Juniors Avery and Asher Morrison had been on camping trips before, but nothing was quite as challenging as this one. They were sweaty, exhausted and hungry as they walked through the scorching sands of southern New Mexico. They had only been hiking for six days in a row, almost halfway done with their twelve day trip.
Juniors Avery and Asher have been in Boy Scout Troop Leaders for a year, but have been involved in Boy Scouts of America for a decade.
With the help of Boy Scout trips and campouts, they both felt like they grew a stronger bond as brothers.
“We’ve seen each other through our peaks and our lowest moments, growing up together, building the relationship that we cherish the most,” Avery said.
Asher said that the transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts is a big change. They developed bonds with their troop and created a community.
“It’s definitely helped me to meet a lot of new people who have all helped me to learn different things, whether it’s how to build stairs for my Eagle project or how to tie some fun little knots,” Asher said.
With their mother, father, sister and grandparents being a part of Scouts, their entire family has a history of being leaders in their troops.
Senior Claire Morrison, Asher and Avery’s older sister, has worked with them constantly through their troops. She said growing up as siblings in Scouts of America has helped them all connect even more.
“Because of our connections, getting to experience camp outs and stuff together, as well as bonding over shared experiences, running projects and completing our Girl Scout Gold Award or their Boy Scout Eagle project,” Claire said.
Their troop leader and father, Scott Morrison, put Asher and Avery in Cub Scouts when they were in first grade.
“I can remember my parents sitting me and my brother down and just asking, ‘Hey, do y’all want to be in Boy Scouts?’ And little me not knowing what would come, I said, ‘Sure’, because I know my dad did it and I wanted to do it with some of my friends,” Asher said. “And here we are.”
When they began Cub Scouts for the first time, they learned the proper skills which would eventually let them climb up to be an Eagle Scout.
“One important thing that I have taken away from Scouts is that you should always be prepared, whether it’s a backup plan in case something goes wrong, or to have a whole bunch of different gear on you for any moment, for any event,” Avery said.
Avery said that the reputation of being in a troop tends to be characterized as “dorky” or “time-consuming.” The reality is that it can help you prepare for different situations, manage your time well and develop social skills with others around you.
“I have gained many valuable leadership skills and also outdoor skills like different knots and how to survive,” Avery said.
Asher said that being able to use these learned social skills has helped their family relationship as father and son, and as brothers flourish.
“I think that being in scouts with my brother and my dad have definitely helped us to form a stronger connection, especially on those treks out in the middle of nowhere, which have really helped us to grow closer together and to learn more about the nature,” Asher said.
