This post is a slight departure from my regular content. However, it’s relevant for those who appreciate stories on servant leadership, vision, self-discipline and lifelong learning. The following remarks were made as I presented my son, Ryan, with the rank of Eagle Scout during his National Court of Honor on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017.
It’s a tremendous honor to present the rank of Eagle Scout to any young man. Presenting the award to your son is something extremely special. And when I learned I would be joining Sudhir Mogallapu as he presents the rank to his son, Sourya… let’s just say this will be a day that will be long remembered by our families, friends and the Scouts, parents and leaders of Troop 778.
Accepting Ryan’s request to present him with the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America is not taken lightly. All presentations of this award should highlight the young man’s character, values and accomplishments. As I reviewed the time from the day Ryan was born until today, the following theme kept appearing:
There is no greater compliment you can give your child than telling them how much they inspire you to be a better person.
Ryan spent the first eight days of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit at St. John’s Mercy Hospital. His under-developed lungs would create breathing and respiratory challenges throughout his childhood. But even as an infant, he displayed a tenacity, determination and resilience to overcome a brittle asthmatic condition. Those characteristics would help him in Scouting, athletics and academics.
They were evident even at the age of 15 months. One warm summer evening, we heard scratching at our front door. Michelle thought it was a small animal and asked me to investigate. I looked out and didn’t see anyone or anything, opened the storm door, looked down and there stood Ryan. He didn’t want to go to sleep. So he climbed out of his crib, opened his screen window, stepped out onto the lawn and walked about 15 feet to the front door.
Along with drive and determination, Ryan possesses a gentleness and concern for others. During a Cub Scout pack meeting, members of his den were lined up to play a game tossing a bean bag at a target. Ryan was next in line when a Cub Scout next to him burst into tears. Ryan’s facial expression immediately conveyed an empathy for this Scout. Other Cub Scouts would have played the game and moved to the next station. But Ryan paused, tried to console the Scout and offered his own bean bags for the game. At age 6, he put his own desires aside and tried to help another.
There is no greater compliment you can give your child than telling them how much they inspire you to be a better person.
Even though his brother was six years older, Ryan tagged along during Jonathan’s Scouting experiences as Michelle also was his den leader. Like his brother, Ryan loved the outdoors and, especially, fishing. If possible, he would spend all day shooting at the rifle or archery range. His Eagle Scout service project of building and placing habitat for fish at Presslar Lake at Fenton City Park was a perfect combination of giving something back to the community for all of the wonderful memories he experienced.
Ryan’s service project in preparation for receiving the sacrament of confirmation was a full day of teaching Cub Scouts how to cook pancakes on a tin can. He chose Hubert for his confirmation name. For some reason during the confirmation mass, Ryan was almost the last to be confirmed out of a class of 100. As Michelle and I watched from the back of church, we noticed Bishop Rice made a face and a slight non-verbal gesture communicating something was awry. Michelle and I looked at each other and wondered, “Oh, no! What did he say to the Bishop?” Afterward, Ryan said he announced his confirmation name to the Bishop and he replied, “Hubert? Hubert! There’s always a Hubert,” referring to Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and outdoorsmen. Thank God for our Huberts.
Ryan followed in Jonathan’s footsteps by attending National Youth Leadership Training and serving on two staffs. He also was elected Senior Patrol Leader. He benefitted from watching and learning from previous SPLs as they successfully led our troop. Ryan might have found his vocation while serving as a troop guide. He loves working with younger children and teaching them various skills. A few months ago during his first semester at Missouri University of Science & Technology, he decided to become a teacher and specialize in science, technology, engineering and math. He possesses and practices patience when teaching. His teachers, Scout leaders and coaches witnessed how he reaches children and guides them to success with creativity and innovation.
The mentoring Ryan received, his leadership experiences and the self-discipline he developed in Scouting resulted in accelerated performance in high school academics and athletics. He earned a 4.1 grade-point average during his final semester and graduated from Rockwood Summit High School with a 3.6 cumulative. He earned a Falcon Flight Award, given by a faculty member to students who represent the highest ideals and standards of the school.
During all four years, he was a three-sport athlete—cross country, wrestling and track. He was a leader on the cross country team, earned medals in two races, set a personal record during his last race and was recognized by his coaches for his leadership.
Ryan and Sourya were co-captains of the wrestling team. Ryan finished one win short of his goal of qualifying for the state tournament. In the district tournament his senior year, he trailed in two of his wrestle-back matches by several points, but then pinned both opponents to advance to the match that determined the state qualifier. A Summit wrestler who won the state championship this year credited Ryan for helping him win the title by challenging, motivating and battling each day during practice. Ryan received the program’s RISE college scholarship for living the values of the acronym—repetition, intensity, sacrifice and effort.
Ryan competed in the pole vault on the track and field team. His career-best vault of 12 feet, 6 inches was 6 inches short of qualifying for the state tournament, another one of his goals. The team eventually won the state championship and Ryan received the program’s Corey Siebert College Scholarship for his dedication to athletics, music, community service and tutoring elementary school children.
There is no greater compliment you can give your child than telling them how much they inspire you to be a better person.
As a member of the Eagle Scout Board of Review in this district, I’ve heard my fellow volunteers criticize young men for procrastinating and not earning the rank of Eagle Scout until they’re almost 18. Ryan earned this rank shortly before his eighteenth birthday, but he did not procrastinate. He did not avoid working toward this award. He created a plan and executed it. He scheduled time to complete all of the steps and followed through. Despite his academic and athletic commitments, he continued to be active in the troop. After the final PLC meetings he was eligible to attend, his Scoutmaster thanked him for challenging and motivating his fellow Scouts to plan and deliver a program that’s fun and meaningful.
Ryan doesn’t enjoy public recognition. He didn’t earn this rank to wear the badge and brag about his accomplishment. He knows an individual possesses poor character if their values and behaviors aren’t aligned with the medal they wear or the honor they received. Ryan should be proud of this achievement, but he knows his future actions and deeds will speak louder than any of his past accomplishments.
Ryan stands on the shoulders of great grandparents on both sides of our families who came to this country from Germany and Ireland before World War I and during World War II. They came through Ellis Island with only a suitcase packed with their life’s belongings. The qualities you possess were passed to you from previous generations. Now, you have a responsibility to continue this legacy. Your great grandparents left a legacy of spirited determination. A hundred years from today, your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren may look back on a second-generation Eagle Scout who worked to make his community, country and world a better place.
Ryan and Sourya have not yet experienced the hardest part of being an Eagle Scout. The most challenging aspect is living up to the expectations that come with this rank. The award is presented to you, not for what you have done, but for what you are expected to do.
There will be times ahead when you will fail and be disappointed. There will be times when you experience grief and discouragement. These are inevitable parts of life. You will not live a full life without confronting and overcoming these obstacles.
During those times, it will be easy to quit or feel sorry for yourself. Don’t give in to this temptation.
Instead, I pray you gain strength by looking back on your Trail to Eagle. Then, go out and find someone who needs your help. Give unselfishly of your time, talents or treasure.
You earned the medal you will wear today. But you will fully appreciate what it means to be an Eagle Scout when your find yourself striving to live according to your values during times of hardship or struggle.
And, perhaps, one day… you will present the rank of Eagle Scout to a young man—or woman—and you will understand why there is no greater compliment you can give your child—or any child—than telling them how much they inspire you to be a better person.