Boy Scout Adventure

I joined Scouting in 1992 with Troop 1283, which meets at Cresthill Baptist Church, at the age of eleven. On October 23, 1993, I became a Tenderfoot Scout. On January 25, 1994, I earned the rank of 2 nd Class. I proceeded on and earned the rank of 1 st Class on May 24, 1994. On May 2, 1995, I earned the rank of Star and on September 17, 1996, I earned the rank of Life. During this timeframe, I attended many camping trips with the troop. I participated in the famous summer camp in Goshen, VA for the next several years. I have held the position of Chaplain’s Aide (twice), and Librarian. I attended Impessa Advanced Leadership Training as well as several Troop Junior Leader Training Sessions. I also earned my 100 Nights of Camping Award. In addition, I have volunteered to help various scouts with their Eagle projects.

I have served as an Instructor at Goshen Scout Camp, Camp Bowman, in Goshen, VA from June 1998 to August 1998. I also served as an Assistant Program Director, Program Director and Adult Leader at Goshen Scout Camp, Camp Bowman, from June 1999 to August 1999.

I participated as a counselor with the Boy Scouts during the summer camps of 1998 and 1999 in Goshen, Virginia. I instructed the scouts in making various items in basket weaving, leather work and woodcarving. I answered questions from the scouts when they had a problem in doing their task. I also counseled scouts in the proper use of various equipment in doing their task in a safe manner. Since Troop 1283 was founded in 1965, 48 Scouts including myself have become Eagle Scouts as of 1999.

My Eagle Service Project consisted of repainting the High Bridge Elementary School playground area equipment located at High Bridge Road, Bowie, Maryland. This equipment consisted of monkey bars, paddleball poles, jungle jim bars, and two soccer goal posts.My Eagle Service Project provided for a safer playground area for the children by not having the paint come off of the equipment and onto their hands. The children would not be putting any of the chipped paint or rubbed off paint into their mouths.

The repainted equipment has allowed the elementary school children to have a lot of fun on a daily basis and provided them with the needed exercise and outdoor activity for developing children. Approximately sixteen volunteers helped me complete my Eagle Project, which took approximately five months to complete. Of these sixteen volunteers, three were adults and the remaining thirteen were Troop 1283 Scout members. The project required about sixty-eight man-hours.

When all of the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout have been completed, there is one final hurdle: The Eagle Board of Review. The Board of Review is the final stage before a Scout can join the ranks of Eagle Scout. The board is responsible for determining the worthiness of the Scout to receive this high honor. The Board must also decide that in addition to meeting all the requirements, the prospective Eagle Scout has lived up to scouting's high ideals, including living by the Scout Oath and Law as well as providing a good example for others. John’s Eagle Board of Review was conducted on June 1, 1999 at Cresthill Baptist Church.