Growing Young Leaders

Finding young leaders can sometimes be a simple task. You find kids who excel at sports … or in academics … or in politics … where leadership just seems to come naturally to them.

Then there are those who need some guidance, and finding the right way to guide them through life’s challenges can be a challenge in itself.

I’d like to think we can all benefit from the story of how young Christian James Romero became a great leader.

Boy Scout Christian James Romero, 18, led volunteers, in repairing and painting 20 picnic tables and benches at Whittier High School for his Eagle Scout Project. It was his way of thanking his high school for its Special Ed program.

From birth, Christian had it tougher than most. He started life with a weakened left arm and leg, and as he grew older, he had comprehension difficulties and a speech impediment.

Ten years ago, he joined Troop 219 in Whittier, Calif. as a timid and reserved youngster. He didn’t allow any barriers or special needs to get in his way. Christian is 18 now, ready to graduate from high school, and about to earn his Eagle badge.

I really enjoyed reading about Christian’s journey through Scouting and the observations from Chon Cervantz, the assistant scoutmaster for Troop 219: “To have seen him grow from the unsure kid to a very active and outspoken young man is very rewarding,” Cervantz said. “Boy Scouts helps boys mature into strong leaders. And Christian has done so despite being labeled ‘special needs.’”

“I’m happy that I joined the Boy Scouts because I have learned a lot of things,” Christian told the Whittier Daily News during an interview.

Christian is just one of many stories where Scouting has provided life-changing experiences to help young people overcome life’s challenges and in many cases help them develop strong leadership skills.

We can all learn from Christian. His ability to overcome early setbacks in life established him as a leader among his peers with a passion for giving back to others. It’s up to all of us to learn that providing support to all young people – whether special needs or not – can pay back handsomely in community support and strong values. It’s worth the investment!

Do you agree? What do your organizations do to support those who need special guidance to achieve success? I hope you are realizing how beneficial that support can be to not just those you are helping, but those who are giving help as well. Share your stories here!

Thanks, Wayne