Grady senior Patrick Scollard’s dream is to become captain of a ship. At the age of 9, he began sailing in Long Island, NY, with his grandparents. Now, ten years, later, the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Academy are recruiting him.
“The long term goal is to be the captain of a ship,” senior Patrick Scollard said with certainty. As a young boy, he hoped for this dream. Scollard has now been sought after and recruited by both the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Academy.
“After the first day I went sailing, I loved it and haven’t ever stopped,” Scollard said.
Scollard loved the racing aspect of sailing and wanted to practice as much as possible, but there were other commitments that held Scollard back.
In the first grade, Scollard’s mother enrolled him in Cub Scouts at Haygood United Methodist Church. Scollard enjoyed earning badges with other scouts in his class. In fifth grade he was awarded the Arrow of Light, which recognizes him as the highest achievement. He began Boy Scouts in middle school and as the commitments grew, many of his classmates left scouting.
“It was definitely tricky once all the other kids dropped out,” Scollard said.
At first, this was a challenge for Scollard. David Cox, a mentor to Patrick, recommended he work at the Bert Adams summer camp for sailing, swimming, and motor boating. Scollard took the job at 15, which helped him stick with scouting.
While Scollard loved the water, he prefered to stay above it. One of the requirements to become a counselor was being a certified lifeguard. Scollard struggled, but once he was certified he was confident in his ability as a lifeguard. Scollard continues to spend his summers working at the camp.
Scollard most recent triumph is becoming an Eagle Scout in October 2012; an incredibly hard position to achieve. In order to become an Eagle, a scout must gain 11 silver badges and any other 10 badges. Scollard is now 18 and is an assistant scoutmaster. He is able to help younger scouts earn their badges.
“Scouting has been terrific, and the independence learned has been great,” Scollard’s mother, Michele said.
Scouting has helped shape Scollard’s life and career. The Coast Guard Academy only accepts 250 students each year and the Merchant Marine Academy only accepts 275. Scollard has recently decided to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
“Patrick has made us very proud,” Michele said. “He’s not afraid of putting in the hard work to get something done.”
Scouting has helped fuel his success in other activities, such as the Robotics Team, Scollard said.
Scollard joined the Robotics Team his freshman year at Grady, adding to his already full cap. As a sophomore, he took the position as head of the drive team, which means he was in charge of controlling the robot.
In the fall season of his junior year, Scollard became the Chief Engineer and in the spring of that year became the Lead Fabricator. The Lead Fabricator creates every part that combines to create the robot. Scollard has shined in his senior year as the Chief Technical Officer, responsible for the entire assembly of the robot.
Scollard’s contributions to the Robotics Team were recognized when he received the Spark Plug award, marking his leadership and growth throughout his time spent with the team.
Scollard’s many accomplishments have been complementary to each other. His multiple achievements extend to attending the Governor’s Honors Program for technology, and he will graduate as an AP Scholar with Honors. Scollard’s most recent success, becoming an Eagle Scout, has been among his greatest.
“The greatest lesson learned from scouting has been increasing my communication skills, forcing me to take information and transferring it on to others,” Scollard said. “Leadership has been the greatest takeaway.”
