Portrayal of America, Part IV

Camp T. Brady Saunders

A month later, Trevor finds himself at Camp T. Brady Saunders, waking up at the crack of dawn every morning. Before breakfast at the mess hall, his troop hikes to the demonstration field with thirty other troops from all around the state of Virginia to raise the flag and start the day properly. Waking up so early is difficult at first, but Trevor’s tent partner offers encouragement and motivates him to get out of bed. The afternoons consist of merit badge classes. Trevor has signed up for swimming, canoeing, rifle shooting, and cooking, and so have most of the other boys his age; therefore, they walk to the classes together, and Trevor finds himself actually enjoying the activities. Through the courses, he even grows closer to his patrol members. Swimming and canoeing are hard work, though. He has never been much of a swimmer, but the scout leaders in charge of the merit badge help him a great deal and ensure him he can accomplish whatever goals he sets for himself.

On the final day of summer camp, Troop 220 takes a four-mile group hike. The older boys lead the way, and the scoutmasters walk casually in the rear. Trevor has never walked so long in his life, and he doesn’t have the appropriate footwear to comfort his feet on the rugged terrain. He is struggling to keep up.



Looking back from the head of the group, Jonathan, a Star Scout, stops momentarily to see how everyone behind him is managing. He instantly notices the young newcomer, stumbling behind, sweat pouring down his face from exhaustion. A Scout is helpful, Jonathan remembers. He walks over to Trevor and doesn’t even bother to ask before leaning down and picking him up. Seated atop Jonathan’s shoulders, Trevor feels the heat surging through his muscles begin to subside. He gasps in relief and is gracious for this older scout’s willingness to help. Suddenly, he begins to see a whole other side to Scouting. If this is what being a Scout looks like, he realizes, it is something he wants. This is something he’s never experienced before. Why would an older guy like Jonathan want to help a little twerp like him? There is something special here.

Not long later, Trevor asks Jonathan to put him down. He wants to walk the last mile on his own, determination settling in. Jonathan complies with his request and sets him down, offering to help him again if he needs it. Trevor thanks him and continues the hike, joining the boys in his patrol. They finish the hike together.


Accomplishment

When someone earns the Eagle rank, Boy Scouts far and wide celebrate with him by conducting an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, a formal and exciting event, in which the scout is presented with the award and has the opportunity to thank all the people who helped him along the way. An Eagle Scout is a boy transformed, no longer the meager kid without a clue that he may have been upon entering his troop; he is now self-assured, responsible, knowledgeable, well-grounded, and ready for life’s challenges. Eagle Scouts also experience an assortment of advantages in later life, such as nation-wide recognition, an overall good reputation, and improved chances of being accepted into college, because the Eagle rank suggests the boy has initiative and determination to succeed. The Eagle rank is not easily earned, and most Scouts do not complete the requirements until their sixteenth or seventeenth year, if at all. A Scout has until their eighteenth birthday to be eligible for the rank. There are currently approximately 997,398 registered Boy Scouts in America, and only three out of every one hundred of those scouts will earn the Eagle rank. In ninety-four years of Boy Scouting in America, only 40,029 Eagle awards have been earned.