Torrent enjoys Boy Scouts

Published 12:00 pm Monday, August 8, 2016

Oxford resident Charlie Torrent, 15, is an Oxford High School student and senior patrol leader for Boy Scout Troop 146.

Sunday, he and other Boy Scouts were found under the pavilion off University Avenue taking part in a Boy Scout demonstration in an effort to recruit new members. Participants from Boy Scout Troop 144 and Cub Scout Pack 4 were also there.

“I’m basically in charge of the whole troop,” said Torrent, explaining what a senior patrol leader is. “The only people I answer to would be the adult leaders.

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“I have an assistant senior patrol leader. I help plan trips and camp-outs that we go on. If I need something to be done, I’m usually the one in charge of getting it done.”

Tents and archery stations were erected at the site Sunday. Torrent said they are examples of some of the things Boy Scouts do. Some adult leaders also cooked dessert for participants.

Torrent said he’s been an Oxford Boy Scout since 2012. Prior to that, he was a Boy Scout in New Albany.

“I like going on some of the bigger trips,” he said. “This past year we went to Washington, D.C., and New York. Then we went to Colorado and New Mexico.”

Torrent said he’s learned many life lessons from being a Boy Scout.

“Scouts really helps with cooperation, because if the whole group is not working together, you can’t really get done what you need to get done,” he said.

“As senior patrol leader, it helps me to understand what I need to do to be a good leader. I’m in the band at school, and I’m the section leader there.”

Torrent said he’d like to become a band leader in the future.

About LaReeca Rucker

LaReeca Rucker is a writer, reporter and adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Mississippi's Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

A veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience, she spent a decade at the Gannett-owned Clarion-Ledger - Mississippi's largest daily newspaper - covering stories about crime, city government, civil rights, social justice, religion, art, culture and entertainment for the paper's print and web editions. She was also a USA Today contributor.

This year, she received a first place award from the Mississippi Press Association for “Best In-Depth Investigative Reporting.” The story written in 2014 for The Oxford Eagle chronicles the life of a young mother with two sons who have epilepsy, and details how she is patiently hoping legalized cannabis oil experimentation will lead to a cure for their disorder.

Her website is www.lareecarucker.com.

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