Carter Hill began his scouting career as
a Tiger Scout and worked his way through to earn his Arrow of Light before
crossing over to Troop 175 in fifth grade. He chose Troop 175 because of their
presentation that focused on youth-directed trips. These trips would remain the
focus of his scouting experiences, where “bare minimum” became his mantra.
One of the first lessons learned as a new scout was on the annual Blue Nose Challenge where Carter understood the great importance of keeping his shoes on all the time, realizing too late the painful lesson that comes with wet socks in sub-freezing temperatures. This lesson became especially valuable as it came after every older scout came to him, saying, “Little Man, you gotta keep those shoes and socks on.” He also enjoyed building shelters at Camp Mattituck, and understood that a lake-front shelter is wonderful in August, but Carter’s decision to build a “room with a view” in February meant a frozen “good morning.” As great as all his trips and good times were with Troop 175, including skiing Tuckerman’s, leadership trainings at Zealand Hut, and the biking around Block Island, his favorite experience was the Maine High Adventure Trip where he spent time canoeing, swimming, backpacking and being outdoors with good friends. Carter has also traveled to Peru, the Amazon Rain Forest, mountain biked through Machu Piccu, enjoyed Amsterdam with great friends, and came to the realization that sleeping in the airport in London was much better than sleeping with goats in Marangu, Tanzania.
But it was a side trip taken with Scoutmaster Brad Mead in 2007 that would provide the focus of his Eagle Scout Project. The trip to Africa to summit Mount Kilimanjaro was truly a “once in a lifetime” opportunity, but it was the trip into town where Carter saw orphaned children living in extreme poverty that struck him the hardest. Right there he knew what his project would be—he would return with the items these children so desperately needed. Securing the guidance and assistance of the Tanzanian United Nations Ambassador, Carter set out to begin his project. Following much planning and collecting and the outstanding assistance of his fellow scouts, their families, and the Simsbury community, he traveled back to Tanzania with 1,000 pounds of collected clothing, shoes, school supplies, and personal hygiene items for the orphans last Christmas. Because of the generosity of those who contributed, he was able to assist over 350 orphans in Tanzania. Following his return home, he was uncertain about what to do with the remaining clothes he was unable to bring to Africa. It was at that time the Haiti earthquake struck, and provided Carter a solution—he donated over 300 additional pounds of clothing to Haitian Earthquake Relief.
This fall, Carter will head to Montana State University in Bozeman, a perfect setting for him to combine his love of being active outdoors with college, where he plans to study pre-medical sciences and international political science. He hopes to pursue a career as a medical doctor working with the Doctors Without Borders Organization or the World Health Organization, delivering healthcare to needy communities worldwide. His long-term goals include visiting more countries than his father and living in a log cabin in Amsterdam.
