A small band of Boy Scouts gathered around a flagpole Monday as parents, troop leaders, brothers and sisters looked on in bright morning sun.

"Color Guard, forward march," barked Siddharth Modi, 15, as he commanded a formal flag-raising ceremony.

His father, once a Boy Scout half a world away, beamed as Siddharth christened his Eagle Scout project - a 28-foot flagpole and gathering spot Siddharth planned and constructed at Charlotte's Countryside Montessori High School.

"This country has done so much for me," said Vibhakar Modi, who moved to the United States from his native India for graduate study in 1987. "It's an extremely emotional thing for me to actually see the U.S. flag go up for the first time on a project that was masterminded by my son."

Siddharth attended Countryside for a decade, through his elementary and middle school years. This fall, he will begin his junior year at the N.C. School of Math and Science.

Recalling the joys of Scouts as a boy, the elder Modi signed up his son for Cub Scouts years ago. Dozens of meetings, camping trips and service projects later, his son has achieved its highest rank.

"It's a feeling of immense pride and happiness," said Modi, 47.

It was a big moment for Troop 148, too. The boys have been together for years. Siddharth is one of 18 in the troop working to attain Eagle Scout.

"A lot of people count it as more valuable than a high school diploma," said Ricky Sledz, 15, a member of Troop 148. "Having an Eagle Scout really sets you apart from other people. ... People tend to look at it, 'Oh, that kid's an Eagle Scout. He's upheld to all these certain standards.' "

Scoutmaster Joel Farrand praised the 55 boys in the troop and detailed the lessons they learn from Scouts.

"This isn't just about the camping," said Farrand, 46. "They're the next generation of leaders, so a flag-raising on the Fourth of July is a good way to start."