Suffolk Boy Scout Troop 1929 held its first Eagle Board of Review Wednesday at West End Baptist Church, confirming 14-year-old Christopher Fegley as its first Eagle Scout.

To earn Scouting’s top honor, the rising freshman at Nansemond River High School organized a large team of volunteers to install new railing and stain on the old stairs at Murphy’s Mill Cabin, where the troop holds regular cookouts and other activities.

“It was hard getting all the materials together and finding people to do it,” Christopher said. “But other than that, it went smoothly.”

He decided on the project for his Eagle Scout award while camping at the cabin recently and seeing the stairs were a potential hazard that needed fixing.

The actual construction took one day, he said, and stain was applied later.

“It was 220 man-hours of work,” he said, saying that 20-odd people helped. “Without as many people, it would have taken longer.”

Christopher is one of 24 freshmen citywide selected for Project Lead the Way, a pre-engineering program for high school students.

He plays junior varsity football at NRHS, and started in the Scouting movement as a Tiger Cub while in first grade at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School.

As Cub Scout, he earned all available ranks, from Bobcat to Webelos, all Webelos’ activity badges, and the highest award available at that level, the Arrow of Light.

As a Boy Scout he has earned 35 merit badges, including the 12 Eagle-required badges and 23 elective badges.

He has served as patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader and is currently the troop instructor.

Members of his troop endorsed Christopher as a member of the prestigious Order of the Arrow, the honor society of the Boy Scout program.

Christopher’s mother, Cindy Fegley, noted that her son earned his Eagle Scout during the 100-year anniversary of the first Eagle Scout awarded in the country.

“It will help me coming up after graduation,” Christopher said. “It helps out with leadership skills generally.”

A special ceremony will be held at the church to officially present the award, Cindy Fegley said.