Meet 4 of BSA's Scouts of the Year in Arizona

PHOENIX - Each year, the Boy Scouts of America's Grand Canyon Council announces its Scouts of The Year. It’s a great honor for any scout in our state.

From Flagstaff to Yuma, scouts are nominated, interviewed, and finally, selected.

We got to meet four of them.

"Scouts of the year are nominated by their peers as well as volunteer leadership," Collin Reed of the Boy Scouts of America’s Grand Canyon Council said.

"This award means a lot to me,"Gideon Akaelue said. "It’s one of the greatest things that’s ever happened to me."

"I love the friendships," Ella Miller said. "I'm originally from the East Coast and I had a scout troop back there and when I moved here to Arizona, I didn't know anyone. But when I joined my first scout troop, everyone was very welcoming."

"I’ve taught those courses in West Virginia, Germany, Japan, and it was just so much fun," Ryan Martin said. "I just really enjoy teaching."

"I was ecstatic to learn I was a scout of the year," Morgan Willis said.

BSA's Scouts of the Year in Arizona

Each year, the Boy Scouts of America's Grand Canyon Council announces its Scouts of The Year. It’s a great honor for any scout in our state and we got to meet four of them. FOX 10's Ellen McNamara has the story.

For the girls in the select group, like Morgan Willis, she grew up around the Boy Scouts because her brother was one. She joined in 2019 when girls were first allowed and is a founding member of BSA Troop 3030 in Glendale.

"My favorite thing about scouting has definitely got to be the friends and community that I’m a part of," Willis said. "The friendships I've made will last me a lifetime."

The four are known for their leadership, not only in the Boy Scouts, but also in local communities across Arizona.

Vaughn Grosse received a heroism award for supporting the rescue efforts of paramedics who came across a bad collision near Yuma.

"I truly think I became one of the Scouts of the Year because of my impact on others," Ryan Martin said.

Each year, the Boy Scouts of Americas Grand Canyon Council announces its Scouts of The Year. It’s a great honor for any scout in our state and we got to meet four of them.

And now that they are Scouts of the Year, they have no plans to slow down.

"Next, I’m going to work on my Eagle [Eagle Scout] project, and work to get Eagle," Miller said.

All six scouts who won the award will receive it during a ceremony this summer.