VICENZA, Italy -- The culmination of two years' worth of dedicated effort produced a proud moment here July 13 for teenager Marcus Brown and his family.
That's the day the Browns participated in the Court of Honor Eagle Scout ceremony to laud the 2016 Vicenza High School graduate's accomplishments. In April, the teen completed the final project that wrapped up a childhood Boy Scouts career and put him in front of a group of about 60 well-wishers and supporters at the Caserma Ederle chapel.
Marcus, 18, son of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Paul A. Brown and Cheryl Brown, said he started Scouting in middle school while the family was living at Fort Stewart, Ga. He said he liked camping and had a friend in Boy Scouts, so he decided to attend a meeting. Scouting and Marcus proved to be a perfect match, although he took a break for two years between that time at Fort Stewart and moving to Vicenza.
"I picked it back up when we relocated here," he said. "I decided I wanted to finish up Eagle Scout."
Putting his mind to the task was the easy part. Becoming an Eagle Scout is not for the faint-hearted. According to the Eagle rank requirements in the Boy Scouts of America Handbook, Scouts must: earn a total of 21 merit badges (which include such topics/skills as first aid, citizenship, communication, cooking, personal fitness and family life); serve actively in their troop and hold particular leadership positions; participate in a Scoutmaster conference; and much more. The most visible requirement is a final project, which, according to Marcus, one cannot start until all of the other requirements are complete. The kicker: Those requirements must be met before one reaches his 18th birthday. For Marcus, that date came in early April, so he knew he had to move quickly on the project.
Marcus' project was to improve and beautify the picnic area across the street from the high school.
"The picnic area was advertised as a place to eat lunch," he said. "But no one used it. It didn't look nice, and no one wanted to sit over there."
His project included pressure washing the area, replacing wood, painting benches and making it an all-around more attractive lunch spot. After proposing the project (for which he had to write a sort of business plan) for district and board approval, Marcus then had to obtain permission from the garrison commander and coordinate with the Directorate of Public Works for assistance. He enlisted his father's help for that piece of the project.
"His father helped with the garrison approval paperwork, and the project included many moving parts. Marcus had to decide the tasks and delegate those tasks. Essentially, he was a project manager," said his mom, Cheryl M. Brown.
With help from Troop 295, family and neighbors, Marcus worked on the project from the end of January until early April. Even before he was finished, he said, people started coming to use the picnic area. The project was deemed a success.
Besides Scouting, Marcus was a trumpet player in the high school marching band, and participated in Red Cross Club, Multimedia Club and Future Business Leaders of America. He leaves in August for the University of North Texas in Dallas, where he plans to study film score or musical composition. He said Scouting has helped prepared him for his future.
"I definitely believe it has taught me to work well with others," he said. "I've learned what it means to be a leader. I have completed merit badges that dealt with things I'll have to do as an adult, like family life and citizenship, so I'm confident I can handle things that come along.
"I know I'm ready to go into the world. Becoming an Eagle Scout is encompassing everything you've learned up to this point. It means to embody the truths of the Scout law, the promise, the spirit."
Proud mom Cheryl said she feels better about her son's departure to college because of the skills he has learned in Scouting, and she sees him as a man who is embarking on his future.
"More so now than ever, I am realizing that Marcus is a man," she said. "Once he leaves, he's not that little boy anymore. He won't come back the same. He is an Eagle Scout to his spirit. I'm so proud of him and his accomplishment."
Mom is not the only one who is proud of the Eagle Scout. Jim Metzger, Troop 295 Scoutmaster, also has a respect for the hard-working teenager.
"In the short time I've worked with Marcus, I've been blessed to see him develop into a strong leader and mentor. More importantly, I appreciate the conviction of character he carries with him and displays in every interaction," Metzger said. "He will always be one of those young men whom I feel honored to have had some small role in his development and been a part of his life. I look forward to the story that is Marcus Brown."
This is not the end of his career with the Boy Scouts. Marcus said he wants to continue in Scouting with a goal to become a certified Scoutmaster.
Social Sharing