CELEBRATION STORIES
Celebrate Builders
In Brenna's hometown of Millersburg there was no outdoor amphitheater where people could gather to enjoy concerts, performing arts, or educational seminars. So she built one. More accurately, she selected this enormous endeavor as her Eagle Scout Project and gave leadership to the funding and construction of a stone amphitheater. The new facility is located in Deer Run Park where it is available to benefit and impact her entire community.
First Five
History was made with the 2021 Eagle Scout Class as it includes the first females to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout in the Buckeye Council. These “first five” seized the opportunity to join Scouting as soon as it was offered to young women and immediately began their journey along the trail to Eagle. But make no mistake, their accomplishment is no more or less than any other member of the 2021 Eagle Scout class. Their accomplishments are equal and stand shoulder to shoulder with all those who have achieved this high honor. Eagles are eagles – they all soar high.
Celebrate Achievement
Scouting in the Buckeye Council has experienced steep adversity over the past few years, and significant growth has followed. Scouting has grown by over 10% this year with more than 1,400 new families joining Scouting in the last several weeks. 3,000 participants discovered adventure at Seven Ranges Scout Reservation. Another 2,000 went to Family Adventure Camp with many attendees having their very first camping experience. 5,000 merit badges have been earned, 1,800 ranks awarded, and 92 youth have reached Eagle, and those figures will only climb through the end of the year.
Celebrate Perseverance
Born with spina bifida and congenital heart disease that required open heart surgery, perseverance in the face of adversity has been a constant in Evan Heller’s journey. Applying lessons he learned in Scouting, and with unwavering support of his family, Evan earned an athletic scholarship to play wheelchair basketball for Auburn University. In December of 2021, Evan reached his next goal of playing for Team USA Men’s Under 23 and will represent our country in international competitions. He has recently been invited to try out Team USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with a chance to make the Paralympic team.
Celebrate Inclusion
Christopher K., an Eagle Scout from Troop 113 in Mansfield, Ohio earned his Eagle Scout Award as part of the 2021 Class and has the genetic condition known as Down Syndrome. While it is usually associated with physical growth delays and mild to moderate intellectual disability, Christopher doesn’t let that hold him back. He went above and beyond the minimum requirements to achieve the rank of Eagle.
Celebrate Families
Scouting brings families closer together by allowing both parents and kids to put on the same uniform and participate together. For over a century, youth have participated in local Scouting programs that are parent-led and encourage the whole family to have fun together. The Cub Scout program especially builds the connection between parent and scout with many advancement requirements designed to be completed with a parent or with the whole family at home. Victor Perez enjoyed that experience as a youth growing up in Puerto Rico, and now has the chance to share that joy with his own daughters.