Virginia offers lots of different license plates: for colleges, for military branches, even for the Harley Owners Group. How about one for Eagle Scouts? Maryland has one, shouldn’t Virginia? If you are an Eagle Scout with a vehicle registered in Virginia and would be interested, please fill out this form: https://goo.gl/Cg3o29
Articles
Wood Badgers Honored at University of Scouting
At University of Scouting nineteen Scouters from four Wood Badge courses were awarded their beads during a lunchtime ceremony attended by two hundred Wood badgers and supporters.
First recipients of the New Hornaday Unit Patch
Congratulations to Pack 1530 in Powhatan District for being the first unit to earn the new NCAC Hornaday Unit award patch.
William T. Hornaday awards are given for distinguished service to natural resource conservation. The Hornaday Unit certificate is awarded to a pack, troop, crew or ship of five or more Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA Scouts, Venturers, or Sea Scouts for participating in a substantial conservation project. At least 60 percent of registered youth must participate. The Unit award may be awarded for participation in a Hornaday Badge or Medal project, for participation in an outside organization’s conservation project, or for a standalone project the unit planned and conducted on its own.
NCAC developed this new patch for the participants in Hornaday Unit award projects. It features the Smithsonian Castle and a bison because William T. Hornaday, a taxidermist for the Smithsonian, is credited with helping to prevent the extinction of the America bison.
Pack 1530 earned this prestigious conservation award by participating in Boy Scout John Foong’s Hornaday Badge project to remove invasive plant Japanese stiltgrass at Frying Pan Farm Park. Japanese stiltgrass is invasive because it is non-native, grows aggressively, and crowds out native plants. Pack 1530 Cub Scouts, scouters, alums, and family members helped over 100 other volunteers remove 110 large garbage bags of stiltgrass. In the spring, volunteers will help plant native shrubs and perennials on the site where the stiltgrass once lived. This project site is part of Fairfax County Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area (IMA) program.
For more information about Hornaday projects, please go to the NCAC Hornaday page (https://www.ncacbsa.org/advancement/awards-and-recognition/hornaday/). We strongly advise any scout interested in a Hornaday project or any unit interested in a Hornaday Unit award to identify a Hornaday Adviser to guide you through the process.
“Unusual prizes are won only by unusual service.”
– William T. Hornaday
“Very special thanks to our local Cub Scouts who participated in clean-ups. Your efforts will help the land to heal and provide a fresh landscape for native plants and animals to live. When we all pull together great things happen. May you all continue your wonderful work in conservation and thank you all so much from your friends at Frying Pan Farm Park.”
– Patrick Macnamara, land manager at Frying Pan Farm Park
Online YPT Course Replaced on March 1st: Make Sure You Completed Training
On March 1, 2019, the online YPT Course was replaced with an updated version.
If you started—but did not complete—the current Youth Protection Training by February 28th, any progress you made will not have been transferred. You will have to start over.
If you completed the current Youth Protection Training by March 1st, you WILL NOT have been affected.
Completions will not be recorded on my.scouting.org until you have completed all 3 modules and the certification test.
To print your completion certificate, return to my.scouting.org, select “Menu” then “My Dashboard.” Your Youth Protection Training Certificate can be printed by selecting the printer icon in the “YPT Status” area.
NCAC Kicks Off 2019 Milkweed for Monarchs Conservation Project
On Saturday, February 2nd, the National Capital Area Conservation Committee kicked-off the 2nd year of Milkweed for Monarchs, Inspiring Conservation in Scouts and Their Families. Hosted by George Washington University. Scouters and their families learned from national monarch expert, Pete Berthelson, about growing milkweed and providing habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. He taught about providing pollen and nectar throughout the entire year, options for growing milkweed and native flowers from seed, the importance of seed-soil contact, and our role in making a difference. The event drew 400 Scouters to GW and is sure to again inspire Scouts to action.
2019 Akela Chess Classic
On Saturday, February 2 and Saturday, February 9 scouts from all over the National Capital Area Council competed in the Council’s five-round chess tournament, the Akela Chess Classic. The February 2nd event, held at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon, VA, was the Scouts BSA tournament, open to all scouts in troops, crews and ships. Seventeen scouts competed in two brackets: age 10-12 and age 13 and up. In the younger-scout bracket, one scout took first-place honors, with one scout finishing second, and three scouts finishing third. In the older-scout bracket one scout took first-place honors, with three scouts finishing second and three scouts finishing third. The first-place winner in each bracket finished with a perfect 5-0 score.
The February 9th event, held at St. Raphael School in Rockville, MD, was the Cub Scout tournament, open to all scouts in Cub Scout packs. Twenty-seven scouts competed in two brackets: Lion/Tiger/Wolf and Bear/Webelos/Arrow of Light, with awards given for first, second, or third by rank. One Tiger took part, winning first place for his rank. There were one first-place, two second-place, and one third-place finishers in the Wolf rank. For the Bear rank, one scout finished first, one finished second, and two finished third. The Webelos rank had five first-place finishers, three second-place finishers, and one in third place. Rounding out the tournament were one first-place Arrow of Light scout, one in second place, and three in third place. The first-place Wolf and Bear each had a perfect 5-0 score.
Each round of the Akela Chess Classic is limited to one hour, with touch-move rules in effect; under these rules if a player touches a piece he is obligated to move it. All participating scouts must know, in advance of the tournament, the rules of chess and how to play. The 2019 Cub Scout tournament was the 14th annual tournament, and the 2019 Scouts BSA tournament was the 8th annual tournament.
A fun and exciting time was had by all participating scouts. All are looking forward to the Akela Chess Classic next year!