Page 23 - February 2020

Visions of me at the academy awards with my best bud Steve

When I was a Scout a few years later, we about the local troop’s activities in the Colfax
were amid a transition from the olive drab Record, a weekly publication. His movie earned
merit badges to a new colorful variety, and my him the Photography Merit Badge, my hobby

sash reflects that period with some “old” in OD became the Journalism Merit Badge—the drab
green and the others in pretty colors. My Coin green ink bottle and quill.
Collecting merit badge is highly collectible Now is when we once again unite in success
because it’s an error badge. They forgot to add and achievement. The Boy Scouts had an award

black lettering and lines and my coin is silver that was not too popular nor often earned called
and mostly white. However, me and Steve earned the Gold Quill Award. It grew out of the early
at least the required badges the same, as well as history of the Boy Scouts of America which was
the one that influenced our lives and put us on founded by a newspaper editor.

the path to greatness, glory and fame (well at “The Gold Quill Award (I quote the official
least one of us. You decide who.) which was aptly wording from the handbook) “. . . is presented in
named the Communication Merit badge. recognition of your ability to express yourself
The requirements required us to pick a field of clearly.” It only had four requirements, but they

communication. Steve’s choice was photography were not that easily completed unless you were
which he managed to morph into the field of an overachiever like me and Steve were.
the “motion picture”. I chose journalism. My The first requirement was a 300-word
grandfather worked for a local newspaper and my essay answering why you think your ability

mother wrote for two newspapers and a national to communicate with others was important.
publication—it seemed to be a natural choice. The second had five projects of which you had
Steve’s field led him to his first movie production, to a) submit a published article, b) submit a
“The Last Gunfight” and mine to writing articles photograph, c) submit evidence of having given

VOICES! | FEBRUARY 2020 23