St. Mark’s Scout Reports to Washington

Eagle Scout Trevor Burke ’19 traveled to Washington, D.C., over Spring Break as part of the delegation that delivered the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) 2018 Report to the Nation. As part of its congressional charter, the BSA is required to present an annual report to Congress of its activities and contributions. The 2018 delegation included 12 young people representing different areas of the BSA program, including Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts, and Sea Scouts. Trevor was nominated for this honor by the Scout Executive of Circle Ten Council, which represents the BSA in North Texas.

“It is such an incredible honor to represent not only my Troop and Council, but over two million Scouts all across the United States,” said Trevor. “Scouting has been an integral part of my life since first grade when I joined as a Tiger Cub. It has taught me not only invaluable life skills but also instilled in me character and leadership values.”

On Tuesday, March 12, Trevor and the BSA delegation presented the copies of the Report to the Nation at the White House and on Capitol Hill. In the Oval Office, the group met with President Donald Trump, who asked each Scout about their experience and accomplishments. As Trevor recalled, “Seeing this extremely public figure wanting to connect with us, despite his schedule, was an incredible experience.”

At the U.S. Capitol, the Scouts met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and other members of Congress, including Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. “Eagles on the Hill,” Congressmen and Senators who have earned the rank of Eagle Scouts, also spent time with the delegation. Over a breakfast with Cheryl Johnson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Julie Adams, Secretary of the U.S. Senate, the Scouts presented a copy of the BSA’s Report to the Nation to be entered into the Federal Register.

Throughout the week, the Scouts received VIP tours of numerous sites in and around Washington, D.C., including Mt. Vernon, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the Pentagon, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the U.S. Naval Academy. Part of the trip paid homage to the BSA’s longstanding relationship with the National Parks Service. On behalf of the BSA, Trevor had the honor of presenting an award to Dan Smith, Acting Director of the National Park Service and a fellow Eagle Scout. Later in the week, the Scouts spent several hours working at the Korean War Memorial. Stepping between the seven-foot-tall statues of U.S. soldiers, the Scouts replaced the black gravel lining the iconic Memorial.

“Those people gave their all and it’s our duty to give back as much as we can,” said Trevor. “It’s just our way of saying thank you for your service and sacrifice to our country.”

The week before his trip to Washington, Trevor donned his Eagle Scout uniform and presented his Senior Exhibition to the fourth-grade class. He shared many fun adventures throughout his Scouting career, from scuba diving to trading patches at the National Scout Jamboree. Trevor also wore all of the 139 merit badges and 23 Eagle Palms he has earned, the highest rank combination a Scout can achieve.
View sample pages from the Path to Manhood Handbook.
    • Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

    • Trevor Burke ’19 at the U.S. Capitol.

    • Trevor shares his Scouting adventures with the Fourth Grade.


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