Larry Gumina, a senior here at Middletown North, just received astounding news that he would be traveling to the Amazon Rainforest this upcoming summer to help install motion sensor cameras to help capture rare animals not normally seen by the average human being, after he applied and won a contest that had gone out to the entire nation.
Receiving an email from his Boy Scout’s troop scoutmaster, Don Antenucci, stating that the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) was looking to send any Eagle Scout in the nation to the Amazon Rainforest for about a week. As a recent eagle scout himself and very interested in the environment, Larry decided to shoot for the stars and apply.
“All right”, Larry said, “I’ll apply for it. There’s no way I’m going to get it since it’s going out to the entire nation but hey, I’ll give it a shot.”
Required to write a 250-word essay, Larry sought out the help of two Middletown North teachers, Mrs. McGowan and Mrs. Stevens, to assist him in writing the best short essay he could possibly create. A week after he submitted his final piece, Larry received the news that he was one out of five finalist in the entire nation to possibly receive the award.
Following this, Larry was then instructed to make a three-minute video stating all the reasons as to why this organization should choose him.
“I was thinking, ‘All right this should be fine’. But as I started recording it (the video), I realized it is hard to get in everything that you want in three minutes, and I had a lot of stuff that I wanted to include.”
The short video consisted of pictures from all throughout Larry’s lifetime, including when he was in Cub Scouts, a young Boy Scout, and his active involvement within the Environmental Club.
After waiting throughout the weekend, the inspiring hopes soon began to fade within Larry’s mind and he soon believed that he did not win the contest.
“Right before I was about to text my girlfriend, accepting defeat, I thought, ‘let me check my email one last time’”
That one last time changed Larry’s upcoming summer forever. After reading that he had won the contest and that he was going to go to the Amazon Rainforest this summer, Larry was thrilled.
“As soon as I saw that I got it. Man, I just, I just lost it. I was so happy.”
Larry will be heading to the Amazon sometime over the summer for ten days and is unsure who he will be taking with him on the trip at this time.
Larry is receiving his Eagle Scout award next Friday, May 9 and is also attending Philmont Scout Ranch over the summer in addition to his trip to the Amazon.
