50 Years Ago

Sunday, Feb 11 1973

East Rome senior to receive 1st ‘Young American’ award

The Northwest Georgia Council, Boy Scouts of America, will present its first “Young American” award to Steve Gaines, an East Rome high school senior.

The award will be a highlight of the council’s 42nd annual recognition dinner at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Berry College’s Krannert Center. Hundreds of scouters with their wives and guests from eight northwest Georgia counties will attend the event.

Gaines, 17, resides with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James L. Gaines, 29 Riverview Rd. Rome. He is Georgia vice president of the National Honor Society and in August attended the National Leadership Training Conference in St. Louis, Mo., sponsored by the NHS and Student Councils. He also attended the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program this past summer.

He merited the DAR Award for outstanding citizenship and also received a certificate of merit for outstanding scholarship from the University of Georgia. Gaines served as chairman of a six-county drug education commission sponsored by the Boy Scouts. He is a member of Explorer Post 318, vice lodge chief of the Order of the Arrow, a patrol leader and junior assistant scoutmaster. He is an active member of Rome’s First Baptist Church.

An A-student, he also serves on his high school yearbook staff and has been a member of the wrestling team. He is a winner in high school science fairs, is interested in a Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering and is a participant in Berry College’s joint enrollment program, attending classes at the college each day.

The Young American award will be formally presented to Gaines at the dinner by George C. Turner, Newnan, president of the Boy Scout Area Five of the Southeast Region which covers the state of Georgia.