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DURHAM -- Twelve-year-old Aidan Paul of Durham has been in scouting since he was 7, and has learned a lot.
He's an assistant patrol leader with Scout Troop 451 in Durham, and has enjoyed going on camping trips, hikes and learning survival skills. He's learned how to cook and "life skills, how to be self-sustaining."
Aidan, a sixth-grader at Rogers-Herr Middle School, plans a career in geology or designing video games, and believes his scouting experience will help him land a job, especially with an Eagle Scout badge on his résumé, which he expects to earn by the time he's 14 or 15. He's already halfway there.
Aidan has earned 12 merit badges and is working on a 13th in camping. He said the most fun merit badge was in graphic arts.
Fellow Boy Scout Evan Gadow, 11, is a leader of new scouts in Troop 451.
"I like that you learn things that you can do with just anything out there," he said. "Like you can carve things, you can build flagpoles -- anything with basic materials like rope."
Evan, a sixth-grader at Githens Middle School, joined the troop in September.
"I've learned how to rescue somebody who is drowning," he said. "I've learned to tie a handful of knots, and how to be a better person and help other people."
He especially likes camping trips "and giving back to the community."
His favorite merit badges have involved shotgun shooting.
"It's not like you do just a couple of things -- it's pretty heavily involved," he said. "In rifle shooting, for example, you have to learn how to clean a gun and use the safety; you have to have the right accuracy."
Evan plans to stay in scouting "until they kick me out" at age 18. For those wondering if they should join scouting, he has this advice: "I would say join all the way. I can't imagine my life without scouts. It's a great program."
