Scout Receives Accolades From Presidents, Pope

TEEN LED TEAM IN CLEANING UP VANDERGRIFF CLASSROOM IN WOODS

— Clay Taylor recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout and received letters of commendation from President Obama, and former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George Bush, Vice President Joe Biden, along with letters from Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, Sen. Mark Pryor and Pope Benedict XVI.

Clay is the son of Clayton and Marsha Taylor of Fayetteville and is a ninth-grader at Woodland Junior High School, where he consistently makes the honor roll.

He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 116, chartered by Sequoyah United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, and led by Scoutmaster Eric Heil.

He began scouting as a Cub Scout in Pack 65 under Cubmaster Adam Parisi, and after five years, he earned Cub Scout’s highest honor - the Arrow of Light.

Since becoming a Boy Scout, he has earned 30 merit badges. In 2009, he was elected by his fellow scouts to the Order of theArrow, the Boy Scouts of America’s Honor Society.

For his Eagle project, Clayled a group of scouts and adults in cleaning up the Classroom in the Woodsat Vandergriff Elementary School. “The area was pretty messy from the damage created in the ice storm of 2009,” he said. “Along with cleaning up the area, we installed theater-style seating and brought the classroom back to life.”

Clay is a member of Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville and active in its youth group. He plays classical guitar and attends the Suzuki School of Music at the University of Arkansas. He plays in tennis tournaments throughout Arkansas and recently made the Fayetteville High Junior Varsity tennis team.

Clay said he plans to remain in Boy Scouts until his 18th birthday and then help out as an adult leader. When asked what he plans to do in life, Taylor said, “It’s a long way off, since I am only 13, but I would like to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and get my MD. I started my life under the care of the fine surgeons and staff at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and would like to be able to give back to others.”

Our Town, Pages 14 on 07/25/2010

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