<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11205 lazyload" src="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/together.jpg" alt="together" width="700" height="400" srcset="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/together.jpg 700w, https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/together-300x171.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
The Bishop O’Dowd High School Theater was the site of a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Court of Honor on March 27, held to recognize two newly minted O’Dowd Eagle Scouts: Teddy Bruin ’18 and Tommy Hyland ’19 of Piedmont’s Troop 6. Teddy recently led an effort to build and install new goal posts at the Holy Redeemer rugby practice field, used by O’Dowd and the community, and Tommy managed and led the effort to plan, secure funds, and implement a new drought-resistant Mediterranean garden at the Elizabeth House in Oakland. Elizabeth House offers support and residency to women with children coming from homelessness, violence or addiction.
<img class="wp-image-11206 size-full lazyload" src="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/goal-posts1.jpg" alt="goal-posts[1]" width="699" height="735" srcset="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/goal-posts1.jpg 699w, https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/goal-posts1-285x300.jpg 285w" sizes="(max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px" /> Teddy Bruin led a large team of Scouts to successfully build and install removable goal posts at BOD’s rugby practice field. Pictured here, left to right, participants Jake Szuhaj, Michael Bruin, Teddy Bruin, Russell Bruin, Tommy Hyland.
O’Dowd rugby coach Ray Lehner spoke of Teddy’s service project: “Our Rugby program was blessed this year with removable goal posts at our Holy Redeemer training facility, courtesy of Eagle Scout Teddy Bruin. As the coach I was delighted and very impressed as Teddy conceived and executed this entire project on his own. We are lucky to have him.”
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11214 lazyload" src="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/tommy-garden.jpg" alt="tommy-garden" width="700" height="400" srcset="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/tommy-garden.jpg 700w, https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/tommy-garden-300x171.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
And Tina Humphrey, Executive Director of Oakland’s Elizabeth House, wrote “Since the completion of the garden landscaping project, we have received compliments throughout the neighborhood. Moreover, we now provide safe surroundings for our youth. Before Thomas completed the garden project, the area had safety hazards like rusty nails and poisonous plants. This Eagle project was well thought out and the day-to-day maintenance is not difficult for us to handle.”
During a decade of Scouting, Teddy and Tommy earned over 27 and 32 merit badges, respectively, in such areas as Citizenship in the Community – which requires the Scout to attend a City Council meeting, and Family Life, where Scouts complete and track household chores over a period of months and conceive, manage and execute a project at home within the family.
Scouts also have the opportunity to learn and pursue individual interests such as Aviation, Cinematography and Kayaking, activities Tommy and Teddy both enjoyed, earning them Merit Badges. In 2015 Tommy was one of nine Scouts (including O’Dowd’s Tommy Murphy and Kieran Okada) to hike 95 miles in the New Mexico wilderness over the course of 10 days. Teddy and Tommy both had the opportunity to exercise leadership skills in their boy-led troop, holding the positions of Senior Patrol Leader and earlier in their Scout experience, Master Den Chief of Pack 6. It is interesting to note looking at US leaders, in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts.
Comments