A Scout is Reverent

In the history of the Boy Scouts, only four percent of them have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. James Aviles of St. Matthew Parish, Jacksonville, joined this small but remarkable number of scouts through his perseverance and skill.

 

When James became a Cub Scout at the age of 7, he made it his goal to become an Eagle Scout. Looking back, he said it was the accumulation of more than 10 years as a scout and not just the completion of his Eagle Scout service project that brought him to adulthood.

 

“Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” James said during his acceptance speech on May 7. “Oftentimes people concentrate on the destination instead of the journey. I believe they are both important.”

 

For his Eagle Scout project, James chose to help the Nassau Humane Society in Fernandina Beach. When adopting their family dog, he saw that many of the beds at the shelter were made of faux leather and metal, making them hard to clean and prone to rusting. He decided he would make new beds for the shelter from scratch.

 

James worked with the non-profit for months, researching material and designs for new beds and fundraising for supplies. With his crew of 20 volunteers, James made 25 dog beds out of nylon and PVC pipes in one afternoon. The new beds are breathable, easy to clean and come in various sizes.

 

As a Catholic scout, James became active not only in his community but in his church as well.

 

“One of the scout laws is that a scout is reverent,” explained James. “It means that a scout does his duty to God, in his faith and in his actions.”

 

James earned all four Catholic Religious Emblems with Troop 252 which are awarded through merit programs created by the church and recognized by the BSA to encourage youth to grow stronger in their faith.

 

“It challenged him to really know his faith, not just the basics,” said Alfred Aviles, James’ father. “He has become such a kindhearted leader.”

 

While working on his Eagle Scout project, James became a first-degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus Council 648. The 18-year-old now studies graphic design at the University of North Florida.

 

To learn more about Catholic Scouting, contact Robin Shipley at rshipley@dosafl.com