English IV College Essay 2020

Owen Dowling

11.11/2020

Prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they

believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share

your story.

My background as a Scout is very important to me because I enjoy spending time in

nature and learning the life skills that Scouts provides. I'm an Eagle Scout with five Silver Palms

from Troop 11 Coventry. In my experience in the Scouting program I have learned a lot about the

environment and sustainability through service projects. Over the years I have conducted and

participated in many community service projects that leave a noticeable mark on my community

and local environment. I am an advocate of the Outdoor Code which is “As an American, I will

do my best to - Be clean in my outdoor manners, Be careful with fire, Be considerate in the

outdoors, and Be conservation minded.” In scouting there are many Merit Badges that I have

completed including Sustainability, Environmental Science, Citizenship in the Community,

Nature, Forestry and Soil and Water Conservation which have taught me to be an environmental
activist. Scouting has also taught me many skills in the world like camping, knots, first aid skills

and experience, and being able to be successful in everything you do. This is taught through the

aims and methods of scouting which is youth leading youth under the guidance of adults. This

couldn't be more evident then with the leadership skills I have acquired in this program. I have

been Patrol leader, Quartermaster, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and most

recently I have aged out and become an Assistant Scoutmaster which allows me to give back to

the youth of the program and give them the scouting experiences I had when I was a youth in the

program. In addition to my troop I have been very active in the Order of the Arrow program

which is scouting's honor society giving back service to the camps and organizations that make

the BSA what it is. I have personally given back hundreds of hours to the local camps through

cheerful service since I have been incharge of making and running service projects. I am the Vice

Chief of the Metacomet chapter and am on the Lodge Executive Council which runs the Tolpe

Lodge I belong to. And to top of my scouting career I am a third year staffer at the beautiful

Yawgoog Scout Reservation, I have gone through many years of camping at there 1800 acer

property in Rockville Rhode Island, I have worked at the barn teaching Farm mechanics,

Plumbing, and fingerprinting to hundreds of campers, then I worked at the challenge center

which is a C.O.P.E course with both high and low ropes activities on the static and dynamic forty

foot tall climbing and zip course. During this experience I taught Climbing merit badge and

worked on teaching the silver C.O.P.E award which consists of high and low ropes activities,

leadership and teamwork activities and building trust with falls and conquering the giants ladder.
 Outside of scouting I'm self-employed working as a general contractor specializing in

landscaping, home improvements, and chainsaw work. I have done many projects at my own

home garage and clients homes like roofing, outdoor trim, woodchipping and tree limbing, and

painting. I feel that the skills and leadership qualities scouting has provided me with will make

me successful in the future and have shaped who I am today.