Eagle scout earns his wings
Jason Shueh/Valley Press Valin Heward, a senior in Plains, was recently awarded the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor, the rank of Eagle Scout. Heward said he looks at the award as a personal milestone.
On Oct. 10 Plains officially added their newest Eagle Scout.
Valin Heward, a senior, was awarded the Eagle Scout award in the company of family and friends at a small ceremony in the Heward home. The Eagle Scout award is the highest rank the Boy Scouts of America can give to a scout.
In addition to the numerous requirements to earn merit badges that specialize in a variety of different areas that range from everything from cycling to government to basic camping skills, an Eagle Scout must also complete a large service project for his community.
To complete this last requirement Heward decided to build shelving, cabinets and beds for the Plains Ambulance Barn. The job had him coordinating material contributions with sponsors around the community and organizing more than 100 man hours between friends and family to get the job done.
Sitting at his kitchen table last Saturday Heward smiled and let go a sigh of relief that all the hard work had finally been completed and reflected upon his time in scouting.
“Earning an Eagle is good preparation for life, it gives you a good education and it teaches you to set life goals,” Heward said.
He explained that scouting was a great way for him to get out of the house and participate in positive service projects and fun outdoor activities he normally wouldn’t have done otherwise.
“It’s one of those things that help you get out and do things,” Heward said. He added that his favorite activities that he and the rest of the scouts would do was in the winter when they would go camping or skiing. The campouts, barbecues and general camaraderie were added pluses as well. But above the fun and outdoor entertainment, Heward said that he places the important life lessons he learned in scouting as his biggest highlight.
“My scouting experience was just a big self-confidence builder, it teaches you how to carry out projects and learn leadership skills and there are few opportunities like this that can teach you that,” he said. “It puts you in situations where you learn to be prepared.”
Heward’s father Rus said that he couldn’t be more proud of his son for sticking through scouting’s many challenges and completing the tasks that make an Eagle Scout. He pointed to the many distractions youth have to confront everyday such as video games, television and just hanging out that could easily stop scouts from completing their Eagle.
“I’m excited for him. He was a good scout. He was one of those guys that loved the outdoors,” Rus said.
When Heward was six and seven he remembered taking him to scouting activities and was surprised at how much he enjoyed the experience and how self sufficient he was. “We never had to worry about him,” Rus said.
Rus also said that his favorite part about his son’s time in scouting was watching him grow as a person as he developed a wide variety of skills.
“The best part was seeing him plan and execute his Eagle Scout Project and being involved with that. Now he’s going to be able to remember all that scouting stands for and it hopefully will help him throughout his whole life,” Rus said.