Eagle Scouts are recognized for their leadership, outdoor and life skills, and dedication to community service, but the Hongwanji Mission Boy Scout Troop 49 has shown that camaraderie should be in there, too.

Camaraderie is largely why 12 Scouts — about a fifth of Troop 49 — are being honored this year in a Court of Honor, or recognition ceremony, on March 30 for attaining the Eagle Scout rank.

"Twelve, that’s a big number," Troop Scoutmaster Mark Merriam said. "It’s very rare to have that many. These kids, they started out together and they’ve all been working together for at least the past six or seven years."

Merriam, who’s been Troop 49’s scoutmaster for eight years, said the boys actually attained the rank of Eagle Scout at different times over a couple of years but wanted to be recognized at the same Court of Honor.

"I’ve seen them grow up and mature into excellent young men and just the best of friends," Merriam said. "They wanted to be honored together."

Billy Rayl, director of field services for the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America, said he’s heard of Scouts holding off on their Courts of Honor to wait for their friends, but said it’s usually only a few Scouts.

"It’s unique because the 12 boys that have earned the rank agreed that they wanted to have their ceremonies at the same time," Rayl said. "It’s usual with two or three boys who grew up and did all the same things in their troop together, but 12 is something special."

Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout is no small task. According to the Boy Scouts of America, only about 4 percent of all Scouts, a little more than 2 million boys, have attained the rank since the first Eagle Scout badge was awarded in 1912.

Scouts must fulfill a number of requirements before age 18 to become Eagle Scouts, including earning at least 21 merit badges of about 130 offered; planning, coordinating and leading a service project; and holding a leadership position within their troop.

The Troop 49 Eagle Scouts put in a collective 6,826 volunteer hours on their service projects, with help from parents and other Scouts, as well as others in the community.

"They each did really varied and different service projects, focusing on their own interests," Merriam said. "They ranged from organizing a statewide robotics tournament to helping out nonprofit organizations and creating a garden at the Urban Garden Center (in Pearl City). They set goals for themselves and accomplished them, and they helped each other out."

Trenton Omura, a freshman at Honolulu Community College who held off on his Court of Honor, said he became an Eagle Scout in December 2010, but isn’t sorry he waited to be recognized.

"I wanted to go along with the rest of my friends," he said. "If I’d gotten mine by myself, it would’ve been lonesome."

Bryce Tsuruma, a Saint Louis School senior who started as a Cub Scout at age 5 and became an Eagle Scout in 2011, will also be recognized at this year’s Court of Honor.

"All my friends from the troop don’t go to my school, but I’ve known them my whole life," he said. "It’ll be great, the 12 of us together. I’m sure we’ll all be friends for a long time."