PINEDALE – Earning the rank of Eagle Scout is a major achievement.

Since 1912 when the Eagle Scout honor was first introduced, only 6 percent of the young people who begin their scouting career go on to receive the rank, according to the Boy Scouts of America.

A substantial part of earning the Eagle Scout award is planning, organizing and carrying out a significant community service project.

Big Piney High School (BPHS) freshman Zavier Clifford took a step closer to achieving his Eagle Scout rank upon completion of his project to overhaul the sign commemorating BPHS state championships at Puncher Stadium to include entries for girls’ track.

“I noticed that there were not any entries for girls’ track on the existing sign, and the project went from there,” said Clifford.

Clifford began the process by designing the remodeled sign to be constructed out of steel, spending about one and a half months on this preliminary step.

Several months later, the steel arrived from a company in Rock Springs and Clifford got to work in the BPHS shop welding new parts for the sign out of two sheets of steel tubing. BPHS welding teacher Brent Hibbert and alumnus Blade Hibbert assisted Clifford with the welding.

Clifford and a crew then installed the fabricated sign in Puncher Stadium. Clifford and his team also painted the text that will go on the sign to commemorate each girls’ state track championship in Puncher Red.

The sign will now honor the achievements of all athletes at BPHS, including the 2023 2A Girls’ State Track Championship.

“I think the sign symbolizes what our athletic field is all about and how much success we have in our sports programs,” said Clifford.

Clifford is a member of Big Piney Boy Scout Troop No. 22. His favorite part of participating in Boy Scouts is attending summer camps, especially a 3-day rafting trip along the Salmon River.

Clifford is a multi-sport athlete and is a member of the BPHS football team. He is looking forward to wrestling and running track for BPHS this winter and spring.

Clifford thanked his parents, Cole and Angie Clifford, BPHS head football coach Jeromy Moffat and Brent and Blade Hibbert for their help on the project. Clifford also gave a shoutout to Mr. Jeffries for assisting with the forklift to install the remodeled sign, along with community members who provided donations for the project.