Since I was six years old, I have been involved continuously in Scouting. Scouting has been one of the most important extracurricular activity in my life, as I have learned independence and teamwork skills that I will apply for the rest of my life. I’m extremely grateful for the program, and as I have grown older, I have transitioned to giving back as much as possible to Scouting.

Journey to Eagle

Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouting, and achieving Eagle is a key aspiration for many scouts, myself included. When I was young, I looked at the Eagle rank as the epitome of greatness in Scouting. While my final push to achieve the rank of Eagle took less than a year, my complete journey to Eagle rank lasted over half a decade. As soon as I joined my Scouting troop when I was just eleven years old, the camps I went on and the skills I learned already were progressing me toward Eagle as I advanced though Scouting’s numerous ranks.

Eventually, the requirements that I needed to continue to progress shifted to leadership experience, increased amounts of service, and also acquiring more advanced skills including advanced first-aid and emergency-preparedness skills. The next required step to achieve Eagle included planning, organizing, and executing a large-scale and complex service project in my community. After that, all that was left was to get the mountain of paperwork I needed for Eagle organized and sorted (this was surprisingly difficult!), and to complete a tough Board of Review. Once I completed the Board of Review and was awarded the Eagle Rank, surprisingly, I did not feel any different than before. I then realized that the Eagle rank was really a recognition of the lessons that I had learned, the skills that I obtained, and the memories I had made during my time in Scouting. Once I had realized this, receiving the Eagle rank felt far more special. As they say, “once an Eagle, always an Eagle!”

Outdoor Experiences

Throughout my time in Scouting, all the way from when I was a Tiger scout at six years old to today, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in numerous outdoor trips with the Scouting program. These included camping trips, backpacking trips, hikes, and outdoor service projects.

Here’s my reflection on my most significant backpacking trip: Philmont Reflection

Community Service

Community service is a crucial part of the Scouting program. A key goal of any scout and scouting troop is to give back to their communities by regularly organizing and participating in service projects. The Scout slogan is “do a good turn daily.” Community service is one of the best ways to do a substantive good turn in one’s own neighborhood, so it’s no wonder why community service is so important in scouting.

For me personally, every day that I participated in Community service became a little brighter, as it always gave me a warm feeling to help others. Community service also taught me to appreciate the things in my life that I often take for granted, such as a stable access to food. Taking time to serve the needy showed me how much easier it was for me to meet my basic needs than many other people.

A food distribution service project where I led my troop’s delegation:

Eagle Court of Honor

This ceremony celebrated my whole Scouting journey, reflecting on the skills, experiences, and friendships that I have gained as a scout.