For Eagle Scout Max Plessinger, learning skilled trades within Scouting opened doors to a fulfilling, profitable career. His merit badge sash displays the Automotive Maintenance, Farm Mechanics, Plumbing and Welding badges.

The 21-year-old now works as a diesel mechanic, doesn’t have any school debt and is saving to buy a house next year.

It’s a path many Scouts can explore at the Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center that the Dan Beard Council is building at Camp Friedlander in Loveland, Ohio. The 10,000-square-foot facility will have six bays, each devoted to teaching a different trade, including carpentry, welding, robotics and home repairs. It’ll also have an automotive bay complete with a car lift.

If a place like this had been readily available when Plessinger was a Scout, he believes more young people his age might’ve chosen a career like he did.

The groundbreaking of the Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center

“I think a lot more kids might be into the trades,” Plessinger told WCPO, an ABC affiliate television station in Cincinnati.

Building for the future

The skilled trades sector in the U.S. is facing a shortage soon as more workers plan to retire, with a lack of qualified workers poised to replace them. Scouting America, through its merit badges and career-based programs like Exploring, prepares young people for their next step in life.

Providing state-of-the-art facilities gives a place for Scouts to learn.

“We are thrilled to break ground on a facility that will empower young people with practical skills and real-world experience,” said Andy Zahn, Scout executive and CEO of the Dan Beard Council.

Construction on the skilled trades education center is slated to be complete this November, with programs being offered soon after. And Scouts won’t just be using it during summer camp. The council plans to keep the center open year-round, hosting skilled trades days and merit badge days. It’ll also be available for the community to use.

Eagle Scout Max Plessinger speaking with a local news station

Skilled trades resources

For more resources on teaching your Scouts skilled trades, check out Scouting America’s merit badge hub, which offers free PDFs of all the merit badge pamphlets as well as links to related products available at the Scout Shop.

You can also peruse Exploring’s skilled trades page that features suggested activities related to skilled trades.

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The Scouts BSA program works best when it’s guided by adults who implement the program as it was designed to be implemented. The official Scouts BSA Troop Self-Assessment tool is designed to help ensure that you’re doing just that.

The Troop Self-Assessment program is a series of questions on a variety of Scouts BSA-related topics. The online program will automatically calculate a score to help you understand how your troop is doing and where it can improve. Each survey takes just 10 minutes to finish.

“The Troop Self-Assessment tool helps troop leaders gain thoughtful insights about their troop’s health and connects them with relevant, helpful resources,” says Angelique Minett, chair of the National Scouts BSA Committee. “This resource reflects our commitment to building simple, helpful solutions to support troops in delivering the best possible Scouting experience for our youth.”

What areas of the program do the self-assessments cover?

There are nine self-assessments that cover the following aspects of the Scouts BSA program:

Membership. This section helps you do the right things to retain your current Scouts while adding a reasonable number of new ones.
Troop Meetings. This part helps ensure that your troop meetings are fun, engaging and useful for all members.
Activities/Outings. This section can help you fine-tune your outdoors program.
Advancement: This section will help make sure that your Scouts are advancing at a reasonable pace.
Patrols and Patrol Method. This part helps your troop take full advantage of the patrol method.
Youth Leaders. This section helps ensure that your program is led by the Scouts, with guidance from adults as needed.
Scoutmaster Team. This section helps make sure the Scoutmaster is getting the support they need to fill their role.
Troop Committee. This section will make sure your committee is fully staffed with clearly defined roles.
Troop Administration and Finance. This part will help keep your unit financially healthy.

What should Scouts BSA leaders care about these assessments?

The Troop Self-Asessment program is designed to help a troop leader find areas and opportunities for improvement and connect them you with resources. If you have concerns after taking an assessment, a good person to talk to would be your unit commissioner. If you don’t know who your commissioner is, your local council can point you in the right direction.

How are the self-assessment tools different from unit metrics?

Unit metrics are automatically calculated behind the scenes by Scouting America’s systems. They are designed to provide objective scoring to commissioners and unit leaders in many of the same areas covered by the self-assessments, including the number of trained leaders; unit size, growth and retention; advancement; and outdoor activities. They are available to Scouts BSA leaders in their unit dashboard on My Scouting.

Self-assessments should be thought of as tools to help you improve your unit metrics. While unit metrics look at a few key numbers, the Troop Self-Assessment surveys take a deeper look at things, such as how many trips your troop goes on, how fun and well-attended they are, and whether they help Scouts of different ages and ranks.

How often should I take a self-assessment?

As often as you’d like. The Scouts BSA leadership team suggests you use them at least a few times per year. You might find them most useful when you put together your annual program plan.

Click here to learn more about the Troop Self-Assessment program.

Photo from the Scouting America archives

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Almost as soon as it began, Scouting America’s merit badge program began to evolve to better meet the needs of the Scouts of the time.

There are no longer merit badges for Master-at-Arms, Citrus Fruit Culture and Farm Arrangements, but there are merit badges for Digital Technology, Environmental Science and Multisport.

Now the latest evolution of the program is here: All merit badge pamphlets are available as free PDFs on the official Scouting America Merit Badge Hub.

“Making every merit badge pamphlet freely available online meets Scouts where they already learn and share information,” says Scouts BSA national program chair Angelique Minett. “By removing cost and access barriers, we’re empowering more young people to dive into new skills the moment curiosity strikes.”

To get to the PDFs, click on the name of the merit badge you’re looking for, and scroll down until you see the button labeled “Download the Free Pamphlet.”

Can I still get printed merit badge pamphlets?

Yes.

Just like some people prefer to read books printed on real paper, some folks prefer good ol’ printed merit badge pamphlets.

You can still buy printed merit badge pamphlets online or at your local Scout Shop.

How can I be sure I’m getting the most up-to-date merit badge requirements?

You’ll notice that the requirements are no longer included in the PDF versions of the pamphlets on the merit badge hub. That’s because Scouts and counselors should always check the merit badges homepage (or, alternatively, Scoutbook) to make sure you’re getting the latest requirements, like the recent updates to the Chemistry merit badge.

With the pamphlets now online, has the process of earning a merit badge changed?

The process of earning merit badges remains the same.

First, pick a subject. Next, connect with a merit badge counselor. Then, get to work!

Click here to learn more.

What is a merit badge counselor?

A merit badge counselor serves as both a teacher and a mentor as Scouts work on a merit badge. The counselor’s responsibilities include the following:

Assist Scouts as they plan the assigned projects and activities to meet all the requirements.
Coach them through interviews and demonstrations on how to complete the various requirements.
Sign off with their approval once they are satisfied the Scout has individually and personally completed the requirements exactly as written.

Click here to learn more about being a merit badge counselor.

Who can earn merit badges?

Merit badges can be earned by registered Scouts BSA members, including Lone Scouts, and by qualified Venturers or Sea Scouts who are not yet 18 years old. Venturers and Sea Scouts qualify by achieving First Class rank as a Scout or Lone Scout.

What else is new in the world of merit badges?

The Aviation merit badge is the first merit badge to get its own digital resource guide. Click here to learn more.

The Scouts BSA Test Lab is a way for Scouts and adults to try out new potential merit badges, report back on their experiences and, in the process, help shape the future of Scouting. Click here to learn more.

Additionally, the Scouts BSA team is hard at work on merit badges covering artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Bookmark the merit badge hub, and check back regularly for the latest updates.

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Three Scouts from Montville, New Jersey, have brought an international rocketry championship to the United States.

Makayo Cheung, 15, Thomas Jenkins, 15, and Chase Eagan, 17, from Troop 74 in Montville took first place in the 2025 International Rocketry Challenge in Paris, France, last month. They had previously qualified for the event by winning the title at the American Rocketry Challenge earlier this year.

After picking up the hobby of rocketry in his downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic, Makayo decided to share his passion and start a team with his fellow Scouts.

“It was a very unexpected surprise that helped validate our efforts for the past three years,” Makayo says.

The team, which competes under the name Troop 74 Rocketeers, was tasked with designing and building a rocket that could carry two raw eggs to altitudes as high as 815 feet and back to the ground without a crack.

They relied on their instincts, knowledge of engineering and Scout training to create a device that worked better than the rockets of 1,000 other teams at the American Rocketry Challenge and outperformed teams from the United Kingdom, France and Japan at the International Rocketry Challenge.

“The International Rocketry Challenge — and the American Rocketry Challenge at home in the United States — are launchpads for the next generation of aerospace leaders,” says Eric Fanning, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, which sponsored the competition. “Congratulations to the Troop 74 Rocketeers on their first-place victory and to all teams for their incredible performances. Your achievement today marks the beginning of an exciting journey toward building the rockets of the future.”

Scout skills in action

Makayo is a Life Scout who has served as assistant senior patrol leader in Troop 74. He is also a member of the Scouts BSA National Youth Council. Thomas is a Star Scout who has served as patrol leader. And Chase is an Eagle Scout who has served as assistant senior patrol leader.

The group worked under the mentorship of Makayo’s father, David, who also serves as an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 74, and received sponsorship support from RTX, an aerospace and defense company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, to attend the International Rocketry Challenge in Paris.

First, the group used computer-aided design software to design a rocket capable of meeting the rigorous flight and safety criteria. Then they used a model rocket simulator to simulate a launch.

Ultimately, though, it came down to a lot of trial and error — launching real rockets multiple times to find a design that worked best.

The American Rocketry Challenge was held in The Plains, Virginia, in May. The annual event invites youth to design, build and fly rockets to exacting requirements while gaining hands-on experience solving engineering problems.

“Our biggest challenge was building a consistent rocket,” Makayo says. “Our launch tower took nearly two hours to assemble, and balancing it against strong winds was tricky. But we were prepared.”

At the International Rocketry Challenge, which was held in Paris as part of the Paris Air Show, extra emphasis was put on competitors’ presentations, where teams had a set amount of time to explain their rocket design and flight-testing process to a group of judges.

“We had to improve our speaking skills as well as our rocketry skills,” Makayo says.

Rocketry in Scouting

Rocketry has been a popular activity for packs and troops for many years.

One-day “rocket academies” are great events not just for Scouts but also for communities and neighborhoods. They emphasize fun and teamwork, and they are opportunities to learn about science, technology, engineering and math.

There’s an entire chapter of the Space Exploration merit badge devoted to model rocketry. Requirement 3 of the badge is to build, launch and recover a model rocket; make a second launch to accomplish a specific objective; and identify and explain the parts of a model rocket.

If you’ve never participated in a rocketry event before, you should know that rockets can go really high up in the sky. I mean really high.

Before participating in a rocketry event, determine if there are any local rules and regulations regarding the type, size and launching of rockets within your community, and check out the National Association of Rocketry safety measures.

Scouting America’s Rocket Safety Moment should be your starting point for any official Scouting America rocketry activity.

The National Association of Rocketry can help you connect with a rocketry club near you.

Click here to learn more about the American Rocketry Challenge.

Photos courtesy of the American Rocketry Challenge

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Do you know a Scouts BSA member who wants to influence the future of Scouting America? Make sure to send them this blog post!

The Scouts BSA National Youth Council is the platform for passionate youth leaders to help shape decisions across the organization, and applications for the next term are now open.

Empowering youth and shaping the future

As the council enters its fifth year, it continues to provide a meaningful space for youth to share their perspectives and collaborate with top leadership on strategies that guide the Scouts BSA program.

Who can apply?

Scouts must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the council term (September 2025 to May 2026):

Be 14 years old by the start of the term and not turn 18 before it ends

Be currently registered in the Scouts BSA program

Hold the rank of First Class or higher

Currently serve, or have previously served, in a position of responsibility within their troop

Encourage your youth leaders to submit an application online by August 15, 2025.

  Apply for the 2025–26 Scouts BSA National Youth Council

What qualifies as a position of responsibility?

Positions of responsibility include patrol leader, senior patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster or outdoor ethics guide.

What to expect from the application process

Applicants need permission from a parent or guardian to apply and should set aside 60 to 90 minutes to complete the online form. It’s important to note that the application cannot be saved and resumed later, so completing it in one sitting is required.

Notification regarding admission onto the council will be emailed to all applicants by mid-September.

Why this council matters

What kind of impact does the council make? No one can explain this better than youth who most recently served. This video was created and edited by Eagle Scout and council alum Nikolas Knanishu.

If you know a Scout ready to affect the Scouting movement, now is the time to encourage them to apply.

Let’s keep putting youth at the center of Scouting!

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One of Scouting America’s oldest merit badges has undergone a major update to make it more accessible to today’s Scouts.

Chemistry, one of the original 57 merit badges offered when the organization was founded in 1911 and one of the 11 that have used the same logo continuously since then, has a whole new set of requirements developed by a team led by Kristin Omberg, a chemist and Scouts BSA volunteer in Richland, Washington.

The Chemistry merit badge logo has remained unchanged since 1911. The logo shows a retort, one of the oldest forms of glassware used in chemistry. It is used primarily for distillation. The bulb containing a liquid sample is heated, and the resulting gases travel along the neck to a second collecting vessel.

The updated requirements are available online now. Scouts can begin work on them immediately.

An updated printed pamphlet is expected to be available later this year.

Omberg says she and her team of fellow chemists and adults and youth involved in Scouting wanted to make it obvious how relevant chemistry continues to be in today’s world — not just for scientists in labs but also for kids participating in Scouting and other activities.

“While lots of people think that chemistry and other sciences are challenging or hard, they’re already doing chemistry every day,” Omberg says. “They are demonstrating the fundamental principles every time they light a fire. Or every time they cook something.

“It’s not just an academic topic. It’s the basis of so many things that people already do.”

Why was the Chemistry merit badge updated?

Paul Winston remembers earning the Chemistry merit badge on his way to earning the rank of Eagle Scout when he was a youth. He says the experience was one of the things that led to him becoming a chemist — he worked for decades as a materials research scientist for Michelin tire manufacturing before retiring in 2020.

As a member of Scouting America’s National Merit Badge Subcommittee, Winston serves as the team leader for the STEM-related merit badges.

“We wanted to motivate more Scouts to earn the badge in order to maybe excite them toward a career in my favorite profession: chemistry,” Winston says.

Winston and his team decided Omberg, a senior technical advisor for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a merit badge counselor and the mother of a Scout, was the person who could best make it happen.

“I thought it would be great to make this into something that resonates more with youth,” she says. “That’s why we got to organizing it around cooking, camping and first aid, because those are three Eagle-required, fundamental merit badges, and all of them have a lot of chemistry going on in them.”

The new Chemistry merit badge requirements call on Scouts to explore the science behind activities such as first aid, campfires and cooking. Photos from Scouting America archives. Top photo by Getty Images.

What are some of the new Chemistry requirements?

The new Chemistry merit badge requirements are designed to be hands-on and can be completed with the help of a merit badge counselor who’s familiar with the basics of the topic.

Requirement 2, “Chemistry and First Aid,” has Scouts perform one experiment that involves washing their hands with soap as opposed to washing their hands with water only and a second experiment that uses baker’s yeast to demonstrate how rubbing alcohol affects microbial growth.

The results of both experiments go a long way toward proving why soap and rubbing alcohol are used to clean cuts and scrapes.

Requirement 3, “Chemistry and Cooking,” has Scouts perform an experiment that helps them learn how cooking food changes its makeup.

And requirement 4, “Chemistry and Camping,” has Scouts perform experiments to explore the chemistry behind making items waterproof, building campfires and more.

“Chemistry is not just an academic topic,” Omberg says. “It’s the basis of so many things we do.”

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Some council camps boast more than a century in operation, a few dating back to the 1910s, just a few years after Scouting America incorporated. This week, Camp Tahquitz, a Long Beach Area Council camp, adds its name to that list of camps that have hit the 100-year mark. The camp’s all-volunteer staff, nicknamed the “Tahquitz Community,” will also celebrate its centennial anniversary.

The council will celebrate with an anniversary event on June 28, capping off the first week of summer camp. Organizers have planned a barbecue dinner, a campfire and open program areas so visitors can check out everything the camp has to offer, including equestrian trail rides, shooting sports and Scoutcraft. The event is open to the public.

The 1926 Camp Tahquitz staff.

Camp’s history

On May 21, 1925, five acres were donated to the Long Beach Council to create a mountain camp in Idyllwild, Calif., in the San Jacinto Mountains. That December, the first winter camp was held, and the next year, campers arrived for the first summer camp.

Over time, small parcels of land were added so that by 1944, the camp property had grown to 92 acres. The demand called for even greater expansion. So, in 1957, the Long Beach Area Council purchased 640 acres farther north in the San Bernardino Mountains and moved the camp there a couple of years later. During the 1960s, Camp Tahquitz had eight weeks of summer camp, accommodating about 2,000 Scouts each summer.

The camp added a climbing tower in 1972, becoming one of the first camps nationally to offer one. Tahquitz added a wrangler program in 1992.

Some of the log cabins on-site date back to the 1880s, all of which are still used today. One of them is the trading post cabin, which was completely renovated in 2019.

Today, many troops from Central and Southern California, Nevada and Arizona frequent Camp Tahquitz, most of which come from out-of-council units. In addition to summer camp, Tahquitz is home to a spring camporee, Cub Scout campouts and plenty of weekend camping by local Scout troops throughout the year.

The 2024 Camp Tahquitz staff.

The community

On Dec. 20, the Long Beach Area Council will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the inception of the camp’s staff. Originally called the “Tribe of Tahquitz,” the staff has always been volunteers. Some of the alumni have spanned generations from the same family.

The tribe began at the first winter camp as 15 honor campers worked to promote and staff the camp. Since then, thousands of staff members have served at Camp Tahquitz.

In 2020, the tribe was renamed the “Tahquitz Community.” The group has served as an honor society for the local council, deeply connected in service of the camp.

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A few years ago, Chris Vargas noticed an evening news story about the rise of veterans experiencing homelessness. He wondered why they weren’t being helped.

“Veterans have done so much for this country, and I just want a turn to help them out when they are in need,” Chris says.

Chris Vargas

So the Life Scout from Troop 81 of Naperville, Ill., tailored his Eagle Scout service project to do something about it. Working with his grandfather Jim Malarski, a Vietnam War veteran and retired command sergeant major, the duo contacted veteran organizations. (Chris’ other grandfather was also a Vietnam vet).

This led Chris to a community outreach center at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, just west of downtown Chicago. It’s the largest VA in Illinois, treating more than 56,000 veterans from World War II through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The outreach center’s employees work with veterans experiencing homelessness and advised Chris that filling backpacks with toiletries and other essentials would help tremendously.

Chris organized two major events, one at a gaming convention and another at a chiropractic office. At the convention, he recruited his cousin to 3D-print gaming items to sell. The effort netted nearly $1,000. At the chiropractic office, he set up a monthlong drive to receive donations. There, he collected more than 2,000 items.

He also reached out to other companies and made speeches to veterans organizations, leading to more donations.

In all, he collected 2,400 items, including water bottles, nonperishable food, clothes, first-aid kits and hygiene products. These filled 50 packs, and the extra items were donated to the outreach center’s pantry along with a $1,220 check. Chris and his team’s efforts could help hundreds of veterans.

Chris completed his Eagle project and earned the Eagle Scout rank last year, adding his name to his troop’s illustrious list of Eagles dating back to 1939.

Share with us

If you want to share your Scout’s service project, you can tell us by sending an email to onscouting@scouting.org. You can also tell Scout Life magazine about it. Scout Life can also feature your unit’s upcoming outings and other outstanding highlights Scouts have accomplished.

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For 115 years, Scouting America has helped shape this country’s youth to be leaders in their communities, nation and world while learning valuable skills and exploring the outdoors.

Incoming national commissioner, Devang Desai, envisions opportunities to retell the organization’s incredible century-long history as well as showcase the many ways today’s youth can grow and have fun in Scouting.

“I hope they have an experience that provides them with endless opportunities to find better versions of themselves,” he says. “It should be an experience rooted in our Scout Oath and Scout Law. We are a character-based organization that can help develop young people into better people. How do we do that? It’s through the learning that takes place, whether that’s on your phone, in person or in the outdoors.”

Desai is the organization’s 13th national commissioner and the second under the name Scouting America. It’s a position first held by Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of Scouting in the U.S.

Desai becomes one of three members of Scouting America’s National Key 3, along with National Chair Brad Tilden and President and CEO Roger Krone.

For the past year, Desai has served as commissioner-elect, working with outgoing commissioner, W. Scott Sorrels, who has served in that role since 2019.

“(Desai) is a high-energy leader with a gift for connecting with others, and we could not be better positioned as we get off the blocks and move forward with our plan to help more young people and grow our influence,” Tilden says.

An accomplished résumé

Desai enters the commissioner’s role with a wealth of knowledge, both professionally and within Scouting.

As a partner in the Miami office of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, Desai has two decades of experience as a civil trial attorney in defending both individuals and corporations in areas of commercial disputes, product liability and catastrophic claims. He’s also named as a Super Lawyer in Florida and has served as the president of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. He is rated AV Preeminent by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, a facilitator of a peer review rating process for legal ability and general ethical standards.

Using his expertise, Desai helped Scouting America’s national executive board navigate Chapter 11 reorganization a few years ago.

His contributions to Scouting don’t end there. He has served in numerous roles on the South Florida Council executive board, the National Alumni Relations Committee and the Southern Region board. Elected to the National Executive Board in 2018, Desai has provided his leadership and expertise on multiple committees, including the People and Culture Committee, the Enterprise Risk Management and Audit Committee, the National Executive Committee and the Bankruptcy Task Force.

Within the Order of the Arrow, he has led as an advisor on the local level and the national level at events like the National Order of the Arrow Conference. In 2016, he was appointed to the National Order of the Arrow Committee and is currently a member of the OA’s Steering Committee.

Desai is a Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Silver Buffalo awards recipient as well as a National Eagle Scout Association Outstanding Eagle Scout Award honoree.

“It’s a great network,” he says. “I’m very blessed to be at this point in life where if I was to travel anywhere in this country, I am going to know people and have somebody to call if I need something.”

Outside of Scouting and work, he’s also been involved with the University of Miami’s board of trustees and alumni association. And he’s a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation board of trustees.

His “extended family”

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Desai experienced a culture shock when his family moved to the U.S. To help adjust to life in the states, he joined Cub Scouts with Pack 610 in Miami.

“Scouting provided a great playground, if you will, to make friends, go out and explore and learn a lot about the outdoors, and learn incredible life lessons and leadership skills, all based in a values-based education,” he says.

He crossed over into Troop 10 and then joined Troop 610 where he earned the Eagle Scout award at age 14. Prior to earning Eagle, he was elected to the Order of the Arrow and later served as lodge, chapter and section chiefs. Desai is a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s honor society, and a recipient of the Founder’s Award, Centurion Award and Distinguished Service Award.

He went on treks to the iconic Philmont Scout Ranch, worked on Camp Lone Oak’s summer camp staff, and he attended the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea in 1991. He was also in Explorer Post 1429, a fire and rescue post.

“I was the guy who kept doing more and more,” Desai says. “I think Scouting provided me with great mentorship with my incredible Scout leaders when I was a kid. I learned from my mistakes and got better, whether it was simple things like learning how to tie knots to being comfortable speaking in front of people to leading a group of people.”

Future goals

The Scouting program adapts to the needs and interests of youth and families, aiming to be accessible while continuing to prepare young people to lead ethical and moral lives. The values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law do not change, Desai says.

“We can have an incredible story to share to the outside world and can continue to grow Scouting,” he says.

In addition to sharing Scouting’s story, Desai looks forward to supporting units, establishing partnerships, and making sure Scouts continue to stay safe and have fun. Part of that includes embracing technology and innovation and demonstrating how those tools can enhance one’s experience within Scouting’s programs. Social media can be a powerful marketing and recruiting tool, so a cellphone should probably be on your camping checklist.

“We need to figure out a way to be healthy and encourage that level of communication and storytelling but at the same time make programs relevant and fun such that folks will want to take that adventure that they’re playing on their phone into a real-life experience,” he says.

Sharing Scouting with America is a top goal for Desai, not only for the organization’s future but also for the country’s future.

“This country needs us to help produce in a massive way leaders of character. Scouting has got a 100-plus-year track record of doing just that,” he says.

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In 2010, a catastrophic earthquake rocked Haiti, causing billions of dollars in damage and leaving more than 220,000 people dead – with some estimates soaring to more than 300,000 dead. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

Among those pulled from the rubble was 2-year-old Jamesly Jesse.

Jamesly Jesse, 2, after being rescued from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

He survived, but his family did not. For the next year, a makeshift hospital was his home.

Jamesly was later adopted and now lives in Moweaqua, Ill., where he’s been a part of Troop 85. For years, he has thought about his Eagle Scout project.

“I’ve always wanted to give something back to the people that helped me first,” Jamesly says. “I wanted to help the people who helped me and make a difference.”

His project included raising more than $35,400 – twice as much as his original goal – to spend on meals for the hospital in Milot, Haiti. Jamesly then organized, promoted and led an event that featured hundreds of volunteers packing 100,080 meals of rice, beans, dried vegetables and nutrients, all of which were shipped to Haiti.

For his exceptional efforts, Jamesly, 16, received the 2025 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award.

The Adams awards, which include territorial winners and a national winner selected from one of those territorial winners, recognize outstanding Eagle projects completed by young people who earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2024. The national winner receives a $3,500 scholarship, which they can use for their future education or to attend a national or international Scouting event.

Out of the rubble

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jamesly was a toddler when the earthquake struck. The magnitude 7.0 quake decimated buildings, and for five days, Jamesly was buried under a pile of rubble. When he was finally rescued, he was flown to a hospital in Milot.

“With no family to take care of me, I was completely dependent on the people there,” Jamesly says.

In a matter of days, the hospital went from 72 beds to more than 400 as workers tended to the injured. The hospital workers weren’t the only ones to focus on Jamesly’s well-being; the community of Milot came together to make sure the young boy and the other patients were OK.

Mary Jesse met Jamesly while volunteering there and told her husband Nathan about him. A couple of years later, they adopted him. He adjusted to life in the U.S. and was soon registered in Cub Scouts.

Jamesly Jesse with his adoptive parents, Nathan and Mary.

Giving back

More than a decade after the devastating earthquake, problems persist in Haiti. Political unrest and tropical storms drive up the cost of food. This exacerbates the extreme food insecurity the country already faces.

The World Food Program USA ranks the country as one of the most food-insecure in the world, with nearly 5 million people facing severe hunger. Many of those people are children, nursing and pregnant women, and older citizens.

“I realize that providing meals does not fix all of the problems in Haiti, but it will meet the critical need for children,” Jamesly says. “They are wonderful people that have been hit with so much devastation and yet remain faithful and resilient.”

Jamesly learned that Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey runs and finances a Haitian hospital through its nonprofit Haiti Health Promise. The nonprofit hosts pack-a-thons around the country every year, where people can pack and send food that the hospital will distribute to those in need.

More than 400 people volunteered to help with Jamesly’s project.

Packing meals

Jamesly decided to lead a two-part project: raising money to pay for the meals and organizing a pack-a-thon in Moweaqua. His initial goal was to raise $17,500, which would cover the cost of 50,000 meals.

He created a video to promote his project and made presentations to 10 different community organizations and churches, seeking donations and volunteers. He also organized a barbecue fundraiser at his school.

“This video proved very helpful to get the word out,” he says. “People were amazingly generous.”

He raised more than $35,400. With twice as many meals to pack, he’d need more volunteers. So he recruited helpers from school, youth groups and members of the community.

The packing event was set up in his school’s gymnasium, and more than 430 volunteers came to fill boxes with food. It was enough to fill a semitrailer.

“The packing event went great,” Jamesly says. “So many people were encouraging about the event and said they were glad to be a part of it.”

More than 100,000 meals were packaged and sent to Haiti.

How to nominate an Eagle Scout for the Adams award

If you know an Eagle Scout whose project is worthy of consideration for the Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award, please nominate them.

Find a nomination form, judging criteria and more information at this link.

Eagle Scout service projects may be submitted for award consideration by the Eagle Scout, their parents or any registered volunteer — with the Scout’s permission. To be eligible, nominations must be submitted to the Council NESA committee where the service project was completed no later than Jan. 31.

For example, an Eagle Scout who completed their board of review in 2023 must ensure their project is nominated by Jan. 31, 2024. Councils are then responsible for submitting the nomination materials to the National Eagle Scout Association by Feb. 28. For all details and requirements for submission, visit the Adams award page at nesa.org. 

Territorial winners

Let’s hear it for this year’s territorial Adams award winners too:

Territory 1

Kyle Hu, Aloha Council

Kyle and his helpers created a three-tier garden terrace for a heritage center.

Territory 3

Yousof Alsum, Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council

Yousof and his helpers built a classroom for a village in Tanzania.

Territory 4

Parker Schwickerath, Hawkeye Area Council

Parker and his helpers improved a flagpole and surrounding area for a local American Legion club.

Territory 5

Jamesly Jesse, Greater St. Louis Area Council

Jamesly and his helpers organized a food-packing event for a community in Haiti.

Territory 6

Madilynn Puetz, Three Harbors Council

Madilynn and her helpers built an outdoor chapel with a seating area.

Territory 7

Trevor Suggs, Capitol Area Council

Trevor and his helpers built an ash-scattering garden for a local cemetery.

Territory 8

Jonathan Eaton, Circle Ten Council

Jonathan and his helpers renovated a garden, including building raised beds, at a city park.

Territory 9

Cole Stine, Muskingum Valley Council

Cole and his helpers built a pavilion at a city park and renovated a parking lot and storage building.

Territory 10

Tyler Earp, Spirit of Adventure Council

Tyler and his helpers improved an outdoor classroom area at a local high school.

Territory 12

Bodey Richardson, Del-Mar-Va Council

Bodey and his helpers made a kayak launching dock for his city.

Territory 13

Logan Zdaniewicz, Northeastern Pennsylvania Council

Logan and his helpers built an outdoor community sports court for his city.

Territory 14

David Lin, Blue Grass Council

David and his helpers completed several projects and collected care packages for a boys’ home in Liberia.

Territory 15

William Blackman, Tuscarora Council

William and his helpers built a helicopter landing spot for a local fire department.

Territory 16

Claire Streeter, Central Florida Council

Claire and her helpers created and distributed seat belt covers for people with disabilities that featured a QR code with important information for first responders.

The post 2025 Eagle Scout Project of the Year: He packed 100,000 meals to feed Haitians appeared first on Troop 44.