From Alison Rouse
Special to the EAN
Ray Unger, a recent graduate of Wetumpka High School and former member of Wetumpka Scout Troop 13, achieved Eagle rank during his last year of high school. Unger got his start in Scouting as a member of Cub Scout Pack 50 in 2012, chartered at that time by First Baptist Church in Wetumpka. While at Pack 50, he earned the God and Me religious award and the Arrow of Light, the highest level of achievement in Cub Scouts.
In 2017, Unger joined Troop 13 at Wetumpka First Presbyterian Church, where he held a variety of leadership positions through the years, including senior patrol leader, scribe, instructor, troop guide and patrol leader. In 2020, he was named the Bryan Valliere Memorial Outstanding Scout of the Year, named for a past member of Troop 13. After achieving Eagle status in October 2023, Unger continued involvement with Troop 13 until his 18th birthday. He remains a member of the newly formed Venturing Crew 122, also chartered by First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka.
One of Unger’s favorite Scout experiences was traveling with members of his troop during the summer of 2022 to Florida Sea Base located in Key West. The Scouts spent the week deep-sea fishing, eating seafood and exploring the local sights. For his Eagle project, Unger replanted trees to replace those that were lost due to a tornado that destroyed much of First Presbyterian in 2019. The church grounds committee met with Unger, and they chose six trees for him to purchase and plant behind the church.
While in high school, Unger enjoyed participating in the WHS Robotics team, where he assisted with marketing and presentation. He was also a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and National Beta Club. He is a second Dan Black Belt in IJTF Taekwon-Do and is an instructor at Triumph Taekwon-Do Academy. He also started Jujitsu in 2023 at the Coosa Jiu Jitsu and Wellness Center. This fall Unger will begin school in the Physical Therapy Assistant Program at South University in Montgomery.
