Boy Scouts
My journey to Eagle Scout started a bit late compared to other scouts, starting in 7th grade rather than from Cub Scouts (who would normally start as early as 4th-5th grade). Despite this, I committed to being an active member of Troop 290.
I earned my Eagle Scout in 2019, and in 2018 I earned my place in the Order of the Arrow. After earning my Eagle Scout, I went on to participate as the Acting Scoutmaster for the 2019 Troop 290 Camp Lassen summer trip.
Values I learned in scouting still hold with me today, and I picked up a lot of skills and good habits ranging to cooking etiquette, boating, environmental safety, and community service. The following are snapshots of the two most important events during my Scouting career.
Philmont Scout Ranch - Scout
12 days, 100+ miles, 11 people, no phone service. This was Philmont Scout Ranch, a High Adventures camp located in New Mexico.
Beginning 6/20/2017, we embarked on this journey with steamed bagels and high hopes. By the end of the twelve days, I was happy to be alive and back at home base. Throughout the trip we did various activities including rock climbing, horseback riding, .30-06 rifle and shotgun shooting/reloading, donkey racing, Atlatl spear throwing, and more.
The trip was an overall success, and a great experience to partake in.
Eagle Scout Project - Scout
My project, named the "Gold Rush Project", was tasked with restoring props and facades for Greystone Elementary School. These were originally used for the fourth grader's Gold Rush Day, requiring a speedy set up and ease of construction and refurnishing.
There were 5 main goals for this project.
Restore the General Store (front poles, paint, and checking for stability).
Restore Table for General Store (table is originally too flimsy and is wearing away from drilling every year. No longer stable).
Restore the Saloon (double doors and the front porch needed fixing).
Restore Ma's Kitchen (previous method of PVC pipe and rebar is no longer effective in supporting the art. Need new structure).
Design and create a new photo booth set up (must be easy to design and set up, allowing for parents to decorate the structure easily).
Each of these came with their own set of challenges, both hidden and known. I started designing this project in the summer before my senior year of high school, and spent a good 4 months planning out exactly what I needed, baking brownies and offering private martial arts lessons to fundraise what I needed for my materials.
With the help of other members in my troop, I successfully finished in March of 2019, a month before my 18th birthday. I spent slightly less than 500$ total, and donated the rest of the money I fundraised to the school. Below are some images of the process and the finished results!