Every year the Boy Scouts of America’s Longhorn Council sits down to decide who will receive the coveted Arlington Silver Eagle Award. This award is given to someone who is a community leader that strives to make Arlington a better place through every day actions.
This year’s recipient worked as a teacher for special education classes at HEB ISD, opened a family business, ACP International, and has been following her heart since 2016 as the Fund Development Director at the River Legacy Living Science Center. Becky Nussbaum Gerro is a leading force in kindness and putting community first.
Becky has been a Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America’s Troop 517 for the past eight years. This Troop is a little different from others as it gives scouts with varying handicaps the same opportunities to learn and grow with the scouts despite their disabilities.
When searching for the right Scout Master for this Troop, it was important to find the right leader. As mentioned in the introduction speech below by Bryan Weatherford, “Special Scouts require a special leader and Becky was that leader.”
Becky is truly passionate about everything she does within the community but being a part of the scouts is something special. In her acceptance speech she says, “What I do is easy. What I do is joyful.” Her love for what she does truly rubs off on the scouts she leads and makes them want to do even more for the community as well.
“I don’t have to lead them in living the scout law, they lead me all the time and they lead you. You may not know it but their fingerprints are on so many good things in this community,” said Becky. By empowering these kids to do better for their community, she is showing them how to build Arlington to be better.
Along with community building, Becky has a true love of the outdoors and sharing the importance of enjoying the fresh air. Whether you just put your feet in the grass for a little while or you soak up the sun’s rays on your lunch break, it can truly change your life. River Legacy is where she gets to share this passion and help teach kids how being outside can improve their mental and physical health.
Becky is truly creating quite the legacy and deserves every single accolade, whether she believes it or not. Her excitement about life, the outdoors and Arlington is truly contagious and we are thrilled to see what her passions lead her to next!
If you would like to watch Becky’s entire acceptance speech, click the video below!
Written by: Makayla Reed