Spirit that soars: Cerebral palsy no obstacle for Worcester Eagle Scout – Worcester Telegram

Cyrus Moulton Telegram & Gazette Staff @MoultonCyrus

WORCESTER - Trevor Huntley doesnt speak, walks with a pronounced limp and uses only one arm because of cerebral palsy.

But he hasnt let that - or anything - stop him from achieving his dream of becoming an Eagle Scout.

This was and still is very important for me to get this Eagle Scout (rank) not only for my family or friends but to prove ... that I could do anything I set my mind to, said Mr. Huntley, 25, in an email interview. Its just exciting to be part of something that will be with me for the rest of my life.

Mr. Huntley is a member of the Mohegan Councils Troop 37 in the Quinsigamond District, which meets weekly at Christ the King Church on Pleasant Street. He said he was first attracted to Boy Scouts in 2004 when he was 12.

I really wanted to be part of some group to teach myself how to be a better person in my life, Mr. Huntley said.

He and his father approached the troops Scoutmaster at the time, Bob Benoit, who said he always accepts a challenge.

I said, Why not? Why not? Whats the worse that can happen. He tries it and he walks away, Mr. Benoit said. But Trevor Huntley didnt; he stuck it out.

And Mr. Huntley didnt let any limitations - he said he never thinks of himself as having a disability - stop him. He earned 36 merit badges, 15 more than necessary for Eagle Scout, and achieved the Order of the Arrow, which recognizes Boy Scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. He attended summer camp for Scouting and weekly Troop meetings.

But Scouting requires not just individual accomplishments - it emphasizes teamwork.

Much of that teamwork came from the troop itself. Because of his disability, Trevor was allowed to achieve Eagle Scout after the age limit of 18. The Troop 37 committee and advanced chairperson came up with special merit badges for the few merit badges that Trevor could not accomplish, such as swimming and cycling.

Two other Eagle Scouts in the troop, Andrei Shylo and Patrick Burke, learned to communicate with Trevor via sign language (Trevor uses one hand to spell out words in addition to using a voice application on his cellphone to communicate). The two would translate to the rest of the troop when Trevor wanted to say something.

Its an amazing troop. Theyre amazing men down there, and as we see, what they brought out of it, they brought my son as an Eagle Scout, said Frank Huntley, Trevors father. It shows what kind of men that we really have down there.

He credits Mr. Benoit the most.

They were a team, I brought him in there, and hes been his mentor the whole entire time, and Im very happy about that, Frank Huntley said.

Indeed, Mr. Benoit and Mr. Huntley act as if they're family: Mr. Benoit admonishes Mr. Huntley for not tucking in his shirt; Mr. Huntley teases Mr. Benoit about his age.

He doesnt get a free pass with me, he does his work Mr. Benoit said. I dont treat him as a disab(led) person, I treat him as a Scout.

Matt Epstein, who also earned his Eagle Scout rank with the troop and became friends with Mr. Huntley, said that treatment extended throughout the troop.

Nobody ever treated him differently, Mr. Epstein, 26, said. Everybody held him to the same expectations as everyone else and that was why I think he excelled.

Perhaps the best demonstration of the work Eagle Scouts do is the Eagle Scout Project, which includes planning, developing and leading others in a project to benefit the local community. It is the pinnacle of Scouting; only 5 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve Eagle Scout, according to the National Eagle Scout Association.

For his project, Mr. Huntley gathered about 40 volunteers to complete a landscaping project at the Seven Hills Foundations Adult Day Health program on Hope Avenue. The project included building a patio and four raised planters for people who use wheelchairs.

I love it. Im happy with it, but more importantly, the person who runs the horticulture program was ecstatic to have these beds, said Michael Kendrick, director of facilities at Seven Hills, who helped Mr. Huntley plan the project along with Peter Joncas, who died shortly after the project was completed.

Mr. Huntley said the most difficult aspect of the project was telling the Scouts and volunteers what to do at a specific time. But with all the volunteers and Mr. Shylo on site to translate, the project was completed in a day.

The Boy Scout motto is to Be Prepared, and that is what Scouts taught me to do every day of my life, Mr. Huntley said.

Now Mr. Huntley is looking forward to his Eagle Scout ceremony, tentatively scheduled for May, and future involvement with the Scouts. Mr. Huntley is now an adult leader and can continue to participate in the troops activities as a committee member, an assistant Scoutmaster or even a Scoutmaster.

Hell be a role model now, said Frank Huntley. Now all these little boys can look at him and say, I can do this.

Mr. Huntley agreed.

All my family tells me you can do anything you set your mind to and have faith and patience and your goals will come to you, Mr. Huntley said. So Ill show everyone you can do anything you want in life no matter if you have a disability or not.

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Spirit that soars: Cerebral palsy no obstacle for Worcester Eagle Scout - Worcester Telegram