Eagle Scouts of 2011

If you ask any boy scout or adult leader in Troop 101 to describe what they think about Brandon Joyce, the one word you will hear most often repeated is "respect." Brandon is one of the most respected scouts in the troop and the reason is a combination of his exemplary skill level, his devoted loyalty to his troop, his character, his servant leadership, and his expectation to maintain a high standard of excellence within his troop. Brandon is self-reliant, self-motivated, resilient to setbacks and problems, willing to help other people, and consistently calm in his demeanor.

Brandon earned his Bobcat rank in 2002, the year he joined cub scouts. Al Hansen served as his den leader until Brandon crossed over into boy scouts in 2006. Brandon attained Wolf rank in 2003 and earned one gold and four silver arrow points. His contribution to his unit helped earn 2003 Pack of the Year for Battleground District. Brandon attained Bear rank in 2004 and earned one gold and four silver arrow points again.

In 2005, he attained Webelos rank and earned his religious knot through the "God and Family" program taught by Perry Holleman and presented on Scout Sunday at First Baptist Church. Brandon was part of the Silver Anniversary cub scouts who purchased and donated a camping trailer to the pack during the 75th year of cub scouting in America. He also helped the pack win first place in the prestigious Scavenger Hunt aboard the USS Yorktown naval aircraft carrier. Brandon earned the 15er Award for completing fifteen activity badges and received his compass emblem with two compass points in 2006. His greatest accomplishment that year was achieving the Arrow of Light Award, cub scouting’s highest award.

During his tenure in Cub Scouts, Brandon earned the Cub Scout World Conservation Award, Cub Scouting’s Leave No Trace Awareness Award, Good Turn for America three consecutive years, academics and sports pins, and so many belt loops he had to wear two belts to display them all. He placed third one year in Pinewood Derby and received the Pinewood Derby Best Paint Job for his red mad dog car with paw prints.

Brandon’s fondest Cub Scout memories were NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USS Yorktown at Patriot Point, Fort Sumter, and the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina, Catawba Science Center in Hickory, pack family camping, and the pack summer fishing trips.

When Brandon joined Boy Scouts in 2006, he steadily advanced through ranks over a course of five years and pursued leadership opportunities throughout his scouting experience. Brandon gave back to the Cub Scout program and served four consecutive years as a Cub Scout Day Camp den chief for Battleground District. In 2008, Brandon was tapped out and voted by his troop for Order of the Arrow, the honor society of Boy Scouts of America, and was inducted at Spring Camporee. He completed his OA Ordeal on May 14, 2008. That same year, Brandon was a National Youth Leadership Training participant. In 2009, Brandon was selected as troop guide on staff for NYLT. Brandon was also inducted into the newly-formed Venture patrol and he helped win the Flay L. Cook Fall Camporee Award. In 2010, Brandon was contacted by David Allen, Scout Executive for Piedmont Council, and asked to be senior patrol leader for NYLT. This was unprecedented for a scout to be selected for the highest leadership position their second year on staff, but Brandon’s reputation was earned among his peers and the adult leadership outside of his own troop. That same year, Brandon was requested to serve as a National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience crew guide for three weeks at Philmont Scout Ranch.

During his tenure in Troop 101, Brandon served in the junior leadership positions of quartermaster, scribe, Wolverine patrol leader for two consecutive terms, and Venture patrol leader. Brandon was voted by his troop for the senior patrol leader position in 2010. Brandon was the first scout under Al Hansen as scoutmaster to attain the highest troop leadership position without serving first as an assistant senior patrol leader. Under his leadership, Troop 101 achieved Best of Bud Schiele for the third year in a row, an unprecedented accomplishment in the troop’s recorded history, and added triple crown sweeping victories at summer camp by winning Clean Campsite Award and Spirit Stick.

At previous summer camps, Brandon helped the knot tying team take second place in 2008. In 2009, Brandon helped win a long-awaited third place in the canoe race, first place in catapult competition, Clean Campsite Award, and Best of Bud Schiele. That summer, Brandon shot thirty-four out of thirty-five clay pigeons for shotgun merit badge. He was also a counselor-in-training for summer camp at Camp Bud Schiele. In 2010, Brandon was on the canoe race team when they captured first place, first place again in catapult competition, Clean Campsite Award, and Best of Bud Schiele. Brandon was gateway committee chairman and designed and constructed a new gateway for the centennial celebration of Boy Scouts of America. He also helped install the flag pole at campsite 2 in honor of 100 years of scouting in America. In 2011, Brandon helped the canoe race team place second, second place in rope toss, second place in firebuilding, and first in catapult competition for the fifteenth year in a row.

Brandon’s fondest Boy Scout memories were Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, Raccoon Mountain Caverns in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the NYLT traditional leadership programs, every summer camp, and all of the troop backpacking trips with the exception of his first trip at Shining Rock Wilderness Area.

Brandon holds a unique record in the troop of seven wooden spoons awarded for the best in cooking challenges on troop outings. Tyler Myers was always Brandon’s greatest competitor in these events. Brandon attributes his leadership skills to the necessity of listening to what other people have to say and being a good follower before taking on the responsibilities of a leader. Brandon supervised the construction and installation of seven fire rings at the Kings Mountain State Park primitive camping area for his Eagle Scout service project this past summer and was awarded the rank of Eagle by the Battleground District Eagle Board on September 6, 2011.