
IS EDUCATION WASTED ON THE YOUTH?
Well, in the case of my daughter, Delaney, I would contend that it is not. In recognition of her 20th birthday today, I would like to celebrate her love of learning.
For Delaney, the love of learning began early. I think having two older brothers was the driving factor. In kindergarten, Delaney was already anxious to match the homework efforts of Grayson and Cooper (if only in her mind!). She plowed through workbooks and read everything in sight. By fifth grade, her desire to explore more in every subject resulted in moving her to the nationally acclaimed BASIS charter school system. (We were living in Tucson, Arizona at the time.) She didn’t miss a beat when we moved to OKC as she started high school. She took a wide variety of classes and enjoyed delving into new subjects with her teachers. In her ‘free time,’ she discovered TED Talks and fell in love with the ‘surprise me’ feature.
Now in college at the University of Oklahoma, Delaney continues to seek breadth and depth in learning. The big state school environment presented by OU offers her the variety she craves. She’s combining a major in Community Health with a minor in American Literature just because she’s never lost that love of reading! She joins an OU reading group each semester. She’s part of the 2021 Neustadt Lit Fest. And then there’s her itch to explore other countries which she scratches with the help of the Global Engagement program.
Helping Delaney find the ideal college was no easy task. She’s pretty demanding.😉 Ultimately, she thought OU was the right pick, but I think she would be quick to tell you that she’s discovered tons more than she expected to find. To see her thrive just reinforces for me Scout’s goal of helping students find and fund their ideal college experiences.
Thanks for indulging me. And if you see Delaney around today, wish her a Happy Birthday!

smb

IN LOVING MEMORY …
GERALD ROBERT MELTON
5/12/1941 – 11/22/2021
My father was the first and only person in his family to attend college. Neither parent nor any of his three sisters were afforded the opportunity. My father attended Clemson University (Go Tigers!) and graduated in December 1966 with a degree in Agricultural Economics. His entire career was with the federal government, mostly working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. His ways were quiet – but his love language of handmade gifts was strong. It was not unusual for a tree in his backyard to become a spinning top toy, a baseball bat, a rolling pin, or a bowl. He always tended a robust garden, and I strive to continue those efforts in my own little Patch405.
My father moved to OKC a year ago so that my brother and I could oversee his care and make sure that he was able to have true human connection during the pandemic. Yesterday, he passed away peacefully of natural causes. He will be missed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
In my home, there are so many blessings to count this Thanksgiving. The Scout Community is one of those blessings. I am thankful for your support. And I hope that your weekend is filled with safe travels, good food, and creating sweet memories with family and friends.
SCOUT-ING REPORT
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