Members of Boy Scout Troop 204 Adam Touchtone, from left, Assistant Scoutmaster David Cole, Alex Cole and Britton Beane attended the 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference in Lansing, Mich. (CONTRIBUTED)

Britton Beane was selected to perform with the National Order of the Arrow Conference Band. Beane, shown with his baritone, also plays tuba with James Clemens High School Band. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Britton Beane, Alex Cole and Adam Touchton, members of Boy Scout Troop 204, attended the 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference in Lansing, Mich. with more than 15,000 fellow Scouts.

Assistant Scoutmaster David Cole also attended. Arrowmen from around the country gathered at Michigan State University on Aug. 3-9. The event celebrated the centennial anniversary of the Order of the Arrow, a national honor society of Boy Scouts of America.

The ‘Arrow’ “bestows recognition on young men who are selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting,” troop publicist Jodi Meder said. Boy Scouts “is one of the world’s few organizations where its entire leadership structure is comprised exclusively of young men (younger than) 21.”

As delegates, Beane, Cole and Touchton represented the Coosa Lodge and Greater Alabama Council.

Beane, a sophomore at James Clemens High School, was selected from 600 auditioning Scouts for the Arrow Band. He plays baritone and tuba in the Jets Band. Beane also enjoys lacrosse, skateboarding and his church youth group.

Sharing those same interests with Beane, Touchton also is a James Clemens sophomore. He also likes to play football and ‘hang out’ with friends. Cole, a seventh-grader at Liberty Middle School, likes football, baseball and swimming.

Conference activities included sports and educational sessions. Beane, Cole and Touchton participated in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classes, basketball and Frisbee football and “Jeopardy!” tournaments.

“The Hub, a giant open meeting area, had rock climbing, zip lining, BMX racing and patch trading,” Meder said. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was a keynote speaker.

“The Scouts took away key leadership development skills, critical to becoming good citizens and leaders in their community,” Meder said.

In service 50-plus years, Troop 204 is the oldest troop in Madison. “We’re proud to have had 10 boys make Eagle rank in the last several years,” Meder said. Troop 204 meets on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Madison United Methodist Church, 127 Church St.

Daniel Beane is Troop 204’s Scoutmaster. For more information visit troop204madison.com or noac2015.org.