Suburban boys use Scouting to overcome obstacles

Boy Scouts have an image of helping others, and we often see them working with people with disabilities. But the movement also encourages young men with special needs to soar to the highest ranks of achievement.

Adam Miller of Schaumburg has reached the rank of Eagle Scout despite Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder. Adam Sullivan of Carol Stream - who uses a wheelchair because he was born with spinal muscular atrophy type 2, a genetic disease that affects the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement - is almost there.

Only four of every 100 boys who start in Boy Scouts reach the Eagle rank, said Lorenz Bauer, who has volunteered with Troop 392 longer than the five years Adam Miller has been a member.

"It was one of the proudest days of my life when Adam achieved Eagle," said Bauer, who also has a role with Northwest Suburban Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its centennial in 2010 with 2.8 million youngsters involved in Scouting at all levels.

While there are special Scout troops for severely disabled youngsters, like residents of Clearbrook Commons in Rolling Meadows, the official policy is to mainstream as many boys as possible into full-service troops.

Of the 16,500 young members of the 34 communities in the Northwest Suburban Council, perhaps 350 have special needs, said Stephen J. Taylor, chief executive officer. In Three Fires Council, whose service area includes DuPage and Kane counties, about 1,200 of the 36,000 youth members have special needs, said Nancy Loftus, marketing director.

For his Eagle project, Adam Miller, 15, led other Scouts in two days of cutting out buckthorn, an invasive species, from Sunrise Park in Bartlett, a favorite spot for Adam when he participated in summer programs of the Northwest Suburban Recreation Association. "He wanted to give back to Sunrise Camp," said his mother, Mary Miller. "He went out there for two days with Scouts with saws and axes. They cut it all down so sunlight could get in there."

Mark Miller, Adam's father, said 50 people showed up over two days. "A lot of people wanted to help work on the Eagle project," Adam Miller confirmed. "Maybe a lot of people care about the environment."

In Carol Stream, Adam Sullivan, 16, who uses a wheelchair and needs his mother's help to reposition his head and his feet, organized the collection of school supplies for 100 elementary children in a low-income area of DuPage County.

"It was a good challenge, especially getting the boys to help," Adam Sullivan said.

His mother, Kimberly, explained the project was put together quickly, and the collection occurred on Labor Day weekend when many families were out of town.

Sullivan will receive his Eagle rank when he completes three more badges.

Scouting authorities needed to substitute some requirements for Adam Sullivan because he can't swim, bike or hike, said Fred Roder, Scoutmaster of Troop 242.

The Scouts are used to getting stared at when they are out with Adam, said Roder.

"He wants everybody to think he's a normal boy, and our boys treat him that way. We're accepting," said Roder. "He's normal to us."

Adam Sullivan, who is home schooled by his mother, has been in Scouting nine years and likes camping. He also acts in plays produced by Christian Youth Theater and uses the computer for social networking and creating virtual worlds.

None of the Eagle requirements were modified for Adam Miller, who is getting straight "As" as a sophomore at Conant High School and aspires to be a primatologist.

He does not like talking about his accomplishments, but appreciates the philanthropic part of Scouting as well as the activities and outings.

"We do a good job, and we help a lot of people in certain places with different things with the environment," he said.

And his parents, who like Kimberly and David Sullivan are very supportive of their son's Scouting, tell stories. For example, Adam's love for the annual Haunted Hike in Des Plaines pushed him to work hard to earn membership in Scouting's Order of the Arrow.

"He always wanted to be a monster," said Mark Miller. "And you can't unless you're in Scouts and in the Order of the Arrow. He's been a werewolf and Freddy Krueger."

Matt Bauer, who was in the troop with Adam Miller for three years and now is a 20-year-old college student, said the Scouts eventually learned that Adam is "a pretty cool kid. He wants to try everything and is positive and curious."

Lance Baird, who was Troop 392 Scoutmaster when Adam Miller was in his troop, recalls one campout when Adam became curious about what kind of animal life was in the mud down by the water. He and some other boys were looking around when Adam found "these crawly buglike things."

"I don't know what they are," Baird said. "They were glowing in the dark. I had never seen anything like that." But Adam picked them up, while some of the other boys were afraid to.

"He makes discoveries like that," Baird said. "He's not afraid and he has curiosity."

This troop of about 50 youngsters and 20 adult volunteers is known for its diversity, said Bauer. Six religions are represented, and five boys have other issues, including mild autism, epilepsy and attention deficit problems.

"Some of the boys knew Adam when he was a Cub, and we went to the boys and discussed it with them," he said. "We decided it would be great to have him join the troop." And it has never been difficult to find a boy to tent with Adam.

Parents who want their special needs sons to socialize with other boys often turn to Scouting, said Bauer.

"I think a lot of parents see Scouting as a safe environment," he said. "Boys with social and learning disabilities can associate with boys but are monitored by adults."

While Adam Miller resists talking about himself, he wanted this message to get out: "Maybe if anybody doesn't think they can participate in Scouts for some reason this article will change their minds, maybe."