Character. Leadership. Courage.
There’s no doubt that the Boy Scouts of America organization strives to develop young men into outstanding citizens and future role models, and the local troops in the area express every angle of the Boy Scout oath: to be physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
But few Boy Scouts make it to the highest level of scouting. In fact, any young man can join Boy Scouts and attend the campouts, participate in the service projects and earn merits; but it takes a special spark of determination to become an Eagle Scout, the crown jewel of Scouting.
In fact, reaching the level of Eagle Scout is quite rare. More than 100 million boys have enjoyed the Boy Scout experience since its founding in 1910, but just over 2 million boys have gone on to become Eagle Scouts.
Terry Bailey of Carroll County, and member of Troop 4200, hopes to obtain his rank by July.
All the J.Z. George High School sophomore lacks is finishing his Eagle Scout project and meeting with the Eagle Scout board of review.
“Pretty much all my years of Scouting will come down to that one day,” Bailey said of the review board meeting. Bailey has been in Boy Scouts since he was 13.
Becoming an Eagle Scout is no easy task. A potential Eagle Scout must have been a Life Scout member for at least six months before even attempting the feat. He must also have at least 21 merit badges, and he is required to plan, develop, and lead a service project that demonstrates both leadership and a commitment to duty.
Finally, he meets with the board of review.
“You really don’t know what to expect before going in there,” Bailey said. “They can ask you any question that relates to scouting, or they may throw you a rope and ask you to tie it.” But Bailey said he isn’t too nervous.
For his Eagle Scout project, Bailey is planning a renovation for Mission Hope in Winona, which is an organization that gives clothing items to needy families and those who lose their homes in fires and natural disasters.
Bailey has designated a group to help him paint the walls and improve the front entrance to the building.
“I hope this will open the eyes of people who don’t know about Mission Hope,” Bailey said. “And it feels good to give back to the community.”
But Bailey said he couldn’t complete this project alone. He’s received donations for paint and people volunteering their time to help him complete this project. “I’m thankful for all of the people who are helping to make this project a success,” he said.
Bailey plans to take the skills he’s learned in Scouting and apply them to a career in the military some day. “By being an Eagle Scout, I’ll already be two ranks ahead of everyone else,” he said. Bailey was inspired to become an Eagle Scout in part by his grandfather, who made it all the way up to Life Scout.
Members of Troop 4100 Aashil Randive and Madhav Nallani are also working towards becoming Eagle Scouts this summer.
Both started Boy Scouts at an older age, Randive at age 13 and Nallani at age 11, but both have come a long way in a relatively short time.
“When I starting Scouting, I really didn’t understand the motto or purpose of it other than having fun with my friends,” Randive said. “But as I began to move up in ranks, I realized that there was more to it than just camping and fun trips. It’s about helping people and learning to become a leader.”
Randive, a senior at Pillow Academy, plans to complete his Eagle Scout project by the end of May. He will revarnish the benches, doors, choir loft and pastor’s podium at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where he attends.
“I’m using a clear wood varnish, and it will make them look really nice and glossy,” he said.
Community service is one of Randive’s favorite things about scouting.
“When you help out in the community, you learn things about it you never knew,” he said. “It’s a great life lesson, and it’s good to give back to the community that has given so much to you.”
Randive recalled a trip his troop made to Yazoo City after a devastating tornado ripped through the town.
“We cleaned up houses and helped out where we were needed,” he said. Randive has also volunteered at Greenwood Leflore Hospital on his own.
Randive said the most important aspect he’s taking away from all his years of Scouting is the leadership skills he’s obtained. “Scouting has taught me how to be a leader and get others to follow you and how to be friendly when working with people,” he said. “These skills will definitely be useful in a career someday.”
Randive plans to study mechanical engineering in college.
Nallani, a sophomore at Pillow Academy, said that starting Scouting as an older boy was a little difficult. By starting older, Nallani said, “you have to start fresh because you really don’t have the background that some of the other boys do, but it’s still a lot of fun.”
His favorite Boy Scout activity is the annual Labor Day trip. “We go rock climbing and white-water rafting,” he said. “And we spend the night in a cave.”
But the community service projects probably mean the most to Nallani. “It means a lot to give back to the community,” he said. “That’s such an important part of Scouting.
Nallani was encouraged to pursue an Eagle Scout ranking after seeing the examples set by older boys who had obtained the rank. “They seemed like good guys, and they helped out a lot,” he said. “That’s something I look forward to.”
Nallani’s dad was a Scoutmaster, so obtaining the highest scout rank was important to him.
Nallani needs three or four more merit badges and to complete his project before he’s an Eagle Scout. He hopes to reach his goal by July.
As far as projects, Nallani has a few ideas in the works. “The public library has some bookshelves that need fixing up, so I may organize a plan to do that,” he said.
Like Bailey and Randive, Nallani will be the first member of his family to obtain the Eagle Scout rank. “Being an Eagle Scout is a huge honor because not many guys make it that far,” he said.
