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| Schon Achievement Winner |
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Zachary Dallas is the inaugural winner of the Scouter Stewart Schon Achievement Award.
Some of Zachary's accomplishments are:
- He regularly attends fundraisers and scouting events, often going the “extra mile” doing more than expected. Apple Days he helped for many hours, both Friday night and Saturday.
- Community service time including, presenting the hug-a-tree program at this years Beavorree and Cuborree. He worked Friday night at Camp McLean to assist with the set up the tee pees returning again first thing the next morning to work at the station. He worked for over 16 hours and ensured over 500 Beavers and Cubs were given the opportunity to learn as well as enjoy this valuable program. After the event he helped pack the tee pees and equipment away.
- He helped with the Rotary Book Sale, Poppy Day Sales for the Legion, and this years Crescent Beach Clean-up on Earth Day.
- He showed great interest in Scouting program work and this year accomplished his World Scouting presentation, World Conservation Badge and his Voyager level in the scout program. He then gave his world scouting presentation to the beavers and cubs.
- He constantly demonstrates a true commitment to the scouting movement and was proud to wear his full uniform when appropriate and carried himself in an exemplary fashion. He recently presented a speech to the Mayor and Council members of the Langley Township on the 100th Anniversary of Scouting.
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| Presenters |
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| The Commemorative Centennial Medal, presented to six Scout leaders and Zachary Dallas, the only Nicomekl-area youth to receive the honour. |
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| Since joining Scouts five years ago, Zachary Dallas has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Commissioner’s Commendation. |
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By Tracy Holmes
Staff Reporter Peace Arch NewsJun 08 2007
12-year-old scoops prestigious awards.
Zachary Dallas just might be destined for great things. At 12 years old, he’s got a few under his belt already, from helping present commemorative crests to veterans to teaching safety-in-the-woods to his younger peers.
He credits Scouting with opening the doors, and he has enthusiastically stepped through each one, gaining life skills and friendships – not to mention a couple significant awards, including the Commissioner’s Commendation – along the way. “I like basically everything (about it),” he said of the century-old program. “We learn more things than you would in a classroom setting because you’re more free to do what you want to.
In Scouts, it’s your program, so you get to choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.”
Zachary is a second-year Scout with the 6th Peace Arch Group. He joined the movement about five years ago, as a Beaver, and was quickly hooked. He’s since given extra hours practically every week to soaking up the benefits, including helping out at the recent Rotary book sale; and outside shopping centers on Poppy and Apple days.
For a full year, he helped weekly with one of the area’s Beaver groups. Last week, at his troop’s wrap-up barbecue, his “going the extra mile” was recognized with two noteworthy distinctions: the Stewart Schon Achievement Award, and the Commemorative Centennial Medal. The latter was also presented to six Scout leaders; Zachary was the only Nicomekl-area youth to receive the honour.
He was the first-ever recipient of the Stewart Schon Achievement Award, which was developed in memory of a popular Scout leader and Crescent Beach resident who died last year. Zachary said he had a feeling he might win the achievement award, when a list of activities noted by the presenter matched his resume of good deeds. Still, earning the wooden plaque and crest “was a big surprise,” he said. He knows he goes the extra mile, but it isn’t generally pre-calculated, he said. “Sometimes, without thinking, I guess I do,” he said. “Scouting’s pretty much my whole life.”
Outside Scouting, Zachary manages his school’s track team and participates in Destination ImagiNation, a program that challenges students to think outside the box to find creative solutions to pre-determined problems.
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