Secondly, in an agreement that came out of the project, the Scouts will now be able to earn their gardening badges at the community garden. Lastly, the installation of a highly visible sign in a nicely landscaped bed should help draw attention to the garden, which is completely volunteer run, and perhaps encourage more people to become involved.

Jacob mentioned there would probably be a court of honor, a private affair where his Scouts, friends and family get together and acknowledge he earned Eagle Scout.

Now that he has achieved Eagle rank, Jacob hopes to continue with Scouting after 18 by joining Venture Scouts.

“They do even bigger projects,” he said.

In the meantime, Jacob takes part in marching band, where he plays the clarinet and this year will have a solo. He also hopes to return to karate when band is over and has more time.

Jacob is training at vo-tech for welding. Eventually, he hopes to work in the field to make some money, so he has choices in his life. Then, perhaps, he’ll try community college.