Pikesville resident Guy Taylor is a proven, seasoned leader — and he’s only 17 and a high school junior.
This June, Guy will receive the Congressional Award in Washington, D.C., at a ceremony honoring 483 students from across the nation who will earn the prestigious community service designation.
Established in 1979 by Congress, the award recognizes service, initiative and achievement among young Americans between the ages of 14 and 24. Participants earn bronze, silver and gold certificates and medals.
A Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community Day School student, Guy exceeded the requirements for a gold medal. He has logged 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and participated in a five-day, four-night expedition.
Guy’s application — which took three months to chronicle and document – included lifeguarding and swimming instruction at Beth Tfiloh Camps, high school varsity tennis and honor society leadership at BT, and service and leadership with the Boy Scouts.
The latter includes attaining the rank of Eagle Scout and leading a seven-day sailboat expedition in Florida.
Guy said he originally learned about the Congressional Award through scouting and social media.
“It’s voluntary public service, not just sitting in the back of the room, making sure everything runs smoothly,” he said. “It’s being really involved and active in planning and participating and executing almost everything that goes on.”
For instance, as a lifeguard Guy said he didn’t simply want to sit in a chair and blow a whistle. He developed lesson plans and provided swimming safety instruction for up to 20 children at a time.
“My goal specifically was not only to improve my own swimming but to improve my instruction,” he said. “It really does make you feel good, seeing how it pays off in the span of four-to-eight weeks. And it makes you feel like you’re making a difference.”
At BT, Guy served as president of the school’s National Honor Society chapter. In that role, he said he mentors new board members to meet the responsibilities associated with promoting academics.
Guy is also part of Diller Teen Fellows, a yearlong immersive leadership program inviting teens from around the world to visit Israel and participate in social action.
In addition, Guy is co-leader of the American Israeli Political Affairs Committee Club at BT and attends local meetings with elected officials to discuss support for Israel.
The bulk of his community service was through his nine years with the Boy Scouts, and continued after earning the Eagle Scout rank at age 14 in 2021.
Guy’s scoutmaster, Dan Dinkin, remembers first meeting him in late 2017 when Guy moved up to Boy Scouts.
“It was very clear he was a bright kid who was really into what was going on and wanted to excel at everything he did with respect to scouting,” Dinkin said. “He was very eager to be involved and go on trips and learn the skills, and then to learn is to teach the skills. He didn’t shy away from tough things.”
During the pandemic, Guy created weekly virtual programming to keep the troop intact, engaged and progressing in skills development.
“I really attribute the fact that we really didn’t lose any scouts during COVID to his ability to keep everybody interested in what was going on,” Dinkin said. “I was very impressed with that. …
“Scouting is not for the adults to teach the kids; it’s not for the adults to lead the kids,” he said. “It’s for the kids to lead the kids. He gets that and he really takes that role very seriously. He applies that to everything that he does. He’s a very impressive kid.”
Now, Guy is focused on studying for his Advanced Placement tests in early May and beginning to look at colleges. He said he is interested in studying finance.
“He’s not comfortable just doing,” said his father, Marty Taylor. “He’s always striving for excellence. Earning something that only 483 people in the country this year earned, it really is exactly who he is.”
Linda L. Esterson is an Owings Mills-based freelance writer.
In the Democratic primary for the 6th District congressional seat, Joe Vogel, 27, finished second behind April McClain Delaney.
The repurposed historic synagogue will serve as a center of Jewish learning and community engagement.
The Prince George's County Executive will face her GOP rival, former Gov. Larry Hogan, in November..
Even before he had fully flushed out the business model for his dog-friendly bar Bark Social, Luke Silverman turned to Nemphos Braue LLC for guidance.