Stecker’s Eagle Scout service project revitalized birdhouses at Powers Farm Community Park

This week Mayflower Council recognizes the efforts of Maxwell S of Troop 47, Randolph, Massachusetts. 

As a Life Scout participating in Scouts BSA’s inclusion program, Maxwell — a 21-year-old special needs student at May Center — completed his Eagle Scout service project in December.

Maxwell worked to renovate “living accommodations for some of the winged inhabitants of Powers Farm Community Park.”

On January 3, The Journal & Sun explained:

As a previous Eagle Scout project… bird and bat houses were placed at Powers Farm, but over time the birdhouses had deteriorated. With the mentoring of Scoutmaster Henry Colageo, Maxwell improved upon the design to make them more durable by using cedarwood, which is more weatherproof, and brass hardware.

Work in the park remains a labor of love for Troop 47, and Maxwell’s efforts were bolstered by his fellow Scouts and adult Scouters.

“With guidance from Maxwell and the troop’s adult leaders, on Nov. 8 the Scouts fabricated the required parts and assembled them,” added the Journal & Sun. “Finally, on Dec. 4, the Scouts removed the old birdhouses and installed new ones.”

Maxwell is just one of the terrific Scouts in the Mayflower Council doing amazing things. Do you know a member of our community who deserves recognition in “Scouts Honor”? 

Email us with your suggestions!

New badge to be an Eagle requirement beginning July 2022

The Boy Scouts of America recently introduced a new merit badge to the list of achievements offered to youth in Scouts BSA.

The “Citizenship in Society” merit badge seeks to encourage Scouts to delve into the meaning of “diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical leadership.”

“The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law,” said Roger Mosby, president and chief executive officer of The Boy Scouts of America to ScoutingNewsroom.org. 

“This merit badge aligns with both the Scout Oath and Scout Law, which encourage Scouts to respect the beliefs of others, to be kind and courteous, and to help other people at all times,” added BSA’s president. 

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion,” sometimes called DEI, remains an important topic in institutions across the United States and is now a worthy conversation piece in Troop Meetings. That’s especially so because the achievement will be required for Eagle Scouts beginning in July 2022.

“The Citizenship in Society merit badge is an important initiative to help Scouts learn about the diverse identities we each possess, understand different perspectives and experiences, and promote good citizenship in society,” explained Elizabeth Ramirez-Washka, chief diversity officer and vice president of diversity & inclusion, Boy Scouts of America. 

You can learn more about this new opportunity by visiting www.scouting.org/dei. Scouters may also take the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Scouting” course via Scoutbook’s online training catalog.

“[I] enjoyed getting to discuss diversity and inclusion topics with my friends in Scouting,” Maya, a 15-year-old Scout who participated in the pilot program told Scouting Newsroom. “It felt like a safe environment to be open and honest about these topics.”

Meanwhile, check out this video by YouTube’s “Scouter Stan,” which gives an overview of the new BSA initiative and the Citizenship in Society merit badge.