Achievers

Jake Vinson, of Troop 333, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout during a recent Court of Honor ceremony.

As a Boy Scout, Jake earned 27 merit badges and served as assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, den chief, and scribe. He also served as the treasurer of Venture Crew 333. He is a member of the Order of the Arrow.

Jake attended camps at Camp Pioneer in Mena, Arkansas, Camp Orr on the Buffalo River, Arkansas, Kayaking and Hiking to the Chicago Basin in Southwestern Colorado, Camp Daniel Boone in North Carolina, Florida National High Adventure Sea Base off of the Florida Keys as well as Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He has completed over 70 nights of camping.

For his Eagle Scout Project, Jake constructed two wooden picnic tables to help serve the needs of the patients and families at the Hospice Homeplace facility. He wanted to honor Hospice Homeplace for the kindness shown to his maternal Grandfather, B. J. McDowell during his stay over the Christmas holidays in December 2000.

When Jake started his project he had no idea that only a few months after completing his project that his fraternal Grandfather, Gordy Olson would have the opportunity to visit the tables during his final days at hospice.

While attending T. K. Gorman High School, Jake was a member of the National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, Who's Who of American High School Students as well as on the Principal's Honor Roll. Jake received the Tyler Rotary Young Citizens Award and was the recipient of the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award from the University of Rochester. He also attended the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) in Washington, D. C. Jake was the Student Government Executive Treasurer, Co-Director of the Gorman Ambassadors, Fellowship of Christian Athletes officer and went to state for the TAPPS Academic Team in Computer Science for three years. He was a member of the Golf, Cross Country, and Track teams while at T. K. Gorman.

Jake is currently attending Texas A& M University, where he is a member of the Honors Architecture Program. He is the son of David and Bejie Vinson of Tyler. Jake has a sister, Kirby Vinson also of Tyler.

Jake Vinson
(Courtesy Photo)