Cheikh A. Jackson and Tyrese J. Skeene, charter members of Boy Scouts Troop 1906 of Prairie View, will be honored with their Eagle Scout Ranks, the highest recognition that Scouting offers to Scouts. The wearer of the Eagle award is the epitome of Scouting’s best efforts and beliefs. The Eagle Court of Honor is on August 12 at 4:00 p.m. in the Carden-Waller Auditorium at Prairie View A&M University. The public is invited to share in the celebration.
It was May 20, 2011 when the two young men and three others from Cub Pack 388 became the first members Troop 1906 sponsored by the Epsilon Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. All of the young men had in mind to become Eagle Scouts but Cheikh and Tyrese were the two determined to achieve this goal. This is a first for Troop 1906 and Prairie View after a twenty-year absence of scouts in the city.
After seven years of camping, leadership development and participation, family life and service to the community, the young men earned many accolades along the way including the 21 Eagle Merit Badges required for the rank and the Order of the Arrow, the honor society for scouting. Additionally, they completed their required Eagle Project which addressed a need in the community. Cheikh selected An AIDS/HIV Awareness project that had some 40 persons being tested and educated on the disease. Tyrese’s project led to the painting and restoration of 22 Fire Hydrants throughout the City of Prairie View. Both projects received rave reviews from the community leaders. Both scouts served as Patrol leaders and Den Leaders for Cub Scout Packs.
Cheikh, the son of former Prairie View former Mayor Frank D. and Waller County Precinct 3 Judge E. Marian Jackson, graduated from Waller High School in June and is headed to Prairie View A&M University as a Naval ROTC student majoring in Political Science with aspirations of becoming a Corporate Attorney. During his early years, Cheikh was an active youth member of Mt. Corinth Baptist Church, Hempstead, Knights of Pythagoras (KOP) youth group of the Prince Hall Masons of Texas and the Go to High School Go to College Mentoring Program and Prairie View Volunteer Fire Fighting Association, Inc.
Tyrese, the son of Dawnette and the late Hanzel Skeene, graduated from CyFalls High School and his headed to Houston Community College to begin his studies in Culinary Arts. His ultimate goal is to earn the Master’s Degree in Food Service Management and become an Executive Chef for his own chain of restaurants. During his early years, Tyrese has been involved as youth member of Community of Faith, participated in Backpack Drives, Highway clean-up projects, Mayor’s Family Day in the Park, the Special Olympics of Texas basketball camp and the Go to High School Go to College Mentoring Program.
Troop 1906 is one of three units that is wholly sponsored by members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which has supported the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) since the early 40's. The fraternity, in partnership with the BSA is one of the few fraternal organizations to create a Good Turn Award which is presented to its members for outstanding support of the scouts.
The leaders for Troop 1906 include Cameron Estwick (Scoutmaster), Brian Rowland and Jason Bullen (Assistant Scoutmasters), Bobby Ray Williams (Troup Committee Chair), Timothy Perkins (Unit Commissioner), Marshall Brown, Henry Moseley, Laurie Perkins, Elaine Jackson, Frederick Roberts, Seab Smith and Bobby Ray Williams, Sr. (Committee Members).