(CEDAR HILL, TEXAS) Carl Camp exceeded his own expectations, in terms of leadership and charity, earlier this winter.
Camp, a Cedar Hill High School senior, earned an Eagle Scout badge earlier this month after organizing a holiday toy/food drive for the Ellis County Advocacy Center.
He expected to collect 2,000 items but did triple that with 6,000.
“I enjoy giving back to the community,” Camp said. “It makes you feel good knowing you did something good to help people.”
In order to reach his goal, Camp reached out to area churches, legion halls and other community organizations in Ellis County, where his Boy Scouts troop is located. He started around Thanksgiving and distributed the donations in December.
Camp joined the Cub Scouts in first grade. His older brothers were part of the Boy Scouts, and his father was a scout leader.
He became an Eagle Scout on February 13, but the ceremony is expected to be held sometime in March.
“It’s a big personal achievement,” Camp said.
Camp said he’s enjoyed his time at Cedar Hill High School and made a lot of friends. He recently began working at the restaurant at Music Hall at Fair Park, which hosts Off-Broadway productions. The current show is “Beetlejuice.”
Camp hopes to become a scout leader himself one day, but first, he’s headed to Texas State University in San Marcos where he’ll study Psychology.
“I’ve found it interesting why people do what they do and why they act the way they do,” Camp said.
