Story by Evan Heller, Buckeye Council

It would have been like watching a scene from a movie—if I’d had time to think about it.

With 10 seconds left in a hard-fought basketball game, my team of underdogs was tied with the tournament’s top seed. Nobody expected us to hang with them this close, yet now we were within a single basket of a huge upset. We were oblivious to the pressure, oblivious to the crowd, oblivious to the sweat, just playing our game. I wheeled into position, and a teammate passed me the ball as he’d done hundreds of times in practice. The basket was in sight. I drew up to shoot. And time stopped.

All 10 wheelchair basketball players on the court turned expectantly to follow the ball as it rose from my hands toward the basket, tumbling as it sailed through the air. An eternity seemed to pass as the ball approached the rim. It passed almost silently through the hoop, dropping to the court untouched as time expired and the horn blared to end the game—with the underdogs on top. We had won the biggest matchup in team history, and my shot had sealed it!

DISCOVERING A PASSION

Evan with his winning Pinewood Derby car in 2009.

I basically grew up in Scouting. When I was very young, my mom was a district executive for the Boy Scouts of America, and while she was in classrooms signing up new Cub Scouts, I was there. As soon as I was old enough, I joined Scouting. We had just moved to a new town, and I had no friends or family nearby. Scouting helped me meet people I could relate to. My den did everything together, from outside adventures to hands-on crafts and hobbies, and we learned important lessons like working as a team without even realizing it. I discovered that if I focus my competitive fire, I could become a Pinewood Derby ace. The opportunities I found through Scouting gave me experiences I would have missed otherwise. You see, I was born with spina bifida, a birth defect that makes walking very difficult for me, so I didn’t do much in the way of sports until I discovered archery at Scout camp at Woodland Trails Scout Reservation in Hilliard, Ohio. The smothering heat of that summer didn’t get in my way; I loved the feel and the power of the draw, aim, and shoot, and as my skills grew, so did my confidence.

Evan on the court with his Wooster High School wheelchair basketball team

When I returned home, I practiced constantly with the bow I received for my birthday. I can still remember the bright yellow fletching on the arrows and the sting of the bow strike against my forearm, and through all those hours of practice, I realized something: I wanted to share this awesome sport with other kids. So, I volunteered to teach archery the following year at Cub Scout day camp in Delaware, Ohio. There’s no better feeling when a Scout you’re coaching hits his first target. I knew I wanted to experience that feeling again and again. Helping other kids became my passion, but I knew I had other goals to conquer first.

PRACTICING MY GAME

As a teen, I discovered wheelchair basketball. With the discipline and leadership skills I had learned throughout my lifetime as a Scout, I emerged as a natural leader on the team. I joined my high school wheelchair basketball team, becoming one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation and leading my team to a 54-0 record and three straight state titles. When signing day came, I decided to continue my basketball career and education at Auburn University. I also am aiming higher, training to try out next year for the USA Men’s National team with a goal of earning a spot to compete at the U23 World Championships in Japan in 2022. After that, I plan to play professionally in Europe and work to earn a spot on Team USA to compete in the Paralympics before beginning a career that fulfills another lifelong goal.

SINKING THE SHOT

Signing day for Evan

I have made the most of the opportunities I had through Scouting, and I continue to capitalize on what I learn from so many different types of incredible people I have met. No matter what happens after college, my plans definitely include a career that was presented to me directly from a strong Scouting influence. Teaching archery to Scouts at camp really opened my eyes to how I wanted to help people throughout my life. Outside of basketball practice at Auburn, I am pursuing a degree in special education to make my goals a reality. Being a Scout has helped me succeed throughout my life, even when challenges in my physical ability made it appear to be a near impossibility. Scouting gave me the chance to compete and to feel the rush of winning—and I like to win! My plan is to pay that blessing forward. Because I am a Scout, I’m not the underdog. I am a champion.

Evan, thank you for telling your Scouting story! We wish you the best in your pursuit of a Division I crown and a spot on the USA National wheelchair basketball team.

Special thanks to our donors and alumni who believe in the potential for our local camps and councils to open doors for young people to learn, excel, and set out on a path toward their futures. Evan’s story is unique, as are the stories of thousands of other young people whose successes are directly tied to their Scouting experience. You continue to make that happen with your unwavering support.

Evan and Amy

About Evan Heller

Evan is a scholarship freshman scholar/athlete at Auburn University, where he is a member of the wheelchair basketball team. In addition to the Scouting program, Evan credits his mother, Buckeye Council Senior District Director Amy Heller, as being the mentor who had the most impact on his life.

All photos courtesy of Amy Heller

Dear Scouting Family, 

This past year demonstrated that the Boy Scouts of America’s mission is more important than ever before, and I look to the future with hope. The entire Scouting community showed impressive perseverance, leadership, and commitment to the mission. I thank you all for showing up for Scouting each and every day.  

It has been just over a year since the BSA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As you know from our regular updates, we have made significant progress, but there is still more work to be done. With that said, I am pleased to share with you that the BSA has taken an important step toward emerging from this process by filing an amended Plan of Reorganization with the Bankruptcy Court.  

The amended Plan of Reorganization outlines the BSA’s proposed strategy to provide equitable compensation to victims of past abuse and address our other financial obligations so that we can continue to serve youth for years to come. There are still many aspects of the Plan that we are refining through ongoing mediation, but the amended Plan is an important step in demonstrating progress that we believe will ultimately lead to a final plan that the Bankruptcy Court will confirm. 

Some of the proposed aspects outlined in the filing include: 

• A 5-year business plan that demonstrates a sustainable model for continuing Scouting’s vital mission into the future and provides for the BSA to continue to fund its pension and benefit plans for employees and retirees.  

• The channeling of all claims of past abuse against national BSA and local councils into a compensation Trust, which will allow us to equitably compensate victims and continue to serve youth across the country into the future. 

• A national BSA contribution to the Trust that includes a significant portion of national BSA’s unrestricted, non-core assets that are not subject to liens of its secured lender. 

• A loan from the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation to the BSA to provide the BSA with sufficient working capital following emergence from bankruptcy. 

• A contribution of at least $300 million from local councils to the Trust. 

As I mentioned, this amended plan is not the final plan. While we have reached agreements with two key constituents—our secured lender and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors—we continue to negotiate with other parties as we move through the process of having our Plan confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court. Ultimately, claimants in the BSA’s Chapter 11 proceeding will have the opportunity to vote on the Plan. We are hopeful we can come to a global resolution that is in everyone’s best interest, including the victims, and can complete our restructuring process by this fall. 

I recognize that this is a complex process, but I want to remind you all of what we are trying to achieve through it: Our Scouting Movement—the national organization and local councils alike—has a moral responsibility to compensate victims of past abuse and to continue Scouting’s mission. We understand the gravity of meeting these imperatives, and we are taking the necessary steps to get there.  

While there is still work ahead of us, I’m confident that our Scouting Movement will come out of this process even stronger, as long as we move forward together. I look forward to sharing updates with you as we continue to make progress.  

Yours in Scouting,  

Roger Mosby  

President and CEO 

Boy Scouts of America 

On its February 17 broadcast, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt featured 17 young women from the Baltimore area who have all become Eagle Scouts as part of the Inaugural Class of Female Eagle Scouts. NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren talked with several of the girls about the experience of earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. 

Be sure to watch the entire broadcast below, and don’t forget to join us here on Facebook Live or here on Youtube on February 21st at 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT for the “Be the Change” event, a celebration of service, leadership, and the groundbreaking accomplishments of the first female Eagle Scouts!

Find more details on “Be the Change” here: www.scouting.org/bethechange.

Watch the NBC Nightly News segment below or here.

The Scouting community has shown remarkable resilience through this pandemic: units have continued providing vital, socially distant community service, volunteers have facilitated merit badge classes online and outdoors, and thousands of young people have even attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

But it certainly has not been easy. And as we rightfully celebrate the initial distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and perhaps the beginning of the end of this pandemic, it’s important to remember that we must remain vigilant in our daily efforts to combat this deadly disease.

We each have the responsibility—as members of the Boy Scouts of America and as role models for the next generation of leaders—to continue following guidance from public health officials so we can protect not only ourselves but also the people in our dens, packs, troops and crews, as well as the individuals they go home to after attending a Scouting activity.

Scouting is a diverse organization with people of all ages and backgrounds, some of whom are at increased risk for contracting the virus and suffering severe symptoms. Whether you’re a Scouting parent, leader, or employee, you have the power to help protect everyone in the Scouting family by taking basic precautions.

To aid in your efforts, we recently updated our national statement on Covid-19 to include general mitigation measures, also included below, based on the CDC’s latest guidance. When coupled with guidance from your local council and local health department, these simple measures empower us to safely deliver and participate in Scouting programs.

Covid-19 Mitigation Measures for Everyone in Scouting

• Isolate if you are sick, and do not attend any activity/meeting/event if you, anyone you live with, or anyone you have recently been around feels unwell.

• Do not attend any activity/meeting/event if you or anyone you live with or have recently been around has been tested for COVID-19 or another illness and does not have the results back yet.

• Stay at least 6 feet apart from people who do not live with you. (Properly executed Scouting cohorts at council camps may be an exception).

• Avoid crowds.

• Avoid poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

• Meet outside if you can.

• Wear a face covering or mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect yourself and others whenever you are around people who do not live with you.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Avoid international travel if possible.