Black History Month Spotlight: Scout Makes Troop 1906 History

This story was provided by Troop 1906 in Alexandria, Virginia.

MOUNT VERNON, VA — Omar Thondique II is making history in Troop 1906. At the age of 14, he is the troop’s youngest Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and the first Scout to have been inducted into the Boy Scouts of America’s National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow.

SPL Omar joined the Scouting Program as a Cub Scout in 2011, crossed over into Boy Scouts Troop 62 in 2017 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, then transferred into Troop 203 at Camp Humphrey's in Korea prior to arriving to Troop 1906 in Alexandria, Virginia in 2020.

Omar credits scouting for providing stability and social continuity as he moved around the world as part of the Total Army Family. Omar has recently earned his Life – Rank, numerous awards, and has completed 40 of the 135 merit badges offered by the Boy Scouts of America. Although only 21 merit badges are required to become an Eagle Scout, Omar is working to earn at a minimum of 46 merit badges. 46 merit badges were the number of merit badges earned by Harry Cooper in 1920 when he became the first African American Eagle Scout in the United States.

Boy Scouts remains the world’s oldest, largest, and most renown youth leadership organization. Since 1910, Scouting has mentored and supported the leadership development of more than 110 million Scouts. Troop 1906 has recently celebrated two of its senior scouts reaching BSA’s highest rank, the Eagle Scout.

Mr. Joshua Lee Caldwell and Mr. Gregory Maddux-Valez offer congratulations on this monumental achievement. And Congratulations to the entire 2020 Class of Eagle Scouts: continue to "Be the Change."