They stood shyly, shifting from foot to sneakered foot, not certain what to expect. Their mothers, too, smiled nervously as they pinned silver wings to tan pocket flaps. The fathers watched quietly.
For Columbus Boy Scout Troop 3, turning out Eagle Scouts is a habit. For the Chilcutt, Newton and Brewer families, raising Eagles is a time-honored tradition. Monday night, Roger Goodloe Chilcutt, Brandon Taylor Newton and Nicholas Hayden Brewer became Eagle Scouts at Main Street Presbyterian Church.
Only two percent of Cub Scouts go on to earn the coveted silver wings. It’s an arduous journey requiring time, discipline and a focused dedication that’s not always easy to sell to today’s teenagers.
But while eagles in the wild are predominantly solitary, the key to a human Eagle’s success is a wellspring of support. For the newest members of this exclusive cadre, the foundation began, quite literally, in the nest.
Double Eagles
When Jack Chilcutt and Tim Newton were teenagers, they were best friends, roaming the halls of Heritage Academy by day and tromping through fields and forests every weekend. They became Eagle Scouts together, married, had children and continued a friendship that deepened as they watched their firstborn sons — McGinty Chilcutt and Christopher Newton — follow the same path, from Heritage to the hallowed silver wings.
Then, it happened again. Their second-born sons — Goodloe Chilcutt and Brandon Newton — became best friends, went to Heritage and became Eagle Scouts together.
For Nicholas Brewer, the path was slightly different, but the trajectory just as high. His father, Allan Brewer, was a Life Scout, stopping two badges short of Eagle, one of his greatest regrets.
His oldest son, Caleb Brewer, became an Eagle Scout in 2001, and he encouraged his younger brother, Nicholas, to follow suit.
It’s rare to have multiple Eagle Scouts in one family, but not unheard of, said Troop 3 Scoutmaster Jerry Toms. Fathers who become Eagles tend to hold fast to the organization’s values and teach those ideals to their sons.
He said experiences like these three have had, from kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean to backpacking through Colorado and sailing in Maine, are more than just fun. The trips provide exposure to people, places and skills that will help them later in life.
Jack Chilcutt said part of the appeal is knowing his son is being exposed to the same ideals that shaped him, learning first to be a follower, then growing into a leader.
As for Tim Newton, who will retire as a lieutenant colonel today after 26 years in the United States Air Force, he credits his career success to his time with the Boy Scouts, specifically to earning the rank of Eagle Scout. His grades were good, but unremarkable, and he said without those silver wings — and what they represent to college recruiters — he doesn’t believe he would have been accepted to the United States Air Force Academy.
Scouting breeds maturity and leadership, said Allan Brewer. He saw it with his first son and expected the same from his second.
Looking back, looking ahead
As they ate cake and celebrated their journeys, the three new Eagles agreed: The work was worth it.
Goodloe Chilcutt, a junior at Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, has a passion for the Tombigbee River, so he centered his final project on making it better for others, rebuilding the handrails and power washing the docks at Dewayne Hayes State Park.
After college, he plans to return to Columbus to help run the family business, New Home Building Stores.
He said though there were times he thought he wouldn’t make it to Eagle Scout, he never wanted to give up.
Brandon Newton, a sophomore at Heritage Academy, said it was the same for him. After helping build a Habitat for Humanity home for school custodian Charlie Skipper, he decided to landscape the yard for his Eagle Scout project.
“We worked so hard for so long, and it’s all over now,” Newton said, wistfully.
For Nick Brewer, the journey had an unexpected bonus — it provided the blueprint for a career. What he loved most about Scouting was helping people, so much so that the MSMS junior plans to attend medical school and specialize in radiology.
His Eagle Scout project involved creating chalkboard signs for vendors at the Hitching Lot Farmer’s Market.
So what will the three newly-minted Eagles do now?
Between studying for the ACT and filling out college applications, they’ll do what they’ve always done — camp, hike, fish and enjoy these last few years to be boys.
As they said goodbye to Toms, they were making plans to attend an upcoming Scout trip, this time as mentors for the next generation.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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