Legion awards Eagle Scout of the Year to Tennessee youth
Scott Moore Jr., was named The American Legion’s Eagle Scout of the Year for 2017 on May 10, during the Legion’s annual Spring Meetings in Indianapolis. A senior at Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tenn., and a member of Boy Scout Troop 562, Moore will receive a $10,000 college scholarship.
Moore’s Eagle Scout project took place at The Well, which is a homeless shelter and food ministry in downtown Clarksville. He tore out the worn-out counters that were too high for serving food and replaced them with two new ones that he constructed, sanded and painted; built a wall and locking door in the bathroom to create a storage closet for dry goods and cleaning supplies; held three food drives that resulted in 1,700 canned and boxed goods; and put together 200 hygiene packets for men and women staying at the shelter. He completed his Eagle Scout project by raising more than $1,400 and asking for toiletry donations from hotels in the area.
Since 2010, Moore has held several leadership positions with Troop 562, such as a senior patrol leader, quartermaster and junior assistant Scoutmaster. And he’s achieved many successes as a Boy Scout, including becoming a member of the Order of the Arrow, and attending Boy Scout of America’s Kodiak Challenge and National Youth Leadership Training program. His volunteer efforts within the community include feeding homeless veterans, helping to plant 1,000 trees, restoring cemeteries, constructing wheelchair accessible picnic tables at parks, and more. He is a JROTC battalion commander for 191 cadets and has won the JROTC Superior Cadet Award, U.S. Army Recruiting Command Award for JROTC and the JROTC Academic Achievement Ribbon three times.
After high school graduation, the Kentucky American Legion Boys State alum will be fulfilling a lifelong dream: attending West Point. His career path while there will be aviation, just like his father Scott Moore Sr., who is still serving on active duty and is an American Legion member of Post 233 in Kentucky.
“Being a military child has taught me to improvise, adapt and overcome in all situations,” Moore said. “My motto is: If you throw me to the wolves, I will return leading the pack!”
Moore said his active involvement with Boy Scouts and JROTC, and his participation with Boys State and leadership courses within his community, was all in preparation for his acceptance into and time at West Point where “I want to learn to be an outstanding officer and continue to test myself," he said. "The prospect of becoming one of the nation’s elite soldiers and graduates of a school steeped in centuries of deep-rooted tradition motivated me to do whatever it would take to gain acceptance into West Point. I wanted to serve my country!”
As the 2017 Eagle Scout of the Year, Moore will join other Legion youth program champions during the organization’s national convention in Reno, Nev., in August.
The American Legion also awarded a $2,500 scholarship to three runners-up: Mitchell Woods of Hampton, Va.; Jonathan Huntley of Westfield, Mass.; and Koen Weaver of Mount Morris, N.Y.
