To Curtis Maier, 17, scouting is a family tradition.

Boy Scouts of America Troop 158, friends and family gathered Sunday in the Knights of Columbus Hall for Curtis’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony.

“I’m very glad I could make it through,” Curtis said after the ceremony.

“A lot of kids don’t get to finish. I had a lot of fun along the way and no regrets.”

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest honor bestowed on a Boy Scout. Only 3 to 5 percent of over one million scouts reach the rank of Eagle.

Curtis’s mother Elodie said she was really happy that her last child finally earned his Eagle Scout award.

Elodie is the Cub Scout master for all the Cub Scout dens in Natchez.

Curtis’s father, Paul, is the assistant scoutmaster for troop 158.

“It has been a couple of years in the making getting this done,” Paul said. “We are very fortunate in this troop that we have a strong force that pushes these guys and keeps them going with scouting.”

By Curtis receiving his Eagle Scout award, Paul said it made his son a “marked man.”

“Through scouting, it has shown him that if he wants to attain something all he has to do is set his goals,” he said.

Other members of the Maier family, Elodie said, are or have been involved in scouting.

Curtis’s grandfather, Pat, and uncle, Buddy, were scoutmasters for troop 158.

His uncle Walter served as an assistant scoutmaster and his uncle Freddie served on the troop committee.

Curtis’s brother Garrett received his Eagle Scout award last year and said he was happy for his brother.

“He deserves what he has earned and I’m very proud of him,” Garrett said.

Garrett said Curtis was a good leader in his scout troop.

“He looks out for the young people and he works well with the older scouts in his troop,” he said.

Scoutmaster Freddie Voss, 72, has been the scoutmaster for troop 158 for 35 years.

Voss said Curtis, like many scouts his age balance being a senior in high school, sports activities and scouting.

“I didn’t have any doubts that he wouldn’t make it through,” he said.

Curtis said he will continue to be involved in scouting now that he is finished earning his award.

“I’ve got a lot of friends who made Eagle and a lot of friends that haven’t yet,” he said.

“But I’ll come back on Wednesdays (during the scout meetings) and check up on the guys and see how the lower ranking scouts are doing. I’d like to see a bunch of them make Eagle.”