www.NESA.org
WINTER 2012
|
Vol. 38, No. 4
The Big
Chill
Journal Entries Tell a
Northern California
Eagle’s Stone-Cold
Adventure at the
Bottom of the World
Also In This Issue
Lowe’s Offers Funds for Eagle Projects, Page 4
Selfless Service for All the World to See, Page 12
Meet the Top NESA Scholarship Winners, Page 16
News From the Trailhead
From the President
From the Director
Throughout 2012, there has been a great celebration of 100
years of Eagle Scouts. We had an amazing experience in early
August with the Order of the Arrow at the National Order of the Arrow
Conference. NESA@NOAC was a runaway success.
And on Aug. 11, the National Scouting Museum culminated its
annual Eagle Scout celebration with a terrific event. National
Commissioner and Distinguished Eagle Scout Tico Perez gave a
great speech to the large crowd in attendance. NESA appreciates
the hard work by the staff of the National Scouting Museum in
hosting a superb gathering.
I’ve served on the National Scouting Museum Committee for
several years, along with Ray Capp, the national advisor to the
Order of the Arrow. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Ray for
reaching out to me a year ago with the suggestion that the OA
and NESA collaborate for NESA@NOAC. The close friendship and
mutual respect we’ve developed while serving on the museum
committee made this an easy offer to accept. I believe that the
relationship forged between the two organizations will bear fruit
for decades to come.
I recently spoke with Jennifer Hyde-Smith, a mother of an Eagle
Scout from the local troop in Fort Worth where I’ve been active for
more than 15 years. Her son, Justin, is currently working on his
Ph.D. in robotics at Georgia Tech. She told me that Justin has
volunteered to teach merit badges in the local Scout council. This
was very rewarding to hear because Justin is part of the age group
NESA has been working to reach so these young Eagle Scouts will
stay engaged in Scouting. Eagle Scouts ages 18-35 are a
potentially huge resource to councils and can make a big
difference in the lives of Scouts. I urge you to talk to young Eagle
Scouts in your council and units and challenge them to give back
to the program that has given them so much.
What a year 2012 turned out to be! The 100th anniversary of
the Eagle Scout award was a celebration of more than 2 million
high-achievers. To celebrate nationally, NESA launched the largest
scholarship in the BSA: the $50,000 NESA STEM Scholarship.
NESA awards more than 150 scholarships—all listed on NESA.org
with printable applications. The deadline to mail a scholarship
application is Dec. 31, and NESA receives more than 5,000 entries
each year. Committees in all four regions review the applications
and award the scholarships.
Still to come is the deadline for the Glenn A. and Melinda W.
Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award
applications. Scouts who earned their Eagle award in 2012 should
submit their applications to their local council by Jan. 21. Council
winners, regional winners, and one national winner will be selected
by NESA committees. Find an application at NESA.org.
With the arrival of 2013, the start of the next 100 years of Eagle
Scouts begins. One of the major highlights of the year will be the
national Scout jamboree in July. NESA expects to have a major
presence there, with an exhibit in the Legacy Village area. At the
NESA exhibit, Jim Schmitz, a master woodcarver, will lead Scouts in
the carving of the NESA pole. The majestic carving—35 feet long
and three feet in diameter—will tell the story of Eagle Scouts in
wood. All Scouts who help carve will leave the jamboree with some
shavings they removed and a certificate that they contributed.
Then after the jamboree, when the NESA pole has been painted
and mounted upright in a prominent location at the Summit
Bechtel Reserve, a webcam will go live in the eagle’s eye at the
top. Scouts visiting the Summit will be able to stand in front of it,
call home, and give Mom and Dad the link to a Web site where
they can see their Scout waving at them from the mountains of
West Virginia.
From the Eagle Trail,
Good Eagle Scouting,
C. William Steele
Director
Dan BRYant
Glenn A. Adams
President
2 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine
ISSN 0890-4995
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
President of the United States Barack Obama,
Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America
Wayne Perry, National President
Tico Perez, National Commissioner
Wayne Brock, Chief Scout Executive
NATIONAL EAGLE SCOUT ASSOCIATION
Glenn A. Adams, President
C. William “Bill” Steele, Director
NESA Committee:
Rick Bragga, Dr. David Briscoe, Clark W. Fetridge,
Jonathan Hillis, Marshall Hollis, Dr. Ken King, Michael
Manyak, M.D., Todd R. Plotner, Joseph Porter, John Rehm,
Congressman Pete Sessions, Frank Tsuru
Regents consist of more than 600 life members of
NESA who also are recipients of the Distinguished
Eagle Scout Award.
EAGLE Scout Magazine
J. Warren Young
Publisher
J. D. Owen
Editor in Chief
Magazine Division
John R. Clark
Managing Editor
Bryan Wendell
Senior Editor
Gretchen Sparling
Associate Editor
Scott Feaster
Design Director
Elizabeth Hardaway
Morgan
Senior Art Director
W. Garth Dowling
Director of Photography
Edna J. Lemons
Photo Editor
Bryan Wursten
Online Editor
Linda Lawrence
Assistant to the
Managing Editor
Bob Wiemers
Operations Director
Lenore Bonno
Print Production
Control Specialist
Lisa Hott
Advertising
Production Manager
Marcie Rodriguez
Imaging Artist
John W. Ingram
Circulation Director
Judy Bramlett
Customer Relations
Manager
Special Contributors
C. William “Bill” Steele
Jeff Laughlin
Keith Courson
Lois Albertus
Teresa Brown
04 Have You Heard?
Help your Scouts aim for the stars with resources made
available by one Eagle Scout at NASA. And meet Morgan Smith
(left), an Eagle Scout who didn’t let a potentially fatal allergy to
peanuts, sesame, and fish slow him down. Now he works as
an ambassador for other kids with food allergies.
06 Ice Work if You Can Get It
Some people may call it crazy to trade life in California for a
stint in Antarctica. Not Eagle Scout Monte Miller. His reaction:
“Sign me up!” You might want to put on a sweater before
reading this first-person account of his time working as a
weather watcher at the bottom of the world.
12 A Bridge to Other Lives
Eagle Scout Chris Bashinelli learned the importance of service
during his time in Scouting. He shares why this lesson drives
him to shed light on how people overcome adversities in areas
such as Honduras, Kenya, and even South Dakota’s Pine Ridge
Reservation for his upcoming PBS show, Bridge the Gap.
Address all correspondence to NESA, S322
Boy Scouts of America, 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane,
P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079
www.NESA.org, eaglescoutmag@scouting.org
Circulation this issue: 125,000
NESA accepts all articles from members for submission, but
because of space limitations and dated material, we are not
always able to use all materials. We cannot return articles or photographs submitted for consideration. For detailed submission
guidelines, go to www.nesa.org. Please send address changes to
eaglechanges@netbsa.org. Include your name, new and old
addresses, birth date, and the number printed above your name
on the address label.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 3
NESA Celebrates
Science at Sea
NASA
Last summer, Alex Overman, a recent graduate of Old
Dominion University, became the first Eagle Scout Argonaut,
which earned him a trip to legendary oceanographer Dr. Bob
Ballard’s ship, the Nautilus. The trip was a collaboration
between NESA and the JASON Project, a nonprofit created by
Ballard to promote science education.
NESA Director Bill Steele says Ballard, a Life Scout,
reached out to NESA about bringing an Eagle Scout aboard
the Nautilus. “With this being the launch year of the
NESA-STEM Scholarship, the NESA Committee liked the idea
of doing something new and significant—like selecting an
outstanding Eagle Scout future scientist for a life-changing
experience,” he says.
Steele also believes more Eagle Scouts could soon follow
in Overman’s wake. “It’s quite possible that NESA will
continue the Eagle Scout Argonaut program,” he says. “We’re
also looking at bringing back the Antarctic Scout program,
which has a rich history. There is even talk about an Eagle
Scout being selected annually to participate in a flag
expedition of The Explorers Club. NESA intends to start the
second century of Eagle Scouts off with a bang.”
Keeping Track of NASA’s Eagle Scouts
Eleven of the 12 men who’ve walked on the moon earned the Eagle Scout
Award, including Neil Armstrong, who passed away in 2012. Two-thirds of
career astronauts were Scouts. These are great statistics, but have you ever
wondered where they come from?
Meet Dennis Stocker, a project scientist at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
who does education outreach for NASA on the side. An Eagle Scout and
former Scoutmaster, Stocker has represented the space agency at three
national jamborees, two National Order of the Arrow Conferences, and
numerous local and regional Scouting events.
Stocker recently created a Facebook page, facebook.com/NASAbsa, to
inspire Scouts to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and
math. “STEM can make our nation and our world a better place,” he says. “The
information on this site may inspire or help Scouts to explore that area.”
On the page, visitors may download posters showing the patches from
NASA missions that included Eagle Scouts. Stocker hopes the page can help
Scout leaders everywhere inspire their Scouts to reach for the stars.
4 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Lowe’s Offers Support
for Eagle Projects
Every year, countless Life Scouts buy materials for their
Eagle Scout service projects at home-improvement retailer
Lowe’s. Now, Lowe’s is making it easier to pay the bill.
Through the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, the company has made a major grant to the Boy Scouts
of America to support Eagle projects. The money comes in
the form of $100 prepaid gift cards that have been
distributed to local councils based on their average number
of new Eagle Scouts over the past three years. Each council
has its own procedure for awarding the gift cards.
The gift cards must be used to purchase building
materials and equipment, but they don’t have to be used at
Lowe’s. Also, the donation doesn’t preclude local Lowe’s
outlets from offering additional support to individual
projects.
ofile
Eagle Scout Pr
NESA Committee Spotlight
Northern Star Council, St. Paul, Minn.
ITH
MOColoRraGdoAspNrinSgsM
, colo.
Claim to Fame (So Far): Morgan Smith can’t remember a time
when he didn’t have serious—and potentially fatal—food
allergies. Even indirect contact with peanuts, tree nuts, sesame,
fish, or shellfish can send him scrambling for his EpiPen.
Despite his allergies, 16-year-old Morgan has enjoyed a full
Scouting career with Troop 366 in Colorado Springs, including
earning Eagle in 2012. Along the way, he’s become an
ambassador for other kids with food allergies.
Fitting In: Before he joined Troop 366, Morgan made a
presentation to the patrol leaders’ council and adult leaders
about his allergies and how to deal with them.
The Patrol Method: Morgan never wanted to be singled out or
excluded from activities. Instead of bringing his own safe food
on outings and eating separately, he worked with his patrol to
plan safe menus and share shopping duties. For each outing,
he would do the shopping or tag along with the designated
shopper to make sure everything was safe for him to eat.
Training Other Leaders: Morgan attended an Introduction to
Outdoor Leadership Skills seminar a few years ago and taught
about food allergies. “I trained the adults on use of the EpiPen
and the symptoms of anaphylactic shock—how they could
prevent it and how they could treat it in the moment,” he says.
A National Platform: Morgan’s mom, Nicole, runs Allergic
Child.com, a Web site dedicated to dealing with food allergies.
Morgan has a page on the site and contributes a monthly
column to the AllergicChild.com newsletter.
Future Plans: Now a junior in high school, Morgan is
exploring college options. Although he plans to study
computer science and engineering, he intends to continue
helping other kids with food allergies. “I want to be a resource
for those kids who are just starting school or entering Scouts,”
he says. “I like to see that things that have worked in the past
will work in the future.”
History and Organization
The Northern Star Council has long held an annual Gathering of Eagles
event and awarded Eagle Scout scholarships. More recently, it developed a
strategic plan that, among other things, calls for engaging more volunteers
and donors who are 18 to 40 years old. Two years ago, it created what it
calls the Eagle Scout Network to bring all those pieces together.
Approximately 50 volunteers are involved, led by volunteer chairman
C.R. Hackworthy and staff advisor and Assistant Scout Executive Jeff
Sulzbach. Subcommittees handle the Gathering of Eagles, scholarships,
activities, database, and communications. Communications is a big job
because more than 20,000 Eagle Scouts live in the council’s territory.
Mission
The group’s mission is to provide ways for Eagles to stay connected to one
another and Scouting through networking events, community-service
projects, and other activities.
Starting Slow
Although the council wants Eagle Scouts to re-engage in some way,
Sulzbach emphasizes that it’s a slow sell. “We’re not taking this mailing list
and sending them pledge cards and asking them to make a donation,” he
says. “But we’re also cognizant of the fact that we can’t just be about doing
our own activities. The best way, we think, is to engage them personally
before we can expect that they’ll give back.”
Back to School
Perhaps the group’s most innovative program is the Cliff Jacobson
Expedition Canoe School, an annual weekend event at Kiwanis Scout Camp.
Each session brings together 50 or so participants—about half of them
Eagle Scouts—to learn advanced canoeing techniques from author and
Distinguished Eagle Scout Cliff Jacobson. Proceeds benefit the Eagle Scout
scholarship program.
Gathering of Eagles
The Eagle Scout Network’s signature event, the Gathering of Eagles,
attracts some 400 Eagle Scouts each spring, about half of whom aren’t
connected to Scouting in any other way. Keynote speakers have included
National Commissioner Tico Perez; Jack Furst, one of the driving forces
behind the new Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve; and former
NASA administrator Richard Truly. The event also includes the presentation
of scholarships, youth and adult Eagle Scout of the Year Awards, and the
Eagle Project of the Year Award.
On the Web
To learn more about the Eagle Scout Network, visit northernstarbsa.org/
EagleNetwork/Default.aspx or find them on Facebook.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 5
ICE
WORK
IF YOU CAN GET IT
Read these entries in California
Eagle Scout Monte Miller’s journal,
and you’ll learn what it’s like living
at the bottom of the world.
Nov. 20, 2011: Christchurch, New Zealand
Tomorrow it finally begins. At 7 a.m. we board the C-17 and
begin the five-hour flight to the world’s most hostile
continent. To get to Christchurch I’ve flown 18 hours to
four cities, with 10 hours of layovers. To think I will
actually be in Antarctica this time tomorrow is surreal.
Nov. 21, 2011: McMurdo Station, Antarctica
My first glimpse of Antarctica today was breathtaking.
The sight of the mountaintops obscured by clouds is a sight
I hope I never forget. I can honestly say that
W
inter temperatures in San Jose, Calif.,
range from the low 40s to the high 50s.
The lowest temperature on record (19
degrees) occurred during the Bush administration—the first Bush administration, that is.
So who in his right mind would trade a
pleasantly mild winter for three months in
Antarctica? Twenty-five-year-old Eagle Scout
Monte Miller would and did. In November 2011,
Miller left San Jose to spend the Antarctic
summer as a weather observer at Byrd Camp, a
tiny research hub some 1,200 miles from
McMurdo Station. As one of two weather
observers at Byrd Camp, Miller monitored
conditions to make sure Air Force LC-130 planes
could land safely on Byrd’s 11,000-foot skiway.
Miller kept an extensive journal of his experience and took thousands of photos. Here’s an
edited version of his journal. —Mark Ray
it started to make me emotional, as I was simply overwhelmed by the awe-inspiring sight. How many other people
have had the opportunity to view such pure and desolate
terrain? To view endless miles of land where no man has
ever set foot?
Nov. 26, 2011: McMurdo Station, Antarctica
I am now scheduled to fly out to Byrd Camp on Tuesday,
as a storm caused several days of flights to be canceled.
Meanwhile, the whole station is in a state of revelry as we
have a rare two-day weekend for the holidays. Last night I
went to Gallager’s Bar for karaoke and watched the
festivities. It is still strange to head outside at 1:30 a.m. to
find the sun still up.
Nov. 27, 2011: McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Just finishing off a nice lazy Sunday here at McMurdo.
I Spent most of the day relaxing and reading, although I
also got to visit Robert Scott’s Discovery Hut, erected
in 1911 by the British Antarctic Expedition of 1910–1913.
Stepping into the Discovery Hut was truly taking a
step back in time. Nothing has changed in the 100 years
I’ve just arrived in Antarctica, and I’m taking my first steps on the
continent. The aircraft behind me is a USAF C-17
Globemaster III—on which I spent three hours traveling from
Christchurch, New Zealand, to McMurdo Station. The aircraft
landed on a seasonal sea-ice runway that’s about 9 feet thick.
Just a month after my arrival, this runway had already melted for
the summer season.
6 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
since its last use, down to the pants hanging up to
dry and the two dead seals preserved by the cold.
It is incredible to think that man ventured to the
South Pole with such primitive and limited equipment.
The feats we accomplish now pale in comparison.
Dec. 1, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
On the fifth attempt, I am here. Everybody here
is fantastic, and super welcoming. After eating
dinner and getting a camp tour, I spent some time
with the other weather observer, Krissie Shiroma.
Afterward, I went to bed and got settled into my
tent, which had been set up for me. Although the
temperatures here are much lower than McMurdo—
highest I saw was 0-degrees Fahrenheit—the tent
is quite cozy. It’s still below freezing in here
but much warmer than outside. The sleeping bag
rated to minus-50 doesn’t hurt either.
Dec. 4, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
today was my First “day off” here at Byrd. I
Woke up at 0600 to perform the 0700 observation. On non-flight days we only do three
observations: 0700, 1300, and 1900. On days with
flights we do an observation every hour for
six hours before the flight. So far the
weather has been fairly mellow, at least by
Byrd Camp standards. Temperatures average
around 5 degrees, and winds are usually about
15 knots out of grid East. Snow is minimal, but
when the wind picks up, visibility is reduced
by blowing snow.
BECAuse we haven’t had any flights since
I arrived, I’ve spent most of my time
helping others out around camp and learning
how the various operations around here work.
Of course, snow removal of built-up drifts
is a constant battle. One of my tasks
yesterday was to clean out the three
pee-gloos, which had completely filled in
with drifting snow. The pee-gloos are
basically snow walls built to block the
wind while you whiz, so you don’t have to
use the outhouse. The women tend to
grumble when they are asked to clean them
out, since they never get to use them.
Dec. 5, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Got up to start doing observations at 0245 this morning.
After only four hours of sleep, waking up wasn’t as bad as
I expected. The solar noon here is around that time, so
that may have eased my awakening. So far the weather has
held, and we might be able to get the first LC-130 flight
in, although it might degenerate to Condition 2.
Dec. 6, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
it’s Currently Condition 1 here at Byrd, with 100-mile
visibility and winds gusting to 34 knots. Going out in
Condition 1 to report the weather is an otherworldly
experience. Today I am wearing four layers of clothing.
For my legs: silk long underwear, wool long underwear,
fleece wind pants, and insulated Carhartt bib coveralls. On
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 7
top: silk and wool long underwear, fleece jacket, and Big
Red (my parka). For the extremities: a neck gaiter, A
neoprene face mask, A wool flap hat, goggles, two pairs
of gloves, socks, and boots. All this gear truly keeps you
isolated from the cold, although the occasional gap
between layers is a fresh reminder that it’s there. To walk
the 200 feet to the PPMK (Portable Polar Meteorological
Kit), you have to lean hard into the wind, battling gusts to
make headway. Head down, eyes on the poorly defined
ground, the only sounds you hear are that of the wind
raging past you and your own breathing. When conditions are
exceptionally poor, there is no horizon, and with the poor
light, it is possible to fall straight off the edge of a
6-foot drift without knowing it was ever there.
Dec. 13, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Camp is slowly gearing up for Christmas. Dinner and
entertainment are being planned, and the boxes of
ornaments are out to be hung. Rob, our sarcastic chef, has
started a countdown on the kitchen menu board. Each day he
writes a paragraph ripping our ridiculous consumer rituals
apart. It’s totally cynical, but always hilarious and 100
percent spot on.
Dec. 14, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
What a busy two days. Four flights yesterday, and four
today. We got our first load of freshies (fresh food)
since I’ve been here, which has made Rob incredibly happy.
Dec. 17, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Yesterday after work I got to go on a boondoggle
with the KBA (Kenn Borek Air) Twin Otter crew. I rode
along As they flew Lee, a weather science guy, to his
next camp at WAIS (Western Antarctic Ice Sheet) Divide.
Standing next to the memorial for Captain Scott on the peak of Observation Hill
(at far right), I was able to look down upon McMurdo Station behind me. This
vast “city” of sorts hosts about 1,200 people in the summer months—inhabitants who all work “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield,” a phrase that’s
inscribed on Scott’s memorial cross, which was erected after he died on the
return journey from the South Pole in 1912.
8 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
It was nice to finally ride on an aircraft with windows,
although the terrain is so featureless and white that it
seems like you’re flying over a piece of paper. The camp at
WAIS looks just like Byrd, although slightly larger. I’ve
been told they have washing machines there, which would be
nice. All in all it was nice to get out of camp for a while,
even if it was only for two hours.
Yesterday, our morning KBA flights were canceled for
weather. This left our Polenet scientists needing entertainment. Jeremy, their chief troublemaker, decided to start
building an army of snowmen. There’s a couple staring at
those who use the pee-gloo, another is smoking outside the
galley in Rob’s usual spot, and yet another is staring at
the sky by the weather sensors.
Dec. 19, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Currently in my tent, listening to the roar of the wind
and blast of the snow outside. The Wind is approximately 30 knots and forecasted to rise to 38 by 0100
and stay there until approximately 2200 tomorrow.
Storms like this remind us how insignificant we are
and how brutal this continent can be. I actually enjoy
when the weather deteriorates. I suppose it gives us
all a common adversary, an unstoppable force to
throw ourselves at. Not one of us came here because
we thought it would be easy. We all came to test
ourselves against the harshest continent on earth. This
is a proving ground for both mental and physical human
stamina, a measuring stick for endurance. To thrive
against the elements here is to laugh in Mother
Nature’s face, because you know she can do no worse.
Dec. 23, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Monday night brought the start of
a two-day windstorm, which stopped
all work and left camp in disarray.
We experienced winds up to 38
knots, visibility of only a few
hundred feet, and wind chill down
to 50 below.
Snow buildup during the storm
was pretty intense. By the end of
it all, there were drifts more
than 6 feet tall between the
Rac-Tents, extending out to the
cargo lines. The light was
incredibly poor because of the
cloud cover, which made walking
through camp hazardous. On more
than one occasion I either fell
off the top of a berm, or walked
straight into the side of one
because of the flat light
conditions.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 9
About Me
Name: Monte
AGE: 25
Miller
2002
Just for the adventure of it all. I’ve
never been a big world traveler, but I’ve always wanted to
be, I guess. To get paid to go do something? Sign me up.
SCOUTING LESSONS ON THE ICE: The whole “Be Prepared”
thing. During the interview, you could tell that’s what
they were looking for: someone who could adapt to
any situation given the tools at hand, to come out of an
undesirable situation with a successful outcome. I think
at the core of it, the Scout motto is something everybody down there lives by, whether they’re conscious of
it or not.
LIFE AFTER ANTARCTICA: I took the check ride for my
commercial pilot’s license in May and the check ride
for my Certified Flight Instructor rating at the end
of October. My five-year plan is to teach people how
to fly while I increase my own flight experience, and
then try to find a job as a seaplane pilot in the Pacific
Northwest.
YEAR I ACHIEVED EAGLE:
WHY ANTARcTICA?
Dec. 25, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Christmas has come and gone, and it brought many fun
memories and stories. Before dinner I changed into a suit
and tie. To say some people were surprised is an understatement. It was fun to wander around an environment in
clothes that are so out of place. One of the cooks, Natalie,
also dressed up, so we took some mock prom photos.
The dinner itself was amazing. We had carved ham, king
crab, lamb, and more sides and desserts than I have pages to
describe.
Dec. 28, 2011: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Yesterday the temperature rose above freezing for
the first time in Byrd Camp history. For one hour we were
at 37 degrees—and plunged to 14 degrees the next hour.
The sun is a fickle thing. It was so nice outside that I
donned a Hawaiian shirt and spent the last half of the day
in short sleeves.
Jan. 3, 2012: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
I am getting increasingly bad at regularly updating
this journal. I guess even the most exotic place on earth
can seem routine after a while. Hopefully my switch to
morning shift will facilitate a return to writing
regularly, as I now have much more personal time.
Today’s goal is to move my tent. The floor is
currently 3 feet below grade, and any time the
wind picks up I have to dig out my door.
Jan. 19, 2012: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Yesterday was a good birthday, although the
staff made a point of reminding me at every
opportunity what day it was. I Had to endure the
birthday song twice, once at the morning
meeting, and once at dinner.
If you look behind the Tucker Sno-Cat (opposite page on left),
you’ll see a line of tents that make up Byrd’s “Tent City.” After one
particularly bad storm, snow drifts built up as high as the roof of
our galley tent—about 10 feet tall! We use the Sno-Cat to help
remove snow drifts that build up around the tents and cargo
lines during storms. And, the grooming device behind the Tucker
helps us keep the landing strip clear for aircraft.
10 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Jan. 22, 2012: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
Eight days left. The carpenters arrive on the 18th to
start tearing down the buildings.
I Got to drive the Tucker, a tracked snow plow,
yesterday and got some lessons from Keith, a Byrd Camp
equipment operator, on making grade. Its fun to learn a
new skill set and it’s certainly beneficial to broaden the
work you can assist with around camp.
just how sensory deprived we are down there. I am
convinced that there are only three smells in Antarctica:
jet fuel, body odor, and whatever is for dinner.
Jan. 30, 2012: Byrd Camp, Antarctica
The final day. Weather right now is “unHercable,” so who
knows if I actually get a flight out, not that I am in a
hurry to leave. Although my last day in San Jose seems like
years ago, the nine weeks I’ve spent in camp have flown
by. I honestly could do another nine without a problem.
Feb. 6, 2012: Christchurch, New Zealand
I watched the sunset for the first time in three months
from the flight deck of the C-17. It was surreal seeing
the bright blue Antarctic sky melting into shades of purple
and orange. It was a serene moment of closure to the
whole experience, to say the least.
When we stepped off the aircraft in Christchurch, it was
raining. To feel the warm, humid night air on my face and to
taste the rain was an experience that I will never forget.
I was overwhelmed by the abundance of smells that I had
been missing for so long. Even just the simple fragrance
of wet asphalt was a sensory explosion. We tend to forget
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 11
A Bridge to
Other Lives
hris Bashinelli has forged
partnerships with Ben & Jerry’s
and the Jane Goodall Institute.
He’s met with United Nations Secretary
General Ban Ki-Moon and actor
Michael Douglas. He’s appeared on
HBO’s The Sopranos. This spring, PBS
stations around the country will
broadcast a pilot of his Bridge the Gap
series, which seeks to foster intercultural dialogue by highlighting stories of
everyday life from around the world on
film. (Watch additional episodes at
bridgethegaptv.org.) Not bad for
someone who’s just 26 years old.
This past summer, we caught up with
the young Eagle Scout from Troop 13 in
Brooklyn.
COURTESY OF BRIDGE THE GAP (10)
C
Chris Bashinelli found urgent purpose in his life after his father died. Now, you can
watch as he travels the world, helping where and how he can. By Mark Ray
EAGLE SCOUT MAGAZINE: What are you
trying to accomplish with Bridge the Gap?
CHRIS BASHINELLI: My goal is to reach
background: istockphoto/Hedda Gjerpen
young people who are watching mindless
television shows like Jersey Shore and The
Real Housewives of Orange County. I think
there’s a real problem when we don’t
know what’s going on in the other half of
the world where people are struggling to
survive. I wanted to bring those messages
home in an exciting, positive way—not
the typical negative news coverage that the
media give about the developing world.
ESM: How did you first learn about the
developing world?
C.B.: I found this amazing study-abroad
12 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
program that brought me to Tanzania
for a month when I was 19. We weren’t
sitting in a classroom; we were out and
about living with people, walking through
villages. I met so many young people in
Tanzania who were concerned with the
community at large and not so much with
all these material goods that we look for in
the U.S. I remember wanting to share that
so badly with young people back in the
U.S. That’s when I came back and finished
my first documentary.
ESM: You’ve said your series seeks to entertain, educate, and empower. Explain.
C.B.: First, entertain. If there’s not some-
body running through the woods getting
attacked by bees or somebody sharing an
amazing story, people are not going to
watch it. Entertain them, and you’ve got
them hooked. The next thing is to educate.
We don’t just want to make a fun show
where it’s a kid from Brooklyn traveling
around the world and making people
Eagle Scout Chris Bashinelli travels to third-world
countries to visit with residents struggling to survive.
And, while most of his work is serious in nature,
Bashinelli also takes time to laugh with his new friends
during a family meal in Haiti (left). When he’s filming
Bridge the Gap, Bashinelli explores the everyday lives
of individuals, including discussing fair trade with
KiBwana in Uganda (opposite, top right); learning
about chores in Haiti (opposite, second row on right);
and singing with a group of children in Fort Portal,
Uganda (opposite, bottom left).
laugh. I really want people to learn about
issues that people are facing in these different countries we visit. The final step is to
empower. We want to empower people to
make a difference in the world.
ESM: Does that mean specifically helping
causes in the places you highlight?
C.B: The goal is not to go and change Haiti.
It’s not to help people on the Indian reservation. It’s to help people wherever we are.
There’s so much need everywhere. One of
the common phrases I heard on the Indian
reservation was, “Don’t step over your own
to help other people.”
ESM: Speaking of Indian reservations,
your PBS pilot focuses on the Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation. Why?
C.B.: Pine Ridge was actually the first
project that we got any funding for—a
very small amount from the South Dakota
Humanities Foundation. We didn’t have
enough money to make this a great
project; we needed a lot more. I thought
I’d exhausted every single option, and I
“You have to find something that gets you
out of bed, something that inspires you to
do what you do with tenacity, with vigor.”
—Chris Bashinelli
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 13
made one final phone call to an organization called Native American Public
Telecommunications, or NAPT. They said
they rarely fund non-native filmmakers.
But I had put together a list of humanities scholars from different universities, of
guides from the reservations, of nonprofits
that I was working with to show them
I was doing this in a culturally sensitive
manner. They got behind us.
ESM: What does the pilot feature?
C.B.: When we went to the Indian reserva-
tion, we did everything. I was part of a
buffalo harvest. We worked with a suicide
prevention organization where a 15-year-old
girl, who tried to kill herself, is now helping
other people look at the positive sides of
life. I worked on a ranch. I “preg-checked”
a cow. It was everything from hilarious to
really sad to really inspiring.
ESM: How did you make it to PBS?
C.B.: The show was originally intended to
be a Web series. When we finished editing
a few of the cuts, NAPT said, “This is great.
Let’s send it to our friends at PBS.” They
did. A few months later, they said, “We
want to air this as a pilot for an ongoing
television series on the national programming schedule.”
ESM: What role did Scouting play in the
direction your life has taken?
C.B.: I remember constantly doing service.
It didn’t make sense to me because I was so
young. But now that I’m older, I’m seeing
the importance of service, not only in terms
Bashinelli hopes Bridge the Gap will help put a face
to those who live in far-off places, encouraging other
Americans to broaden their worldview.
14 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
of helping other people, but also in terms of
our own happiness, our own productivity.
ESM: But you didn’t exactly jump at the
chance to do an Eagle project, did you?
C.B.: I dreaded it for more than a year. I
said, “I’m not even going to be able to do
it.” Looking back, I think, “Wow, that’s so
easy. I could do that again. I could do that
so much easier because I did it the first
time.” Without that experience, I don’t
know that I would have the wherewithal
to accomplish things that I have no clue
how to do.
ESM: So what did you do for your project?
C.B.: I collected used eyeglasses at well over
a dozen high schools, middle schools, and
churches throughout Brooklyn that were
donated to an organization that refurbished them to donate to people in need.
ESM: Your late father remains a key inspiration. Talk about him.
C.B.: He worked as a lawyer in New
York City for more than 30 years, and he
worked really hard. I remember that any
free time he had he gave to the Boy Scouts.
I just remember him giving it his all, and
that really inspired me to give it my all.
The day that I got back from Tanzania, I
learned that my father had quit smoking.
Two days later, I learned that he had cancer.
He passed away in 2009, two years after I
got back. That experience really solidified
what I wanted to do with my life.
ESM: So how did you connect with the
United Nations?
C.B.: In 2010 there was a United Nations
conference in Brazil called the Bridging
Cultures/Building Peace Forum. It had a
small program that would allow a handful
of entrepreneurs to present their ideas. I
didn’t get in, but I kept calling. They said,
“We really like your enthusiasm. Why
don’t you come and emcee the presentation?” Basically they said, “You have a big
mouth. You can talk in front of a crowd.”
I went to Rio on my own money and
hosted this forum in front of 2,000 people.
ESM: What have you done since?
C.B.: Because of that, I was invited to speak
with the secretary-general of the United
Nations, Ban Ki-Moon. I moderated a
three-hour event called the International
Year of Youth. I’ve moderated events in
Azerbaijan, in Qatar, and most recently
the International Day of Peace with
Stevie Wonder, Dr. Jane Goodall, Michael
Douglas, and some other really amazing
people. I just got back from Geneva where
I moderated a panel discussion for the
International Labor Organization. It’s
really ridiculous what’s been happening.
ESM: You talk a lot about “finding your
why.” What does that mean?
C.B.: You have to find something that gets
you out of bed, something that inspires
you to do what you do with tenacity,
with vigor. For me, my “why” is my father.
When he passed away, I realized life is very
short and we have to be very passionate
about what we do. This is what I’m passionate about. I don’t want to champion
myself; I want to champion my father. He’s
an example of so many parents in the Boy
Scouts who give so much of themselves to
their children, to the Boy Scouts, because
they understand the value.
The only patch you earn by
not doing something.
When you earn this patch, you’ll be helping to put an end to texting
and driving. Go to our BSA It Can Wait app on Facebook®, take the
pledge, and then pass it on to your friends.
©2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. Service provided by AT&T Mobility. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
2012
NESA Scholarship Winners
In 2012, NESA awarded 149 scholarships valued at $446,000. Meet the top scholarship winners.
Ethan Gregory Ganzy
$50,000 NESA STEM Scholarship
Ethan Ganzy, the winner of the inaugural $50,000 NESA STEM Scholarship, is a computer hacker. But unlike those
who break into computer systems to steal or to cause mischief, Ethan breaks in to identify and report on vulnerabilities. In fact, Ethan is a Certified Ethical Hacker and some day plans to work with the U.S. military or federal government to safeguard national infrastructure. To that end, he’s simultaneously pursuing a computer science degree
from Harvard University and a data and systems analysis diploma from Oxford University.
But technology is just one of Ethan’s passions. The Johnstown, Pa., Eagle Scout competes nationally in two
Olympic sports: modern pentathlon and fencing. He holds a national silver medal in modern pentathlon and, not
surprisingly, is a three-time, first-team Academic All-American with USA Fencing.
Ethan says being an Eagle Scout gives students like him a huge leg up. “We know who we are and what we are
capable of accomplishing, and we are centered ethically,” he says.
Robert Brett Rasmussen
$48,000 Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarship
Bobby Rasmussen didn’t earn every award in the Boy Scout Handbook, but he didn’t miss many. A Vigil Honor
member of the Order of the Arrow, he received 133 merit badges, the 50-Miler Award, BSA Lifeguard, the Medal of
Merit, and the Hornaday Silver Award (an award he started working toward right after his older brother earned it).
Along the way, Bobby took six high-adventure trips, attended two national jamborees, and was one of 32
American Scouts to participate in the Scout Association of Japan-BSA Friendship Program. “Big moments? Yes, I’ve
had my share,” he says. “I can’t say enough about the experiences I’ve had in Scouting. I’ve had more opportunities
than most people get in a lifetime.”
Bobby’s Scouting experience—and a stellar record at Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minn.—earned him
the $48,000 Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarship. Now a freshman at Gustavus Adolphus College, he plans to
earn a degree in chemical engineering and work with emerging technologies to help improve the environment.
Marcus Latham Marable
$25,000 United Health Foundation Scholarship
Marcus Marable’s life changed forever on Sept. 4, 2007, when his father lost a three-year battle with cancer. That
tragedy devastated Marcus’ family emotionally and financially, but it also fueled his passion to become an
oncologist. As the 2012 recipient of the $25,000 United Health Foundation Scholarship, he will be able to pursue
that goal.
Marcus credits Scouting with giving him a spirit of perseverance and teaching him to always be prepared—
something he learned the hard way on his first camping trip when temperatures dropped below zero.
At Phoenix’s Arcadia High School, Marcus took seven Advanced Placement classes, earned 28 college credits, and
maintained a 4.18 GPA, all while working, going to night school, volunteering at a local hospital, and tutoring after
school. He also participated in the school’s band program, where he played alto saxophone and percussion.
Now a freshman at the University of Chicago, Marcus vows that little can deter him from his career goals. Given his
history, he’s undoubtedly right.
$20,000 Regional Cooke Scholarship Winners
Adam Joseph
Geier
Central Region
Luke Howard
Macfarlan
Southern
Region
Kevin Kane
Dunnigan
Western
Region
To see all the winners of 2012 NESA scholarships, go to NESA.org.
16 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Andrew Michael
Santora
Northeast
Region
Awards
and Recognitions
Eagle Scouts shine, even after reaching the top honor in Scouting. They continue to strive for new heights,
and accolades naturally seem to follow.
Marshall Ryan
Ragnvald Alford
Bailey, Colo.
Received his Bachelor of
Science in natural resource
management with a
conservation-biology minor from Colorado
State University in Fort Collins. He has
accepted a position as the Natural Resources
Specialist on the El Rito Ranger District of the
Carson National Forest (USDA Forest Service).
He’ll be a member of the staff specializing in
lands, recreation, and mining management.
Daniel Louis Bercerra
Lawrenceville, N.J.
Received a Bachelor of Science
with honors from Carnegie
Mellon University in Pittsburgh,
Pa. He double-majored in
materials science and engineering and public
policy. He’s currently enrolled in the materials
doctorate program at the University of
California at Santa Barbara.
Timothy R. Berry
Helena, Mont.
Recognized at the recent
annual conference of the
Montana Water Environment
Association (MWEA) and the
Montana Section of the American Water Works
Association (MSAWWA) with the Lifetime
Achievement Award for his career of service in
the industry.
Jacob Lewis Bourjaily
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa with
honors at the University of
Michigan with a Bachelor of
Science in physics and
mathematics. As a Marshall Scholar, he earned
a master’s of mathematics from Cambridge
University, Cambridge, England, before moving
to Princeton University to earn his master’s
degree and doctorate in theoretical physics.
He’s now a junior fellow of the Harvard Society
of Fellows at Harvard University.
Nicholas Arch
Bourjaily
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Received a Bachelor of Science
in economics from the
University of Michigan.
Rick Bragga
Richmond, Va.
The AHP Mid-Atlantic Region
presented Rick Bragga, JD,
FAHP, with the Award of
Excellence for exemplary
service and extraordinary leadership in the
field of health care development. At the
region’s 2012 annual regional conference in
Alexandria, Va., Bragga was honored for his
contributions to the profession through
writing, research, teaching, leadership, and
fundraising.
Dr. Roger L. Branan
Jacksonville, Fla.
Received the Florida Sheriff’s
Association Distinguished
Service Award for 25 years of
service in the youth program.
Michael DuShawn
Brewer
Texarkana, Tex.
Received his Master of Science
in mechanical engineering in
May 2011 from New Mexico
State University. He’s now employed by EMI
Technologies in Las Cruces, N.M.
William P. Carter
Piedmont, Calif.
Received the Wildcat of the
Year Award from the University
of Arizona, recognizing his
dedication and work on the
Student Alumni Ambassadors Task Force
programs. Carter is a junior majoring in public
administration with a minor in business
administration.
Dr. Baratunde A. Cola
Atlanta, Ga.
Received the Presidential Early
Career Award for Science and
Engineering National Science
Foundation. This is the highest
honor bestowed by the United States
government on science and engineering
professionals in the early stages of their
independent research careers. Dr. Cola is
currently an assistant professor of mechanical
engineering at the Georgia Institute of
Technology.
Joseph Anthony
Constantino
Rocky River, Ohio
Graduated from the honors
program at the University of
Akron with a Bachelor of
Science in nursing, Magna Cum Laude. His
specialty is critical care nursing. He’s now
employed by the Cleveland Clinic-Lakewood
Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit.
Jeffrey Craighead
Philadelphia, Pa.
Elected by the National Society
of Professional Engineers as
the Federal Engineer of the
Year. He’s the agency winner
for the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Ship
Systems Engineering Center. He works as the
lead engineer for compressed air system
development and improvement on all U.S.
Navy surface ships.
Dr. Robert P. Damien
Casselberry, Fla.
Received his doctorate of
physical therapy in 2012 from
Shenandoah University of
Winchester, Va. He’s currently
clinic director of Ability Rehabilitation in
Deltona, Fla., where he’s been employed as a
physical therapist since January 2009.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 17
Awards
and Recognitions
Eagle Scouts just seem to shine, even after reaching the top honor in Scouting.
They continue to strive for new heights, and accolades naturally seem to follow.
Jason E. Dreyzehner
Abingdon, Va.
Named The American Legion
Eagle Scout of the Year for
2012 and awarded a $10,000
college scholarship. He plans
to major in nanomedicine at the University of
Virginia. Dreyzehner has also been recognized
with the President’s “Call to Service” Lifetime
Award for more than 4,000 hours of
community service, The President’s Volunteer
Service Gold Award, and the Congressional
Award Gold Medal in 2010.
Kevin W. Edwards
Keller, Tex.
Received a Master of Science in
criminal justice from the
University of North Texas in
Denton. Edwards is employed
as a probation officer for Denton County.
Thomas B. Ervin
LeClaire, Iowa
Elected and is currently
serving as the 137th President
of the Iowa Academy of
Science. He’s also been
awarded a lifetime achievement award from
his alma mater, the University of Northern
Iowa. Ervin serves as the advancement
coordinator for Area 3 of the BSA’s Central
Region, and as ASM of Illowa Council Troop 7.
Dr. Joshua James Estes
Hoover, Ala.
Graduated from the University
of Florida with a doctorate in
dental medicine. He’s currently
practicing in Jacksonville, Fla.
James Brian Gomillion
Walnut Grove, Miss.
Elected Mayor of the Town of
Walnut Grove, Miss., population
of 1,911.
18 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Kettner Griswold Jr.
Bethesda, Md.
Chosen as a member of the
2012 class of 20 Under 20 Thiel
Fellows, a group of young
people awarded $100,000
from the Thiel Foundation to pursue scientific
and technical projects and learn
entrepreneurship.
Jim Gwinner
St. Louis, Mo.
Became the national president
of the Mizzou (University of
Missouri) Alumni Association.
He’s a board member of the
Army ROTC Alumni Chapter and serves on the
Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence Committee.
Redden P. Hart
Valdosta, Ga.
Awarded the Robert E. Burt Boy
Scout Volunteer Award by the
National Society of the Sons of
the American Revolution. The
award was presented to Hart on April 28, 2012,
by Edward P. Rigel Sr., president of the Georgia
Society SAR.
Robert A. Hoyt
Centennial, Colo.
Graduated with high distinction
and honors in physics from
Harvey Mudd College in
Claremont, Calif. He’s attending
the physics doctorate program at Harvard
University’s Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences.
Donald R. Hunt
Philadelphia, Pa.
Graduated from Berklee
College of Music with a degree
in professional music. He’s
attending Drexel University to
study art administration.
Charles Edwin
Jewell Jr.
Amarillo, Tex.
Graduated with a Master of Arts
in history from West Texas
A&M University. He’s
department chair of world languages at
Tascosa High School in Amarillo, where he
teaches Spanish. He currently serves as
assistant district commissioner in the
Keystone District of the Golden Spread Council.
Dr. Jeff W. Justice
Wichita Falls, Tex.
Elected president of the
Southwestern International
Studies Association. He is
assistant professor of political
science at Tarleton State University, where he
leads an annual study-abroad course in
environmental politics to Scotland. He serves
on the BSA national task force on education
relationships.
Dr. Evan R. King
Dedham, Mass.
Received a doctorate in
inorganic chemistry from
Harvard University in May
2012. Previously, he graduated
Summa Cum Laude with his bachelor’s degree
from Cornell University.
Taylor Gardiner Knight
Clifton, Va.
Graduated with highest
distinction from Duke
University in May 2012 with a
Bachelor of Arts in public policy
and political science.
Rabbi Eric M. Lankin
Highland Park, N.J.
Received an honorary doctor of
divinity on the 25th
anniversary of his ordination
by Jewish Theological
Seminary, New York City, N.Y. Lankin has a
bachelor’s degree in marketing from the
Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania; a master’s degree and
ordination from Jewish Theological Seminary;
and a doctorate from Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion.
Thomas F. Lehmier
Lititz, Pa.
At age 90, Lehmier was
selected as the Pennsylvania
Dutch Council’s representative
for the BSA’s 100th National
Hall of Leadership. He’s registered as
Scoutmaster Emeritus with Troop 142.
Jeremy Scott Leithoff
Junction City, Kan.
Received his Bachelor of
Science in justice studies at
Pittsburg State University,
Pittsburg, Kan.; graduated
with Master of Arts in Christian education from
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Kansas City, Mo. Employed as Youth Pastor for
Maranatha Baptist Fellowship of Topeka, Kan.,
and was recently hired as Resource Protection
Officer for the Kansas Adjutant General’s Office
at Forbes Air Force Base.
Dr. Thomas Keith Meier
Elmira, N.Y.
Elmira College’s 12th president
received the national
Distinguished Eagle Scout
Award from the Boy Scouts of
America in May 2012 at Elmira College.
Ryan Dennis Milligan
Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Graduated from California State
University Fullerton with a
Bachelor of Arts in music
education. Milligan is currently
a music educator at several southern California
high schools specializing in marching band
visual performance. He’s currently a master’s
in education student at University of Southern
California.
Gary Milliman
Brookings, Ore.
Received the Award for Career
Excellence in Honor of Mark E.
Keane, recognizing an
outstanding local government
administrator who enhanced the effectiveness
of government officials and consistently
initiated creative and successful programs.
Ethan O. Myers
Elizabeth, Colo.
Received a Bachelor of Science
in health and human fitness
and a minor in coaching from
Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Nolan J. Myers
Elizabeth, Colo.
Received a Bachelor of Science
in engineering management
from the U.S. Military Academy,
West Point.
William J. Napier III
Millersville, Pa.
Graduated with highest honors
from Lehigh University with a
Bachelor of Science in chemical
engineering. He was a member
of the Tau Beta Pi fraternity and the recipient of
the Robert E. Hicks prize for chemical
engineering. He’s currently pursuing his
doctorate at California Institute of Technology.
Sean K. O’Connor
Tennant, N.J.
Graduated from Fordham
University with a Bachelor of
Science in finance. He also was
awarded a Fulbright Grant from
the state department to teach English in Sri
Lanka for one year.
Carl William
“Bill” Ossmann
Topeka, Kan.
The former district attorney
has been appointed by Gov.
Sam Brownback to the bench
of Shawnee District Court.
Michael Petr
Wichita, Kan.
Received his doctorate in
chemical engineering from MIT
in Cambridge, Mass. He’s now
working with polymers at the
Army Corps of Engineers in Champaign, Ill.
Peter Pisasale
Drexel Hill, Pa.
Named the National Society of
Professional Engineers (NSPE)
Young Engineer of the Year.
Pisasale was selected as the
Florida Young Engineer of the Year in 2006 and
the Rhode Island Young Engineer of the Year in
2011. He’s been with Raytheon for 13 years
and has worked in electrical design, test, and
manufacturing management.
Derek M. Poston
Hewitt, Tex.
Received a Bachelor of Science
in aerospace engineering with
a minor in applied
mathematics from EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in Daytona
Beach, Fla. He’s employed as a Payload Design
Engineer for Boeing in Everett, Wash.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 19
Awards
and Recognitions
Eagle Scouts just seem to shine, even after reaching the top honor in Scouting.
They continue to strive for new heights, and accolades naturally seem to follow.
Bryson Sloan Rushing
Pearland, Tex.
Graduated from the University
of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts
in communications.
Chris Theodore
Sarandos
Brookfield, Wis.
Received a master’s degree in
marketing and management
from the University of
Wisconsin–Whitewater. He’s employed as a
search marketing manager in San Francisco,
Calif.
Dr. Nathan
Schaumleffel
Terre Haute, Ind.
Indiana State University
associate professor of
recreation and nonprofit
leadership was awarded the BSA’s honor medal
for rescuing a drowning teenager from swollen
Sugar Creek at Turkey Run State Park while he
was on a family outing last Mother’s Day.
J. Rossi Schell
Orange Beach, Ala.
Graduated from Auburn
University in December 2011
with a Bachelor of Science in
polymer and fiber engineering.
Tim Seeden
Lisle, Ill.
Recognized for his receipt of
the Ilion Crabel Member of the
Year Award, provided by the
Municipal Clerks of Illinois. He’s
held office as village clerk since 1999 and has
achieved both registered clerk and certified
municipal status.
20 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
William Michael
Sheridan
Dracut, Mass.
Received his Master of Science
degree in environmental
studies with an atmospheric
science option from the University of
Massachusetts Lowell on May 26, 2012. He’s
employed by WSI Corporation as a
Meteorological Operations Lead.
Logan M. Skelley
Joplin, Mo.
Received the Joseph P.
Kennedy Student Development
Council Scholarship for the
2012-1013 academic year at
the University of Kentucky College of Medicine
in Lexington. Skelley is a second-year medical
student at the UK College of Medicine.
Marshall Ronald
Spaans
Salem, S.D.
Chosen as a FFA National
Finalist for Turf Grass
Management
Entrepreneurship and awarded a trip to Costa
Rica as an ambassador. In 2012 was awarded
the South Dakota FFA Star in Agribusiness
award enabling him to compete in the FFA
National Star Award. Spaans is a senior in high
school and has owned and operated his own
lawn service since age 14. Charles A. Spain Jr.
Houston, Tex.
Received into the World
Baden-Powell Fellowship on
April 21, 2012, in Madrid by HM
King Carl XVI Custaf of Sweden
and World Scout Foundation chairman Mike
Bosman.
Dr. Aaron T. Spivak
Mullica Hill, N.J.
Received a doctorate in
computational and systems
biology from Washington
University in St. Louis.
Currently employed with GlaxoSmithKline in
Pennsylvania.
Jon Christopher
Van Wagnen
Alpena, Mich.
Graduated from Michigan
College of Optometry at Ferris
State University with a
doctorate of optometry. He graduated with
high honors and was awarded the Primary
Care Practice Award. He will open a private
practice in North Michigan.
Pendleton Woods
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Received his Eagle Scout
Award at the first National
Jamboree in 1937. Received
from the National Association
of Area Agencies for the Aging its first place
national award for volunteer community
service by an older person. This service
includes 76 years in the Boy Scout program.
Jonathan Luke
Zimmerman
Six Mile Run, Pa.
Received a dentistry degree
from West Virginia University in
May 2012. He opened a private
dental practice on June 29, 2012, in
Martinsburg, Pa.
GONE HOME
Robert S.S. Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, taught Scout trailblazers to make a simple trail sign,
a circle with a dot in the middle, to indicate that they had gone home. The following Eagle Scouts blazed
many trails for us to follow, and now they, too, have gone home.
Cecil Austen
Bolam, 51
Brewster, N.Y.
Eagle: 1931
Herman Kirby
Brough, 82
Highlands, Tex.
Eagle: 1946
Robert Hunter
Colvin, 17
Burnet, Tex.
Eagle: 2007
Rev. Dr. J. Millen
Darnell, 84
Germantown, Tenn.
Eagle: 1944
Passed: Aug. 28, 1966
Passed: Aug. 31, 2012
Passed: March 20, 2011
Passed: Feb. 9, 2012
Timothy Harlan, 52
South Charleston, W.Va.
Eagle: 1974
Timothy Killian, 21
Garden Grove, Calif.
Eagle: 2009
Passed: May 1, 2011
Passed: July 4, 2012
Maurice Jakob
LaRue, 64
Sturgis, S.D.
Eagle: 1962
George A. “Mac”
MacArthur, 87
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Eagle: 1940
Passed: July 28, 2012
Passed: June 23, 2012
Rev. L. Kieran
McClanahan, 77
Nashville, Tenn.
Eagle: 1953
Rear Adm. Robert
McNitt, 97
Annapolis, M.D.
Eagle: 1931
James “Curt”
Newton, 73
Panama City Beach, Fla.
Eagle: 1953
Albert C. Oetting
Jr., 82
Concord, Calif.
Eagle: 1947
Passed: July 20, 2012
Passed: Aug. 12, 2012
Passed: May 13, 2012
Passed: May 14, 2012
Joseph B. Platt, 96
Claremont, Calif.
Eagle: 1932
E. Kemp Reece, 89
Burlington, N.C.
Eagle: 1938
Kenneth Reeves, 46
Buford, Ga.
Eagle: 1981
Passed: July 10, 2012
Passed: July 6, 2012
Passed: Aug. 10, 2012
Harold Arthur
Wright, 105
Shreveport, La.
Eagle: 1925
SPC. Sterling
William Wyatt, 21
U.S. Army
Columbia, Mo.
Eagle: 2008
BRIG. GEN. Revere
Young, 83
U.S. Air Force
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Eagle: 1944
Killed in action on July
11, 2012, in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Passed: July 24, 2012
Passed: July 10, 2012
Living Memorial
IN MEMORY OF Spc. Zane Thompson Lee, 20
Columbia, Mo.
Eagle: 2009
Passed: July 8, 2012
From: James E. Lee (1980)
IN MEMORY OF Col. Gene C. Rizer, 73
Liberty, Mo.
Eagle: 1951
Passed: March 4, 2012
From: Mrs. Gene C. Rizer. He always credited the things he learned
in Boy Scouts for his career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The National Eagle Scout Scholarship Endowment accepts
tax‑deductible contributions in memory of deceased Eagle
Scouts or in tribute to Eagle Scout achievers.
Contributions may be sent to:
NESA Director, S322, Boy Scouts of America
1325 W. Walnut Hill Lane, P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015‑2079
Please mark the envelope “personal and confidential.”
Make the check payable to NESA and mark the check:
“In memory of (name of person)” or “In tribute to
(name of person).”
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 21
For
God and Country
Many young men exchange their Scout uniforms for fatigues, dress blues, or battle dress uniforms.
The National Eagle Scout Association salutes Eagle Scouts who are currently serving in our nation’s armed forces.
Camp Patriot Eagle scouts
Kuwait Naval Base
Unable to wear their Eagle medals or a
lapel pin on the first day of August—to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
Eagle Scout Award—a group of Eagles at
Camp Patriot in Kuwait joined together for
an overseas celebration. Clockwise from
left: Cmdr. Jerry Nauert, U.S. Coast Guard;
Lt. Chris Rymut, U.S. Coast Guard; Petty
Officer Third Class Jeffrey Gansmann,
U.S. Navy; Second Lt. Nicholas Charney,
U.S. Army; Petty Officer Third Class
Corey Brown, U.S. Coast Guard; Petty
Officer First Class Scott Voss, U.S. Navy;
Lt. Steven Frye, U.S. Coast Guard; and
Petty Officer Second Class Shawn
Spicer, U.S. Coast Guard.
Hospitalman Anthony
Joseph Amoroso V
U.S. Navy
Cpl. Martin C.
Baker Jr.
U.S. Marine Corps
Lance Cpl. Eric Beiker
U.S. Marine Corps
PFC. Joey Bignell
U.S. Army
Joined the USMC in August
2011 and is now a lance
corporal serving as a
security guard assigned to
Quantico, Va.
Currently stationed at Fort
Lewis in Seattle, Wash., as a
13M.
Currently based in
Pensacola, Fla., where he’s
serving as a corpsman at
the Naval Hospital.
Completed PIR in Great
Lakes, Ill., and A School in
San Antonio, Tex.
Stationed at Marine Corp Air
Ground Combat Center 29 in
Palms, Calif. Currently
serving his second tour of
duty in Afghanistan.
Rear Adm. Jim Carey
U.S. Navy Retired
Ensign Alexander
W. Cavins
U.S. Navy
Col. Douglas T.
Charney
U.S. Army Reserve (retired)
Senior Airman
Dustin Cochran
U.S. Air Force
Graduated from the U.S.
Naval Academy with a
bachelor’s degree in ocean
engineering. He’s currently
serving aboard the U.S.S.
Germantown in Sasebo,
Japan.
Retired June 2012 after 30
years of service. Received
the Legion of Merit for his
service. Continues his
civilian job as a financial
adviser in Harrisburg, Pa.
Received the Military
Outstanding Volunteer
Service Metal and the Good
Conduct Metal at Tinker
AFB, Oklahoma City, Okla.,
where he is currently
stationed.
Elected National Chairman
of the Flag & General
Officers’ Network, an
organization of more than
half of all the living admirals
and generals of the U.S.
Armed Forces.
22 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
SENIOR Airman
Rushkin Blank
U.S. Air Force
Served in the USAF three
years; currently stationed
at Fairchild AFB in
Washington. He’s a life
member of NESA and a
James West fellow with
Santa Clara County Council
in San Jose, Calif.
PFC. Jacob T. Edwards
S.C. Army National Guard
Attending the Citadel
pursuing a criminal justice
degree. Graduated basic
training and AIT from Fort
Benning, Ga., in October
2011. He’s currently
deployed to Kuwait.
SEAMAN Robert W.
Gallagher
U.S. Coast Guard
CAPt. Dr. William
Glen Goncharow
U.S. Air Force
Completed basic training at
Cape May, N.J., on June 29,
2012 and is assigned to
USCG Cutter Mohawk, Key
West, Fla.
Received his medical degree
from LMU-Debusk
Osteopathic School of
Medicine in Harrogate, Tenn.
Started his residency with
the 81st Medical Corp at
Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss.
Lt. Col. Elton Johnson
Jr.
U.S. Army
Second Lt.
Matthew J. Luehrmann
U.S. Army
Serving as an infantry officer
and paratrooper. Completed
two deployments to Iraq with
the XVIII Airborne Corps and
one deployment to
Afghanistan with the Afghan
National Army Special
Operations Advisory Group.
Graduated with honors from
the U.S. Military Academy at
West Point with a degree in
electrical engineering. He’s
currently serving the
aviation branch at Fort
Rucker, Ala.
Airman Tyler C. Henry
U.S. Air Force
Completed basic training at
Lackland AFB. He’s
currently at Keesler AFB in
Biloxi, Miss., in technical
school where he’s training
to become a certified
member of the Air Force’s
weather team.
Ensign Whit Macaulay
U.S. Navy
Graduated from the U.S.
Naval Academy in May 2012
with a Bachelor of Science
in American politics and
law. He’s assigned to the
U.S.S. Curtis Wilbur DDG 54,
homeported in Yokosuka,
Japan.
Senior Airman Nick Hochmuth
N.Y. Air National Guard
Second Lt.
Benjamin Huffman
U.S. Army
Awarded the “Hennessy
Travelers Association Award
of Excellence” in the Special
Recognition Category
“SMSgt Kenneth W. Disney
Award” (Air National Guard)
in May 2012.
Graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts from the College of
William and Mary.
Commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant through the U.S.
Army Reserve Officer
Training Corps program.
Second Lt. Michael
Alexander Shafer
U.S. Army Reserve
Finance Corps
Steven Michael
Truelove
U.S. Coast Guard
Distinguished graduate
from the Virginia Military
Institute, earning a degree
in economics and
business. Currently serving
at Fort Jackson, S.C.
Graduated from the United
States Merchant Marine
Academy with a Bachelor of
Science in systems
engineering. Currently
sailing as a Merchant
Mariner.
Read the Digital Edition
Warrant Officer
Scott Walter
U.S. Army
Ensign Kenneth
J. Wenzel
U.S. Navy
Graduated as a UH-60
Blackhawk Pilot for the U.S.
Army at Fort Rucker, Ala.
He’s beginning his new duty
station at Fort Bliss, Tex.
Selected as a Surface
Warfare Officer on the Mine
Countermeasure Ship
Constant in San Diego, Calif.
Served as future operations
officer and the Battalion
sailing team captain.
Do you prefer to read Eagle Scout Magazine
in a digital format on your computer, iPad,
or smartphone? You can receive the quarterly magazine in your inbox by simply
sending an e-mail to nesa@scouting.org
using “Digital Edition” in the subject line.
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 23
Eagle Scouting is a Family Affair
Scouting’s highest honor is best shared with other generations of family members.
Aymond Family
Grand Forks, N.D.
Joseph Aymond (2011) and Matthew Aymond
(2010)
Barbone Family
Cuddebackville, N.Y.
Daniel A. Barbone (1980), Daniel J. Barbone
(2007), Joseph M. Barbone (2012), and
Nathan F. Barbone (2006)
Barnett Family
Beck Family
Blank Family
San Jose, Calif.
Cpt. Jim Blank (1967; U.S. Air Force retired),
Senior Airman Rushkin Blank (2005; USAF),
and Jason Byrd (2003)
Blashill Family
Merrimack, N.H.
Matthew Beck (2010), Marvin Beck (1940), and
Michael Beck (1974)
Blue Family
Greensboro, N.C.
Tony Blue (1978) and Ryan Blue (2010)
Bradford Family
Seattle, Wash.
Christopher Bradford (2011), and Mike Adams
(1976); pinned with Eagle Scout medal belonging
to late grandfather Robert Adams (1945)
24 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Asheville, N.C.
Cameron Barnett (2010) and Randall Barnett
(1973)
Ridgecrest, Calif.
Michael S. Blashill (1995), Stuart R. Blashill
(1965), and Matthew F. Blashill (1998)
Boddie-McInnis-Mosley Family
Rocky Mount, N.C.
Nicholas Mosley (2003), Mayo Boddie (1968), Ryan McInnis (1993), Mac McInnis
(1963), Bill Boddie Sr. (1972), Bill Boddie Jr. (2001), Bunn Boddie (2003), Pen
Boddie (2006), and Nicholas Bunn Boddie Jr. (1944; seated)
Breene Family
Warren, N.J.
Harold Breene (1945), Jacob “Jack” Breene
(2010), and Paul Breene (1973)
Brigham Family
California, Md.
Robert Morgan (1969), Dr. Mark Brigham
(1971), Josh Brigham (2006), Matthew
Brigham (2011), John Brigham (1969), and
Zachary Brigham
Broadhurst Family
Weaverville, N.C.
Travis Broadhurst (2010), Rick Broadhurst
(1972), Bryan Broadhurst (2011), and
Nathaniel Broadhurst (2009)
Burns Family
Roslyn, Pa.
Eric Burns (1972), Ross Burns (2011), Lindo
“Lee” Burns (1972), and Matthew Burns (2007)
Chester Family
Belleville, Pa.
Matthew F. Chester (2009), John F. Chester
(1981), and Jonathon G. Chester (2011)
Conner Family
Hopkins, Mich.
Jackson Conner (2010) and Clayton Conner
(2012)
Cowland Family
Aiea, Hawaii
Andrew Cowland (2011), Stephen Cowland
(1976), and Christopher Cowland (2007)
Crowder-Paden Family
Charlotte, N.C.
Thomas H. Crowder (1945), Chancie B. Crowder
(1976), William T. Paden (2009), and Andrew R.
Paden (2011)
Dawes Family
Tacoma, Wash.
Jonathan Dawes (2011), Daniel Dawes (1979),
and Caitlin Dawes (Quartermaster Award, 2012)
Delph Family
Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.
Michael A. Delph II (2006) and Matthew A.
Delph (2011)
DiGiaimo Family
Elliott-Dalzell Family
Galloway Family
Lake Wales, Fla.
Albert C. Galloway Jr. (1967) and Ian Charles
Galloway (2012)
Hansen Family
Lafayette, Colo.
Luke Kenson Dalzell (1990), Ryan Grady Elliott
(2011), and Daniel Paul Dalzell (1953)
Totowa, N.J.
Matthew Scott DiGiaimo (2012) and Marc Paul
DiGiaimo (2009)
Brookfield, Ill.
Timothy D. Hansen (2002), Andrew W. Hansen
(2005), David W. Hansen (dad), and Robert S.
Hansen (2011)
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 25
Eagle Scouting is a Family Affair
Scouting’s highest honor is best shared with other generations of family members.
Hay Family
Covington, Ga.
Samuel Burney Hay III (1976), Samuel Burney
Hay Jr. (1945), and Samuel Burney Hay IV (2012)
Kowalski FamilyCommerce Township, Mich.
Monkton, Vt.
(Clockwise from top left) Ryan J. Kimball
(2004), Shawn Taylor Kimball (2007), Justin
Lee Kimball (2011), Corey Drew Kimball (2008)
(Clockwise from top left) Nick Kowalski (2006),
Anthony Kowalski (2000), Jon Kowalski
(2002), Pat Kowalski (mom), Ben Kowalski
(2010), and Ron Kowalski
Laflamme Family
Colchester, Conn.
Normand J. Laflamme (2008), Andrew
Laflamme (2012), and Albert Laflamme (1980)
Morantz Family
Philadelphia, Pa.
Scott Morantz (2011), Steven Morantz (2007),
and Charles Morantz (2002)
O’Brien Family
Ogier Family
San Antonio, Tex.
Stephen E. Ogier (2008), Camden Ogier (2011),
Corey Hancock (2011), Caleb Ogier (2011), and
Daniel Ogier (2008)
Patel Family
Goshen, N.Y.
Surendra A. Patel Jr. (2008), Kenneth T. Skyer
(mentor; 1970), and Ajay A. Patel (2012)
Poidomani Family
Pulley/Bass Family
Nashville, Tenn.
George H. Bass (1952), Third-Class Seaman
George R. Pulley (2005; U.S. Navy), and
Garland Bruce Pulley (2012)
Rohrback Family
Reston, Va.
Thomas M. Rohrback (2001), First Lt. Andrew
J. Rohrback (2005; U.S. Marine Corps;
deployed to Afghanistan)
Romanowski Family
26 | Eagle Scout Magazine
WINTER 2012
Kimball Family
Anchorage, Alaska
Thomas O’Brien (2009), David O’Brien (1980),
and Daniel O’Brien (2011)
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Anthony Michael Poidomani (2011), Salvatore
Joseph Poidomani (1964), and Joseph Daniel
Poidomani (2010)
Merrimac, Mass.
Edmund J. Romanowski (1945), John J.
Romanowski (1976), Matthew J. Romanowski
(2012), Peter J. Romanowski (1988), and
Stephen E. Romanowski (1972)
Runk Family
Lockport, N.Y.
Robert L. Runk (2011) and Anthony A. Runk
(2008)
Schlenker Family
Indanola, Iowa
(Clockwise from top left) Mark Schlenker
(1970), John Schlenker (1973), Robert
Schlenker (1975), Mark Johnson Miller (2011),
Ralph Schlenker (Silver Beaver), and Paul
Schlenker (2012)
Simondet Family
Smart Family
Pollock, La.
John Smart (1964) and Hank Smart (1959)
Sotiros-Smith Family
Oak Lawn, Ill.
James W. Sotiros (1980) and Adam R. Smith
(2011)
Steele Family
Storch Family
Rocky River, Ohio
Timothy V. Storch (2000) and Daniel A. Storch
(2011)
Theisen Family
Boise, Idaho
Nicholas E. Theisen (1993) and Joseph R.
Theisen (1995)
Walton Family
Tucker, Ga.
Dennis M. Walton Jr. (2009) and Daniel J.
Walton (2012)
Wolfe Family
Yoh Family
Charlotte, N.C.
Spike Yoh (Silver Beaver, Silver Buffalo, Silver
Antelope), Mike Yoh (1980), Jeffrey Yoh
(2012), Jeff Yoh (1982), and Alec Yoh
Zug Family
Raleigh, N.C.
John Wolfe (2007), Chuck Wolfe (1985),
Christopher Wolfe (2012), and Cindy Wolfe (mom)
Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Benjamin Simondet (2009) and Noah Simondet
(2011)
Kingston, Wash.
Grann Steele (2011), Garrett Steele (2007),
Gary Steele (1974), and Darrell Steele (1967)
Lebanon, Pa.
Peter Zug (1976) and Ben Zug (2012)
WINTER 2012
Eagle Scout Magazine | 27
Boy Scouts of America
National Eagle Scout Association
1325 West Walnut Hill Lane
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
www.NESA.org
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
BOY SCOUTS
OF AMERICA
Change Service Requested
NEWS
IN BRIEF
Keeping NESA Members Informed
An Eagle Salute
courtesy of corbett public relations
In September—in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first Eagle
Scout Award—the Theodore Roosevelt Council held a parade in
Rockville Centre, N.Y., home of the first Eagle Scout: Arthur R. Eldred.
Some 2,000 people participated, including 10 of Eldred’s descendants and several BSA officials. The parade ended at Arthur R. Eldred
Memorial Park, which was dedicated to Eldred’s memory in 1976.
Eagle Scouts. At NOAC, a special “NESA@NOAC” team staged a
massive arena show, brought in an array of VIP Eagle Scouts—
including Olympic gold medalist Steve Holcomb and reality-show
winners Drew and Derek Konzelman—and hosted seminars on
topics such as creating a local council NESA committee and
attending college the Eagle Scout way.
Although NESA’s participation was prompted by the 100th
anniversary of Eagle Scouts, NESA Director Bill Steele already has
begun thinking about the next NOAC, scheduled for 2015. “We’ll be
back,” he says. “I think there will be a presence of NESA at NOAC from
now on—way more than ever before.”
You can learn more about NESA@NOAC through our archived blog
dispatches and photos at noac.nesa.org.
NESA Does NOAC
John r. fulton jr.
The Eagle Scout badge represents honor and achievement, as does
the Order of the Arrow sash. So it’s no surprise that many Eagle
Scouts are also OA members.
It’s also no surprise that NESA would choose last summer’s
National Order of the Arrow Conference to celebrate 100 years of