FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2026
For more information:
Alison Harrison, Marketing and Communications Director
James Parnell, Scout Executive
Chesapeake, Va. – Alexander Hardison, a Life Scout from Troop 901 in Chesapeake, has been awarded the National Certificate of Merit by Scouting America. This meritorious action award recognizes a youth member or adult leader who has performed a significant act of service that deserves special national recognition.
Hardison, then aged 14, was on a family trip to Kerr Lake in Boydton, Virginia, in August 2024. Alexander’s brother, Brayden, who was seven years old at the time, was floating in the water near his father and learning to “kneeboard.” Like water skiing, kneeboarders sit in a kneeling position on a short wakeboard, hang onto a rope, and are towed behind a motorboat.
Brayden was nervous about falling off the kneeboard and strapped his knees to the board. He took off on another run and eventually let go of the rope. When he fell, Brayden could not free himself from the board and got stuck underneath. His father began swimming toward Brayden immediately, but was too far away to reach him.
Alexander, who was in the boat with his mother, noticed Brayden was underwater and yelled for her to turn the boat around. As the boat got closer and was still moving, Alexander jumped into the water. When he reached Brayden, his knees had come free, but he was still trapped under the board, too exhausted to get out. Alexander pulled Brayden away from the board and swam with him toward the boat. Alexander and his mother got Brayden into the boat and to safety.
Scouting America Tidewater Council presented the National Certificate of Merit to Alexander Hardison at its Council Recognition Banquet on April 29, 2026, at the Khedive Shrine Center in Chesapeake.
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About Scouting America’s Lifesaving and Meritorious Awards
Scouting America’s Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Awards recognize registered youth and adults who have made an attempt to save a life or who have performed notable acts of service. The National Court of Honor considers resourcefulness and demonstrated skill in rescue methods. Scouting America can award three levels of Lifesaving Awards: Heroism Award, Honor Medal, and Honor Medal with Crossed Palms, and two levels of Meritorious Action Awards: Medal of Merit and National Certificate of Merit.
About Scouting America Tidewater Council
Established in 1911, Tidewater Council is the fifth oldest Scouting America council in the United States. Today, the council serves approximately 4,000 youth and 1,700 adult volunteers in the Virginia cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, and the North Carolina counties of Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans. To learn more about Tidewater Council or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit TidewaterBSA.com, email [email protected], or call 757-497-2688.
About Scouting America
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®”
Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Scouting aims to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have participated in Scouting’s programs since its founding. Today, almost one million youth are served by 500,000 adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country.
To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit BeAScout.org.
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Donuts with Senators event for Eagle Scouts
Pictured, from left:
Senator Mark Warner
Alex Hardison
Brayden Hardison
Mable Stancill (Alex and Brayden’s grandmother)
Senator Tim Kaine
Scout Night with the Norfolk Tides 2025
Pictured, from left:
Rip Tide
Alex Hardison
Houston Roth (Norfolk Tides Pitcher)