Lauren Tyree

Lauren Tyree from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, was awarded the $2,000 Tony & Patrice Steenkolk Family Scholarship. She belongs to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is a member of Scouting America Troops 19, 18 and 153 in the Chester County Council.

Tyree truly embodies the idea of servant leadership. When asked why volunteering is important to her, she responded, “For me, volunteering has never been an obligation, it has always been an opportunity. As a Catholic Scout, volunteering is the way I live out that Gospel message. Christ calls us to serve, and Scouting has given me the tools and community to live that call in meaningful ways.”

In service to the Catholic Church, Tyree served as a retreat leader and mission trip participant, provided audio/visual support for her parish and was invited to serve as a keynote speaker at the International Catholic Stewardship Conference in Chicago, IL. Tyree earned the Ad Altare Dei Catholic Religious Emblem and was honored with the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Youth Virtues, Valor and Vision Award.

Tyree served her community by founding and leading two major non-profit initiatives: Students Engaged in Relief Volunteering (SERV), which combats post-COVID loneliness by empowering  students to become changemakers through service and Cul-de-sac Concerts, a program she co-founded that featured more than 100 performers, reached an audience of 30,000 people and raised $52,000 for local food banks. Tyree also served extensively in local food banks, healthcare charity events and veterans’ community breakfasts.

At Saint Mark’s High School, Tyree served as president of Model UN, vice president of international programs for Students in Action and held officer positions with Girls State, drama club and the campus ministry program. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council and Spanish Language Club. In athletics, Tyree played on the varsity tennis and volleyball teams.

In Scouting, Tyree held numerous troop leadership roles, including senior patrol leader and junior assistant Scoutmaster. She served for three years on her council’s National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) course as troop guide and assistant senior patrol leader and attended the NYLT Leadership Academy in Sacramento, California. Through her dedication to Scouting, Tyree founded the Growth & Leadership Development Network (GLDN), an initiative focused on chartering Scout troops and providing leadership training to youth in her community. For her Eagle Scout Project, Tyree led a team of volunteers to construct a Gaga ball pit for the Early Learning Center (K-3) at Avon Grove Charter School. To fund her project, she organized a community dance fundraiser that raised $3,200 and brought in nearly one thousand hours of volunteer involvement. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Tyree was named the 2024 National Eagle Scout of the Year by the American Legion and the 2025 National Eagle Scout of the Year by the Sons of the American Revolution.

This year, Catholic Scouting America awarded fifteen service scholarships totaling $40,000 to recognize Scouts nationwide for outstanding service and leadership in four areas: the Catholic Church, their community, school and Scouting. Since 2005, Catholic Scouting America (NCCS) has awarded a total of $348,000 in scholarships to 146 Scouts nationwide.