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For 11 years Tomball High School (THS) senior William Milby has been earning his merit badges as a member of Boy Scout Troop 471. He rose through the ranks and completed a complicated project to become an Eagle Scout. A lifetime of dedication has enabled Milby to complete a rare feat in the scouting world -- being awarded all 133 merit badges offered by the scouts.

“It’s feels great to accomplish this,” Milby said.

Merit badges were something added by the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, to encourage scouts to learn areas of interest and teach them valuable skills. The scouts started with 14 badges and over time have added more and subtracted some, leading to the current maximum of 129. There were four centennial badges that were offered for a short period during the Boy Scouts 100 year celebration. Milby earned those, giving him his grand total of 133.

Milby got into scouting early in life, encouraged by his mother Denise.

“He wanted to get involved because some of his friends were,” Denise said. “He’s always seemed to enjoy the learning.”

“My grandfather was big into scouting as was my uncle and my dad,” Will added. “I’ve always been drawn towards the outdoors.”

Will earned his Eagle Scout rank in junior high, by building a raised amphitheater to view the duck pond at Jones State Forest. He and his volunteer helpers put in more than 350 man hours on the project.

He credits scouting for helping him grow, as he is also involved in the THS Navy JROTC program, FFA, the JROTC color guard and air rifle teams and his church youth group at St. Anne’s Catholic Church.

“It’s helped me become more diverse.” he said. “I’ve been able to go and see the world and many different cultures.”

Milby also said his scouting work has given him a chance to grow closer to his family. Both his parents have volunteered for his local Boy Scout troop and his sister is part of the Adventure Crew, a co-ed program for 13-21 year olds to continue Boy Scout principles and leadership.

“We’ve had some really good adventures,” his mother added.

Milby said he wants to remain involved with the Boy Scouts after he turns 18, as it has given him so much. After high school he will be headed to Texas A&M to study geological engineering and hopes to join the Corps of Cadets.

“It’s made me a more well-rounded person and a chance to do and see so many things,” he said. “I just want to give back to others what I have had given to me.”

The Woodlands/Houston Chapter of Therapy Pet Pals of Texas is looking for volunteers with calm, friendly and obedient dogs to provide pet therapy to elderly and ill people at local healthcare facilities around The Woodlands/Montgomery County area.  The non-profit organization will be taking reservations until Sept. 7, for the Sept. 12 Qualifying/Training Class.  Please visit their website for complete information:  www.therapypetpals.org, and then call 512-347-1984 for pre-screening.

The 2012 Salem Lutheran School annual golf tournament raised $35,000 for athletic and educational needs for the school. The tournament had 133 golfers and 20 volunteers. The winning team consisted of (from left) Chuck Orrico, Salem Executive Pastor Tim Neikerk and his son Josiah, Ray Kym, and Michael Skains.

While many schools and several state education agencies are grumbling about what they say are unfair and unrealistic standards in federal education laws, the Tomball school system has found a way for most of its campuses to meet them.

The standards, called adequate yearly progress (AYP), were created by the No Child Left Behind Act. All public schools are evaluated annually in reading and math and meet the requirements if 87 percent of the students on a given campus pass the state reading and English test and 83 percent pass the math test.

Creekside Forest, Canyon Pointe, Lakewood, Rosehill, Tomball and Willow Creek elementaries all met the standards, as did Northpointe Intermediate, Willow Wood Junior High, Tomball Junior High and Tomball Memorial High School.

The district as a whole also met the requirements, one of only eight schools in the 51-school Region 4 area to do so. Only 28 percent of all Texas schools met or exceeded the requirements.

“AYP standards substantially increased this year,” Tomball Superintendent John Neubauer said. “All of our employees worked together to meet the needs of our students and that includes meeting AYP. I am proud that are district met the federal standard, but we have more work to do.”

Decker Prairie Elementary, Canyon Pointe Elementary and Tomball High School Elementary did not make the requirements. This was the second year that Decker Prairie, a Title 1 school, did not meet AYP. Under federal law, if a Title 1 school does not meet AYP standards for two consecutive years in the same subject, it has to allow students the option to attend a different school within the district.

School officials said that although Decker Prairie did not meet the standards, they still believe that the school and the students are performing well. The school met the standards overall, but one subgroup did not. Under the law all subgroups must meet the standards as well.

“The campus missed AYP for reading in one subgroup,” Randy Reedy, Tomball’s director of accountability, said. “The subgroup must increase their scores by two percentage points this year in order to meet AYP. That’s a small number of students. However, the campus met AYP for all other subgroups in reading and math.”

The same goes for Tomball High School, as one subgroup did not meet the standards in math, causing the school to fall short. Three subgroups at Tomball Intermediate did not meet AYP.

Officials stated that they have already designed a plan to ensure the other schools meet AYP next year.

“We are analyzing the student data to target the individualized needs of our students,” said Darlene Blair, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “We are also providing intervention through curriculum, instructional strategies and professional development for teachers.”

By 2014 the federal AYP standards will increase to a 100 percent passing rate for both subjects.

Montgomery County deputies have charged a Magnolia man after a drunken fight led to a stabbing at his home.

Police say that Benjamin Beasley, 31, stabbed Christopher C. Holliday during an early morning disturbance at Beasley’s home Aug. 17.

Deputies responded to Beasley’s home on Dobbin-Hufsmith Road around 4:30 that morning. When they arrived they found Holliday lying in the doorway and covered in blood. In an odd twist deputies say that Beasley was tending to the victim when they arrived.

Holliday had multiple stab wounds to his arms, throat and abdomen. His situation was critical at the time, but his condition has improved to stable, although he is still in an intensive care unit.

Deputies said the incident occurred after a night of heavy drinking at Beasley’s home.

“When Beasley’s wife and Holliday woke Beasley to move him into a bed, Beasley became agitated and threatened his wife with a knife,” a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office statement said. “She ran to a nearby home to call for assistance and could hear calls for help from Holliday.”

Beasley was arrested at his mobile home and taken to jail. He is being held on a $150,000 bond.

Deputies say that detectives are still reviewing evidence and investigating the case.