THE CITY OF PRAIRIE VIEW
WELCOMES BOY SCOUT TROOP 1906

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(Prairie View, TX) On May 20, 2011, the Epsilon Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. of Prairie View, in collaboration with the City of Prairie View welcomed Scouts Adrian Avalos, Cheikh Jackson, Shawn Robertson, Tyrese Skeene, and Kevin Walker into Boy Scout Troop 1906, a newly chartered unit. Senior District Executive Clarence Renfroe, Sr., of the Sam Houston Area Council witnessed the crossing and welcomed the young men. The five young men participated in the first-ever Crossover Ceremony for Prairie View Cub Scout Pack 338.  Pack 338 is chartered to the H.T. Jones Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization and is led by Cubmaster and ScoutParent Unit Coordinator, Marian Elaine Jackson (Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3) who is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Jackson, Skeene and Walker received the Arrow of Light Award, Cub Scouting's highest award, prior to crossing over into the Troop.
Receiving the charter on behalf of the group were the Head of the Chartered Organization and Troop Committee Member Brother Frederick V. Roberts (President, Alpha Phi Alpha-Epsilon Tau Lambda Chapter), Scoutmaster Jeron Barnett (Prairie View Chief of Police); first Assistant Scoutmaster Harold Barthe; second Assistant Scoutmaster Brother Brian E. Rowland (Prairie View City Council), Troop Committee Member Brother Frank D. Jackson (Mayor, City of Prairie View) and; Troop Committee Members Bros. Rodney Bell, Cameron Estwick, Henry Mosley, Trevor Piper, Cephas Riggins, and the New-Unit Organizer, Troop Committee Chairman and Chartered Organization Representative Eagle Scout Brother Bobby Ray Williams. The joint Cub Scout and Boy Scout program featured the Webelos posting the American Flag and leading the
Pledge of Allegiance; Tigers reciting the Cub Scout Promise; Wolves reciting the Law of the Pack; Bears performing a humorous skit called How Scouts Tell Time; recognition of Cub Scout achievements; long-time Scouters and Troop Committee Members Marshall Brown and Silver Beaver recipient Seab Smith reflecting on the first African-American Boy Scout chartered to the City of Prairie View. One of the highlights of the evening was the special Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony performed by Troop 577 Arrowmen Kyle Dougan, Robert McAnally, and Caleb Rodenbeck of the David Crockett Chapter of the Order of the Arrow's (OA) Colonneh Lodge under the leadership of OA Chapter Adviser David Perkins. These Arrowmen, representing Scouting's National Honor Society, presented arrows to the new Scouts. All five Scouts along with their parents were welcomed by the Scoutmaster and Troop Leaders. Other participants welcoming the scouts were Unit and District Commissioners Timothy Perkins and Monica Farina, and Troop Committee Member Brother Rev. Dr. Simeon L. Queen (Prairie View City Council) and other city officials. Williams, Chairman of Alpha Phi Alpha's Southwestern Region Boy Scout Committee and Boy Scouts of America's National Community Relationships Task Force Member, commended the scouts and challenged them to greater heights. The splendid reception following the ceremony was sponsored by Prairie View A&M University's Sodexho Food Service Area Manager Brother Gabriel "Gabe" Lewis.
 

For additional information on the fraternity and the troop, visit: www.epsilontaulambda.org.