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# Untitled
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/111106-story-2/
- Published: 2006-11-11T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T22:05:28.000Z
- Author: Melody Hanatani
- Tags: Education, Brentwood, #archive-import

SAMOHI — One local student is hoping to collect and respectfully dispose of 200 American flags in an effort to achieve the ultimate level of the Boy Scout life.

As part of his final project to become an Eagle Scout, Samohi junior Stefan Laage, of Boy Scout Troop 117 of Brentwood, is working to collect 200 damaged American flags, which he will respectfully dispose of later next year.

“I’m doing this to teach the value of our flag and to teach them not to just throw it away,” Laage said Friday.

The project has been approved by both the Santa Monica Police and Fire departments, which plan to participate in a flag retirement ceremony.The idea came to Laage when his mother’s colleague asked the scout to properly dispose of a damaged flag — something Laage had no idea how to perform.

Boy scouts must go through several steps in order to achieve the highest rank, including earning merit badges and completing a final project.

The process of properly disposing the flag involves cutting the flag, separating the stripes, the stars, and the union, and burning them individually, said Laage, who opposes those who desecrate the flag.

“The flag represents our country and wherever it is, it represents us,” Laage said.

To donate a flag, contact Stefan Laage at (310) 260-2300.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 11, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/111106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)