Disabled Boy Scout soars to rank of Eagle
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Posted on Mon, Aug. 21, 2006
LAKELAND
Eighteen-year-old A.J. Trueblood refused to let the limitations of Down
syndrome keep him from attaining Scouting's highest rank.
BY MATTHEW PLEASANT
The Lakeland Ledger
A.J. Trueblood leaned over a piano at the First United Methodist Church
of Lakeland and played the first few notes of The Star-Spangled Banner.
A group of khaki-clad Boy Scouts marched an American flag through the
auditorium.
''He forgot his music book at home,'' his father, Bart Trueblood, said.
But ``he'll make it.''
A.J. Trueblood is used to making it despite the obstacles. Growing up
with Down syndrome, he might have been expected to deviate from the
rules, skip the hard part, or simply pass go because of his physical
and mental disabilities. But he usually spurns short cuts. That's why
the 18-year-old Boy Scout stuck to the rule book when he set out to
earn Eagle status, Scouting's highest rank. He wanted to earn it just
like everyone else.
Serenading his own ceremony, the McKeel Academy senior took the Eagle
Scout oath at a ceremony at the First United Methodist Church. More
than 100 people attended.
''The kid obviously has limitations, but you would never convince him
of it,'' said Troop 760 Scoutmaster Jim Mock, who has worked with A.J.
for many years.
21 MERIT BADGES
To become an Eagle Scout, A.J. had to complete a community service
project of his own devising. He also had to earn a set of 21 required
merit badges, which range from plumbing to lifesaving, before he turned
19.
Down syndrome made almost every step a challenge. The genetic disorder,
caused by an abnormal number of chromosomes, manifests itself in mental
and physical handicaps. Children with Down syndrome usually experience
varying levels of mental retardation and developmental problems.
With his disabilities, he could have been exempted from earning certain
badges or completing his project within the time frame of the age
requirement. But he chose not to disclose his condition when applying
to become an Eagle Scout.
''The only way someone would have known he had Down syndrome is if
you'd have worked with him one-on-one,'' Mock said.
At the ceremony, three tables were dedicated to photos and artifacts
from A.J.'s time in the Boy Scouts, the last covered with photos from
his Eagle Scout project.
For his project, A.J. landscaped Noah's Nest, a house near the First
United Methodist Church owned by Noah's Ark of Central Florida. The
organization helps provide living spaces to people with disabilities.
Currently, three women with development disabilities live in the house.
''He drew up the plans, grew the plants,'' said his mother, Suzanne
Trueblood. Hibiscus, gardenias and crotons were among the foliage he
grew or organized to have donated for the house's lawn. ``He'd go out
in the backyard and water them after school.''
A.J. got a local company to donate a concrete slab to be used as a
patio and built a trellis for the backyard. Although the project was
completed in February 2003, A.J. still needed to earn several badges
before he could become an Eagle Scout.
CHALLENGES
Among the badges that tested his disabilities was public speaking,
which, because of his speech impediment, took him longer to complete.
One of the most challenging parts of attaining Eagle status was filling
out the required paperwork.
''I did all the homework,'' A.J. said, miming with his hands as if he
were writing with pen and paper.
''We really wanted him to learn and understand what he was doing, so we
had him fill out the paperwork and information himself,'' his mother
said. ``It takes him a lot longer but he never gave up. He's the only
one [from his original troop] to stay in the organization and earn an
Eagle Scout badge.''
HAS STRONG POINTS
Although a few of the merit badges posed big challenges to A.J., his
mother said he displayed advanced abilities in other areas.
``I was very surprised by his swimming. He also has great directional
ability, as far as finding his way and not getting lost.''
Designating a child as handicapped is not required for disabled
children entering the Boy Scouts.
Warren Wenner, executive director of the Gulf Ridge Boy Scout Council
in Tampa, said an alternative route to Eagle Scout can be created based
on a child's disabilities but that the decision is solely up to the
parents.
Wenner's son, who has cerebral palsy, became an Eagle Scout through an
alternative route.
''My son couldn't swim, so obviously he can't earn the swimming
badge,'' he said. ``Working with a troop committee and, in some cases,
special education teachers, we can look at the required badges and
substitute them with others.''
Wenner, who worked as executive director of the Southern Illinois Boy
Scout Council, said that in his former council, about 10 percent of Boy
Scouts had disabilities.
''Those special needs ranged from learning disabilities like dyslexia
to multiple handicaps,'' he said.
National Boy Scout officials said 49,895 Scouts earned Eagle rank in
2005. National statistics on how many were disabled weren't available.
''We do not categorize by disability or those not having a
disability,'' said Renee Fairrer, associate director of marketing and
communication at the National Boy Scouts Council in Paris, Texas. ``It
is relatively unusual. Many times, we do not see special needs Scouts
achieve Eagle within the age limit.''
More detailed statistics are kept at the local level, she said.
''That's quite an achievement that he met all those requirements that
any other fully abled Scout would be able to,'' Fairrer said. ``That's
really saying something for this young man.''
Anyone who reaches the rank of Eagle Scout has attained an impressive
accomplishment.
''Only about 4 percent of Boy Scouts make it to Eagle,'' said Tony
Williams, a father who is involved in the Boy Scouts and who spoke at
A.J.'s ceremony. ``When they get to high school, they get into girls,
cars, s****ts or anything else that takes up their time. That's why it's
such an achievement.''
And not everyone gets such a large ceremony.
''It's up to the parents. I've seen some who don't get the recognition
that they deserve,'' Williams said. ``He got his.''
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