Troop 772’s big day

On April 3rd, 11 members of Fort Pierce Boy Scout Troop 772, looking spiffy in their tan uniforms, led the Pledge of Allegiance at the daily opening of the Florida legislative session in Tallahassee.  As the scouts left the chamber, they received a thunderous round of applause and high fives.  Earlier they met with State Representative Larry Lee of Fort Pierce and Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera.  According to Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, Lee asked them what they want him to fight for in the Legislature.  Deshawn Mills, 13, said, “Not so many shootings.”  Troop 772 – the area code for the Treasure Coast – consists of boys who have had behavior problems at Dan McCardy Middle School, which serves neighborhoods with more than their share of poverty and shootings.  School administrators told Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers they called the boys “frequent fliers” because they were often ejected from class.  The troop was set up last year by Representative Lee and Fort Pierce pizza parlor owner Scott Van Duzer to give the boys direction.  All 11 who made the trip to Tallahassee had good grades and attendance.   Maybe the scouts in Troop 772 will be “frequent fliers,” after all -- in the best sense of the term.  For 88.9 FM, this is Paul Janensch.