{"id":243447,"date":"2021-04-18T13:38:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-18T18:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=243447"},"modified":"2021-04-16T18:02:11","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T23:02:11","slug":"down-syndrome-achieves-eagle-scout-badge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/down-syndrome-achieves-eagle-scout-badge\/","title":{"rendered":"Scout with Down syndrome achieves prestigious Eagle Scout badge"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

When Tim Burns joined the Boy Scouts, he knew he eventually wanted to earn the organization\u2019s highest accomplishment: Eagle Scout. With the support of his father, Ben, Tim\u2019s hard work paid off as he earned this distinguished badge in February.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tim, who has Down syndrome, is a member of scout Troop 263 in Dallas, Texas, and Ben is the Troop\u2019s scoutmaster. Troop 263 is a special troop geared towards boys with disabilities, and has been authorized to extend the age limit past the usual age of 18 so that the scouts have as much time as they need to progress and be enriched by the BSA curriculum. In the past, scouts in Troop 263 have ranged from ages 13 to 40.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Ben and 28-year-old Tim, the extra time made the journey all the more special and enjoyable. \u201dScouting should be fun,\u201d Ben said, according to <\/span>Scouting Magazine<\/span><\/a>. \u201cWe learned to camp, cook, hike, swim and do so many activities we never would have done without Scouting. So in a way, having a disability allowed us to really relax and enjoy the journey.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Photographer with Down syndrome creates viral TikTok about proving naysayers wrong<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tim has some challenges with communication, so some of the required badges were substituted with different, but equally challenging ones. \u201cWe always selected badges we felt were just as difficult as the one we were replacing, and every requirement has to be completed,\u201d Ben says. \u201cThe important thing is the time. Don\u2019t try and rush things. Take your time and do things one step at a time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And indeed, the Boy Scouts have been fantastic for Tim. Ben reports that Tim has learned to be more self-sufficient thanks to his adventures with scouting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n