Massie earns Eagle Scout
On May 11, Daniel Massie attained the Boy Scouts of America’s highest award, the Eagle Scout Award.
Massie’s scouting trail began at age 6 in 2009 as a Tiger Cub with Pack 93. Continuing as a Webelos scout, he earned all 21 Webelos Badges, the Arrow of Light, the James M. Stewart Good Citizen Award and numerous patches and awards. In early February 2014, as a Webelos Scout, he was given the honor of reciting the opening prayer for the Alabama House of Representatives in Montgomery.
Crossing over into Troop 93, Massie has earned a total of 44 merit badges and several other prestigious awards, medals and honors, such as the Hornaday Badge. The Hornaday Badge is a BSA national award and recognizes the completion of several merit badges and a significant conservation project. While a member of his troop, Massie served as librarian, patrol leader and Order of the Arrow Unit Representative. He actively participates in Troop 93’s camping program, and the Greater Alabama Council’s summer camps and various special events. Additionally, he has participated in and led several youth trainings, such as the National Youth Leadership Training.
In 2015, Massie was elected into the Order of the Arrow (OA), Nunne Hi Chapter of Coosa Lodge. The OA is Scouting’s National Honor Society. Massie completed his Ordeal in the fall of 2015. In the summer of 2016, he received his Brotherhood and was elected to serve as the Chapter Chief and Vice Chief of Fellowship at the chapter level. He currently serves on the Coosa Lodge Executive Board as the Vice Chief of Fellowship.
His Eagle Scout project was an art supply collection effort to support the juvenile cancer patients at the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children in Birmingham. The tag line for this project was “Kids Helping Kids Through Art”. Massie, with the assistance of several volunteers, collected over 23,000 crayons (100 pounds of used crayons for melting and re-casting), and a large quantity of markers, colored pencils, coloring books and other new art supplies. It is hoped that through this effort a little bit of joy will be felt by the children who deal with so much pain and discomfort, if only for a little while or a few moments, while they create art drawing and pictures for their families.
Massie was one of 40,000 scouts who attended the BSA’s National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in July. In the near future he hopes to attend the BSA’s other high adventure programs at Sea Base, Northern Tier, and The Philmont Scout Ranch to acquire the coveted “Grand Slam” patch for attending all four high adventure bases.
Massie and his family are active members of Oakmont Presbyterian Church. In the fall, Massie will begin high school at Hoover High School. He enjoys studying science and will be participating in Hoover’s Engineering Academy. After graduating high school, he hopes to attend college to continue examining the world of science and possibly become a chemistry major.
-Submitted by Kristin Massie