At 14, Ridgewood resident set to become an Eagle Scout
JUNE 20, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
With a makeshift shelter collapsed, rain pelted Vaed Prasad square on his face. A once billowing campfire was extinguished by the downpour, leaving Prasad in the middle of nowhere, nothing but darkness and the unknown of the upstate New York wilderness around him.
The worsening conditions even drove a friend and fellow Boy Scout from the secluded grounds in favor of the main camp, where safety and comfort were more readily available. It certainly wasn’t the ideal way to earn the Wilderness Survival merit badge, but Prasad stayed put at a time he could have fled.
“I was all alone in a place known with bears and other dangerous animals, and I might have thought about leaving. But I persevered because it was another milestone that I was excited about,” recalled Prasad. “Looking back … it was a good experience. When I was lying in my bed a week later, I realized how we take some of these things for granted. Sometimes, we forget how important it is to have things such as shelter.”
Prasad has learned a lifetime of lessons, many of them through his scouting experiences. His pursuit for the Wilderness Survival badge, which he eventually earned after that fateful night a few years back, demonstrated a commitment and fortitude uncommon for a teenager, and that type of dedication has paid off.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/clubs-and-service-organizations/at-14-resident-set-to-become-an-eagle-scout-1.1038516#sthash.mhlvmVCd.dpuf
Congratulations Vaed. Scouting is a great program and Mr. Prasad and his parents, leaders, sponsors and mentors should all be very proud. There’s a reason only 4% of boys who start scouting make it to Eagle . . . . the Trail to Eagle is not easy.
If anyone wants to truly understand the contributions of Eagles to society, they should read “Four Percent: The Story of Uncommon Youth in a Century of American Life.” It’s a fascinating read.
The sheer number of service hours contributed by these boys is amazing. The Eagle service projects are everywhere in our community – painting classrooms and churches, seating areas at RHS, improving Dunham Trail, Grove Park, Habernickel Park, streambank restoration along the Saddle River, Ampitheater at Orchard School, building blue screens for BFMS, planting at Somerville, outdoor seating at West Side Presbyterian, vegetable boxes to allow a food bank to grow fresh food. Too many to remember!
Sincere thanks to Darius Amos for doing such a great job covering BSA in Ridgewood.
Congratulations from this Eagle Scout Mom!