We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

Scouting with Dad – Ray Posluszny!

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Happy Father’s Day to A.J. Posluszny! We have been Scouting together for over 20 years now and have had many great adventures! Here’s to many more!

I started Scouting 21 years ago as Tiger in Michigan. My mother quickly became involved as a Den Leader and shortly after as the Cubmaster. My dad was much more in the background because of his work at the time. It wasn’t until I was beginning my Webelos 2 year and we had moved to Pennsylvania that he became much more involved. As I crossed over into my first Troop, he was right there with me, on just about every campout with our Troop. He taught me many of the Scout skills that I still know and pass on to others now. He was with me on every step of my Scouting Trail, from Scout to Eagle in 2009.

He was there supporting me in my role with the Lodge as a Chairman of a committee, to serving as the Lowwapaneu Lodge Secretary, to serving as a Section Vice Chief. I received the Vigil honor in 2010, then had the honor of serving as his guide and in his Vigil Ceremony the following year in 2011.

We planned District Events together, we helped build a Native American Program for our Council in Pennsylvania, and we went to Philmont together.

For all of this, you received my Mentor Pin at my Eagle Court of Honor, as well as the Eagle Dad Pin.

We have continued Scouting’s Journey together, even now we support each other in two different Districts in NCAC.

Thank you, Dad, for all you have done for me. I look forward to continuing Scouting’s Journey together going forward as you can now help my son and your Grandson through this amazing program!

Ashburn Troop 997 Brings Scouts Back Together to Feed the Hungry

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Troop 997 has been busy in recent months, running virtual Troop meetings, new Scout training programs and numerous virtual merit badges. But they wanted to do more for the community and those in need, and if possible, do it together.

Scoutmaster Terry Kolb’s first Troop challenge was to get each Scout to take their family out to nearby walking trails and parks to clean up litter and debris. Twenty-one Scouts answered the call!

Scoutmaster Kolb thought big for his second challenge – he asked the Troop to distribute flyers in their neighborhoods asking for food donations to replenish the shelves of the Dulles South Food Pantry. Twenty-three Scouts and seventeen parents/siblings collected food, sorted it (in a social distanced manner) and filled the Troop trailer with food for the Pantry, collecting nearly 1400 pounds of donated food, and accruing 100 service hours for Scouts and adults in the process.

Post-job pizza allowed Scouts to reconnect after a Spring of video-only interaction, and now that new rules are allowing for Troop activities (following prescribed guidelines) to recommence, the Scouts are looking forward to resuming Troop meetings, weekend activities and more service opportunities.

STEM@Home Speaker Series: Join the Conversations!

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Every Thursday at 7PM, you can join our STEM@Home Speaker Series!

We host conversations to learn about exciting STEM careers! So far we’ve featured a medical physicist, airline pilot, virtual reality, chess strategy, and an engineer…. if you missed them, you can head over to www.facebook.com/NCACSTEM where the talks are archived!

The next two presenters are a physicist and a veterinarian. Read more about them, see how these conversations tie into your awards, leap into STEM career exploration, and secure your spot here: https://scoutingevent.com/082-STEMSpeakers Be sure to register early to join the ZOOM conversation with the speakers!

June 18: Science Night: A Conversation with Dr. Nick Maliszewskyj

“What are neutrons and how are they useful? Neutrons are a particle with no electrical charge and which stabilize atomic nuclei. They are liberated as a byproduct of fission in nuclear reactors and radioactive decay and can be used as a probe to determine the composition and structure of materials. Because they have a magnetic moment they can also tell us about the magnetic structure of different kinds of materials. In a neutron scattering facility, scientists use neutrons to determine the structure and dynamic properties of all kinds of materials, from superconductors to superglue.”

Dr. Nick Maliszewskyj earned a Ph. D. in Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994. He currently works as the team leader for data acquisition at the NIST Center for Neutron Research, an international facility for materials research. He has served as an instrument scientist and lead controls engineer for more than fifteen neutron scattering instrumentation projects over his twenty five years at the facility.

June 25: Science Night: A Conversation with Dr. Carmela Stamper

Pets, livestock (like dairy cows and honeybees), and zoo animals need doctors, just like people do. But, did you know that veterinarians do more than give shots and do surgery? Veterinarians have many important roles in our everyday lives that you may not be aware of. Why on earth would you want to be a veterinarian? How do you become a veterinarian? What are some of the invisible roles veterinarians play in your life? What’s life like as a veterinarian in practice? What’s it like working as a veterinarian in the government? Do veterinarians get to play with puppies and kittens all day long? Who is James Herriot and why is he so important to many veterinarians? Are pheasants native to the U.S.? How fast does a ferret’s heart beat? Does heartworm disease only affects dogs? Which carries more of a horse’s body weight—its front legs or its back legs? Is xylitol is safe for dogs? (And what is it?) Get the answers to these and other burning questions during Dr. Stamper’s talk.

Dr. Carmela Stamper earned her D.V.M. degree from The Ohio State University in 1995. She worked in a companion animal (pet) hospital before starting a career with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Her first role at FDA was as an animal drug reviewer, where she evaluated data for new animal drugs. She now works on the Center’s Education and Outreach Team, where she writes articles for the Center’s website, responds to phone calls and emails from the public, and helps teach the public about FDA’s role in their lives. Dr. Stamper is an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 1397 in Damascus, MD. Her two-legged family includes her son, who is an Eagle Scout, and her husband, who is also an assistant scoutmaster in Troop 1397. Dr. Stamper’s four-legged family includes Daisy, her tennis-ball-crazy Flat-coated Retriever, and Bowie, her pudgy guinea pig.

Scouting with Dad – Jonathan Cartner!

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Happy Father’s Day to David Cartner!  Scouting has always been important to the Cartners and one of the main activities that we consistently did together for almost 30 years now.

When my father retired from the Army we settled back in his home state of Missouri from Belize where I was quickly able to get involved in normal 8 year old stuff like little league and Scouting.  Dad was always a visible presence with me when I started in Cub Scouts from Den/Pack meetings and helping me with my pinewood derby cars.  This led to me crossing over into Troop 41 in Sikeston, MO where I became an Eagle Scout in 1997 most due to his consistence pushing to finish merit badges, serve in leadership roles, and attending camping events.  Receiving my Eagle Scout rank at a young age allowed me to really get involved with the Order of Arrow where my father followed right behind me.  Dad was able to watch me be elected by my peers to Lodge Chief of Anpetu-We Lodge #100 where I received my Vigil Honor.  The very next year my father was also called out to receive the Vigil.  This was one of my most proudest moment with him as I was able to give back to him as his guide for all that he had done for during my time with the Lodge.  In 2003 I was elected Section Chief with the Order of the Arrow which kickstarted my time on NOAC staffs.  In typical David Cartner status he was able to join me a couple NOACs later and the two of us have served on 5 NOAC staffs together over the years.

 

All this support and dedication from my father absolutely lead me to a career with the Boy Scouts of America.  This career has brought me through 4 councils across three states helping support programs that give any kid willing and wanting the same experiences that I have had.

 

Thank you David Cartner for all you have done for me over the last 36 years! Love you.

 

Microscope + Camping = FUN !!!

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Hey Scouts! Have you ever wondered what nature looks like under a microscope? What tiny creatures are in a drop of water? What a blade of grass or a leaf looks like when you get REALLY close to it? What the wings of a fly look like up close?

This summer you can explore nature with a folding microscope. When you Family Camp at either Goshen Scout Reservation or Camp Snyder, you will receive a free, 140 power magnification microscope so you can see nature in miniature.

Cubs, Webelos, Scouts BSA, Venturers and even Sea Scouts can sign up for Family Camping at Goshen Scout Reservation or Camp Snyder!

We look forward to seeing you at camp with your microscope!

Photo by: Magical Child Hood