Earning the Rank of Eagle Scout Taught Me to Aim for Success
By James Pearce, Recent Desert Hills High School Graduate
About the Author James Pierce just graduated from Desert Hills High School and is preparing to serve an LDS mission in Osorno, Chile. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and making memories. After his mission he hopes to study business/ entrepreneurship.
The Eagle Scout rank is the highest achievement earned in the Boy Scouts of America program. Through hard work, determination, and a great desire, I was fortunate enough to earn my Eagle Scout at the age of twelve. Partnered with a handsome patch and neckerchief, the award is welcomed with a gracious invitation into the Eagle’s Nest, where I found a unique brotherhood surrounded by like-minded people. The scouting program gave me an easily accessible way to be introduced and exposed to all sorts of different hobbies and potential passions through the merit badge program. Merit badges are awards earned by scouts after completing a list of requirements within an area of study. Currently, there are over 130 merit badges a scout can earn, ranging from rabbit raising to rifle shooting and from public speaking to space exploration. Through these activities, I was able to find a huge love for the outdoors: fishing, camping, and hunting. I also grew to love welding, woodworking, and craftsmanship. After moving through the ranks of scouting, I reached the point where I needed to find and pursue an Eagle project. I wanted to do something that would be a challenge for myself but would also benefit my community. I decided to restore a handful of suffering almond trees that were over one hundred years old. Thay had been planted by my ancestors when they established my hometown, LaVerkin, Utah. In order to start my project I needed to seek clearance from the property owner, call a tree arborist (to instruct and inform), and find a handful of volunteers to help out. At the work site, the arborist gave us a tutorial on how to properly and safely prune the trees. We were then able to preserve the healthy limbs and discard the unhealthy
limbs. Lastly, I inserted a drip system so the trees could continually receive the nourishment needed. Being a scout and earning my Eagle taught me many life skills. Along with the astounding gifts of earning my Eagle, the most important thing I took away from my years of scouting is a mindset yearning for growth and development. I learned the process of searching for something that I enjoy and figuring out a productive plan to use it to better myself, my community, and the world. Sadly, today’s world does not promote this idea of striving for self mastery or a productive lifestyle. Idleness is plaguing the modern world. Many people find themselves trapped in the mundane reality of waking up, going to school or work, and then returning home to watch television, eat dinner, and retire to bed. They wake the next day and repeat the motions of the day before. Individuals trapped in this crippling routine often struggle to break this pattern. I believe the scouting program helped me to avoid this cycle and instead helped me to seek self-fulfillment and personal success. Scouting introduced me to my hobbies and passions and a way of developing goals. Being able to learn these valuable lessons at a young age helped me experience “victories,” sometimes small and other times big. Most importantly, it gave me momentum and a hunger for more growth. This way of living has greatly impacted me and helped me to avoid an “idle” life. Not only does this help me stay productive and healthy, but this mindset provides me with joy, confidence, and self fulfillment. Lou Holtz said, “If you’re bored with life, you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things; you don’t have enough goals.” St. George Health & Wellness Magazine | September/October 2021 73
