Scout’s honor to succeed

By: Jacky Becker

Four years ago senior Najee Dennie was without a home and without a particular interest in school. Through tough times, emotional battles, and a race against time, he joined the Boy Scouts in hope for some guidance and sense of achievement. Now, at the age of 18, he has found his answer by becoming an Eagle Scout.

In the Boy Scouts, becoming an Eagle Scout is one of the highest accomplishments possible. It requires a scout to earn 21 badges before they turn 18.. Most scouts start training scout at the age of 14, however, Dennie started his when he was 16.

“I started two years before the deadline, so it was incredible amount of work,” Dennie said. “At times I wanted to quit but my friend’s mom just kept me going. She helped me realize the outcome and benefit of having an Eagle was well worth it.”

An Eagle Scout is also required to follow seven requirements, all of which include; being active in your troop, living by the scout oath, taking one a leadership role, earning 21 badges, be a leader in your own project, take part in a scoutmaster conference, and successfully completing an Eagle Scout review.

English teacher Rosemary Smith can relate to this process because her two sons went through it when they were younger. “My sons both became Eagle Scouts,” Smith said. “ They had to put in a lot of hardwork.”

According to Dennie, receiving this honor has allowed for him to feel accomplished and self motivated.

“When I finally got it, it just felt so good that you got something that you worked so hard for,” Dennie said. “People would know that you worked hard. It is one of the highest honors that you can get as a teen so it was pretty cool.”

Though the feeling of gratification overwhelmed Dennie at the end of his journey, the path to success was not always easy.

“In August of 2010, my mom passed away and that basically took out all my drive to do anything,” Dennie said.

Though time did cause a problem, his mother’s death was the hardest struggle Dennie had to go through.

“Everything I did was because I wanted to impress her,” Dennie said. “I know when she was in high school, she got bullied a lot so I just thought it would be really cool if her one son could earn an Eagle and make her proud. Then she passed away and that just lost my pride to do anything. But then I realized this is what she wanted me to do, she would want me to finish it.”

Senior Aeriell Bach believes that this event truly affected Dennie’s perception of life.

“In high school, most people don’t have friends that go through traumatic experiences,” Bach said.

“Since Najee did, I think he’s helped me realize you have to appreciate the friendships you have and let them know that you really care about them.”

Dennie moved in with his scoutmaster, Scott Seegmiller‘s family soon after his mom passed away.

“After my mom passed away, my best friend and his family took me into their home and it was just easier to do scouts because his family was always there to help me,” Dennie said. “His mom basically got another Eagle by helping me.”

Jarrett Seegmiller has known Dennie since his freshman year in high school.

He became an Eagle Scout when he was 14 years old, but his participation in the scouts motivated Dennie to take on the challenge.

“I heard a lot of people getting their Eagles, and I really wanted an Eagle,” Dennie said. “If you go into the military or something like that and they see it in your job application you are more advanced than most people applying. I was going through my friend Jarrett Seegmiller’s drawer in his house and I realized he had so many badges and things like that so I just thought it was really cool.”

According to Jarrett, living with Dennie was a positive addition to his family.

“He (Dennie) is like a brother to me,” Jarrett said. “My mom spent a lot of time with him to help him get his Eagle so when he did, everyone in our family was very happy.”

Dennie believes that becoming an Eagle Scout has been a huge influence in his life.

“All the hard work has paid off. It’s one of those feelings where you think, finally I have something that I can brag about,” Dennie said. “I learned not to quit. If something gets hard don’t quit because the outcome is great.”