We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

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Scouts BSA Supernova Award Recipient

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On January 5, 2019, Dominic Gagliardi was awarded not only his Eagle Award but also the Dr. Bernard Harris Super Nova Award.

When Dominic started High School in the fall of 2014, he joined the Botball team of Explorer Post 1010 in addition to being a member of Boy Scout Troop 944 and Venture Crew 27, to start his path to the award. During this high school years he earned three Nova awards with each requiring earning a merit badge, at least 3 hours of study, and an experiment and a field trip.

Then, to earn the Super Nova, Dominic had to fulfill several more requirements, including earning 5 more STEM merit badges, researching a STEM career, shadowing a scientist or engineer, participating in STEM competition, researching a STEM debate, and sharing his knowledge. He shared what he learned by helping Cub Scout Pack 1975 earn a part of a nova award. Among other things, he showed them how a soda can demonstrated two different levers. As a member of Post 1010, Dominic participated in Botball competitions for each of his four years of high school. To prepare for theses competition,s he spent a minimum of 3 hours each week building, rebuilding , and coding an autonomous robot made from a rumba.

Only 20 others Boy Scouts have earned the Dr. Bernard Harris Super Nova award in our Council since its inception in 2012.

Milkweed for Monarchs 2019 Kick-off

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The following observations from the February 2nd Milkweed for Monarchs Kick-off event were written by Owen M., a Webelos in Pack 1188, and submitted by Brian McDougal. Thank you, Owen, for supporting this important conservation effort, and for your reporting on this event. 

Hi my name is Owen, I am a Webelos Scout. I went to the Milkweed for Monarchs 2019 kickoff event on February 2, 2019. The National Capital Area Conservation Committee held the event in Washington DC at George Washington University. There were a lot of Scouts and Scouters there.

First, Will Roger, chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee told us what the committee does. They encourage conservation. Conservation is when people appreciate the world around them and take care of it. They want it to stay nice. He told us about lots of different awards Scouts can earn, like the Hornaday awards, Conservation Good Turn award, Messengers of Peace, Scout Ranger Patch, Hometown award, and some others.

Next, Alex Echols told us about Monarchs and why we should plant Milkweed. We should plant it because there aren’t enough Milkweed plants for the Monarchs to lay their eggs on and it is the only plant Monarchs lay their eggs on. The caterpillars eat the milkweed and that is what makes them toxic to predators.

We watched a video by national Monarch expert Peter Berthelson of Conservation Blueprint and learned how to plant Milkweed. We learned some tips, like if you want to buy Milkweed, don’t buy the tropical kind because it blooms at the wrong time for the Monarchs and doesn’t help them. You should buy native kinds like common milkweed, butterfly milkweed, and swamp milkweed.

Everyone got a packet of Milkweed seeds (for the caterpillars) and a packet of seeds of nectar producing plants (for the adults). All the Scouts got a special patch for the participating in the Milkweed for Monarch program. For more information about Monarchs, please visit https://www.monarchwatch.org/ and https://journeynorth.org/

Owen M.

Webelos Scout

Pack 1188

Looking for more info on planting your milkweed? Check out this step by step guide and tip sheet.

Milkweed Seed Planting Instructions

  1. In March plant seeds indoors to grow seedlings for later transplant
  2. Punch holes in bottom of cup a Solo cup (Support interior of cup when punching holes)
  3. Use potting soil for growing medium and fill cup and lightly pack down
  4. Plant seeds, approximately 3 to a cup, plant half inch deep. Lightly water and keep slightly Overwatering will kill plants. Check daily – may only need watering every few days. Place in south facing window – with something under cup
  5. Seeds will germinate typically in 15 – 35 days. Not all seeds will germinate. Be patient and provide consistent attention – slight watering and sun
  6. When seedlings are 6 – 10 inches high and the outside temperature is warm start to put outside during day (commonly late April but depends on weather)
  7. Use common sense – don’t “sunburn” your seedlings by putting them out directly into really hot day
  8. Bring indoors and protect from frost and heavy rains
  9. Plant milkweed seedlings (typically May – around Mothers Day good target)
  10. Select plot free of grass where milkweed can grow throughout year
  11. Dig hole just slightly larger than cup seedling is growing in
  12. Plant – gently pressing soil around seedling – plant level with ground
  13. Gently water and track for moisture for the next month
  14. Manage Monarch Plot and watch for monarch caterpillars on milkweed throughout year. They may appear as early as June or as late as August
  15. Plant your additional pollinator plants near the milkweed – again May is good time to plant those seeds directly into the ground
  16. In fall you may want to collect seeds after milkweed seed pods dry
  17. Milkweed plant should re-emerge next year and hopefully may even spread

You can always check other recommendations on milkweed and monarch management.  There are plenty of resources.  Here is the link to today’s video.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x4h09burhqv8r7d/Boy%20Scouts%20-%20How%20to%20Grow%20Milkweed.mp4?dl=0

 

 

 

Old Dominion 2019 Klondike Derby Breaks Records – Again!

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Wow! This years’ Klondike Derby was a fantastic, record-setting success!

The Klondike Derby is a fun patrol-level competition emphasizing Scout Skills, Leadership, and Scout Spirit. We draw scouts and units from the entire region for a weekend of fun, challenge, and cold-weather camping.

This year we broke records again with more than 700 participants, including:
• more than 500 scouts
• in 78 patrols
• from 46 units
• representing 10 districts
• from all five NCAC service areas, and
• two councils.
• Twenty-two units that had never attended our Klondike before joined us. That’s
• One impressive District-level event!

The Klondike staff and volunteers developed 36 challenging stations set out across all of the Harpers Ferry KOA. Twelve stations were brand new, another four stations weren’t offered last year, and al-most every station had a new twist on it so returning scouts didn’t have a leg-up on first timers.

 

Special thanks to these units for sponsoring/adopting their own stations, adding fun and variety for the scouts and carrying some of the water for the Klondike Key 3:
• Western Shore Troop 430, Minecraft
• ODD Troop 856, Sight-N-Go
• Patriot Troop 1346, Yeti Snacks
• Occoquan Troop 1363, Raging River
• Occoquan Troop 1390, Jeopardy
• ODD Troop 1518, Trivial Pursuit
• Western Shore Troop 1785, Svenska Fickilampa
• ODD Troop 1853, Avalanche, Chilkoot Pass, Do You Want to Build a Snowflake?, Headbanger’s Ball, Klondike Kate’s Kitchen (with help from lots of other units), Natural Gas Power, Radioac-tive Tailings, Simple Machines, Swimming Upstream, Palace Grand Follies
• ODD Troop 4673, Compass Pie

The Stations were staffed by close to 200 of our in- and out-of-district scouters who came with their units. Adults don’t accompany patrols, so the scouts had a real test of their skills and teamwork. But, the adults still had fun!

To compete in the Klondike, a patrol must manage their time wisely. They have seven program hours and a choice of stations of varying difficulty and pointes. The planning and leadership challenge is to earn as many points as possible, quickly, and move through as many stations as possible.

Patrols were tested on their leadership and teamwork most of all, but also had to demonstrate Scout skills, Merit Badge proficiencies, backcountry abilities, and being physically strong and mentally awake. The patrols that won also demonstrated the best Scout Spirit at each and every station.

Everyone wins at the Klondike – the event gets patrols out in an environment where they get to have fun and compete without having to worry about cooking meals or doing KP. Plus, Klondike bars …

To compete in the Klondike, a patrol must manage their time wisely. They have seven program hours and a choice of stations of varying difficulty and pointes. The planning and leadership challenge is to earn as many points as possible, quickly, and move through as many stations as possible.

Patrols were tested on their leadership and teamwork most of all, but also had to demonstrate Scout skills, Merit Badge proficiencies, backcountry abilities, and being physically strong and mentally awake. The patrols that won also demonstrated the best Scout Spirit at each and every station.

Everyone wins at the Klondike – the event gets patrols out in an environment where they get to have fun and compete without having to worry about cooking meals or doing KP. Plus, Klondike bars.

The 2019 Old Dominion District Klondike Derby welcomed troops, crews, and volunteers from the following districts: Aquia, Baltimore Area Council’s Capitol District, Colonial, Occoquan, Patriot, Patuxent, Piedmont, Po-tomac, Powhatan, Seneca, Washington DC, and Western Shore. Don’t see your district listed? Join us next year: Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 2, 2020. Once again, we will offer discounts for units that leave Saturday night for religious observances!

Potomac District 2019 Klondike Derby

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In 1897 a gold discovery near Klondike, a region of the Yukon territory in northwest Canada, triggered the Klondike Gold Rush, which lasted from 1897 until 1899. Around 100,000 people decided to travel there, but only about 30,000 have been reported to have made it there.

In 1949 Boy Scout Troops from the Northern United States and from Canada started their reenactment of the Klondike Gold Rush to test their winter Scout skills and called it the Klondike Derby. It has since been adapted by Troops all over the United States, especially those with snow in their winters.

On Saturday, January 26, Units from the NCAC Potomac District met at Little Bennett Campgrounds in Germantown Maryland, to compete in the annual Potomac Klondike Derby. Despite most of the snow from the previous week washed away by Thursday’s rain, the freezing temperatures ensured the genuine Klondike winter feel, and most of the Scouts earned their Potomac District Polar Bear Patch for overnight camping below freezing point.

During the day on Saturday, temperatures reached well into the upper 30’s, and the Order of the Arrow made sure Scouts and Scouters could warm up at their Hot Chocolate Stations and campfires on each of the 2 playing fields. The Scout Spirit was very high among the 68 Klondike Crews who competed.

Troop 3’s “Bear” Patrol was able to complete the Sled Relay Race the fastest and took first prize. Overall standings of this year’s Potomac District Klondike Derby saw the all-female Patrol the “Cryptids” of Crew 461 walked away with top honors and this year’s Klondike flag. The “Duelmusters” Patrol of Troop 1450 came in second, and the “Penguins” Patrol of Troop 249 came in 3rd.

The closing ceremony began with honoring Scout Master Bruce Crock of Troop 440 who has “Gone Home” on January 15th of this year.

The evening ended with the Calling Out ceremony of an impressive number of 38 newly elected Order of the Arrow candidates.

NCAC Set for February 2nd Kick Off of 2019 Milkweed for Monarchs Conservation Project

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On Saturday, February 2nd, the National Capital Area Conservation Committee will kick-off the 2nd year of Milkweed for Monarchs, Inspiring Conservation in Scouts and Their Families. This year’s program is again presented by the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, and will be hosted by George Washington University.

Scouters and their families will have the opportunity to learn from national monarch expert, Pete Berthelson, about growing milkweed and providing habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. He’ll teach 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.

“Monarch butterflies are crucial to agriculture and plants of all kinds,” said Will Rodger, Chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee. “We can save them as long as Scouts and other Americans ‘Do Their Best’ to help them.”

The youth-friendly presentation is sure to inspire attendees to take action to help save the vanishing monarch butterfly through the building of a healthy and sustainable pollinator habitat. In addition, Scouts and others who attend will receive a free Milkweed for Monarchs patch, plus an easy-to-use seed packet of milkweed and other native, nectar-producing plants that nourish monarch caterpillars and butterflies throughout the growing season.

“Planting and encouraging milkweed and wildflowers are the most important things we can all do right here, right now,” said Rodger.

Scouters and others are invited to attend, but registration is limited. The event will take place on February 2nd from 10 am to 12 pm at George Washington University, Room 113, 1957 E St. NW, Washington DC. For more information or to register, please visit www.ncacbsa.org/monarchs.

AKELA Chess Classic Expands to Include Entire Council

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Powhatan District has hosted a Chess Classic for a decade under the direction of Roger Claff and Peter Snow. This year, they are expanding the Chess Classic to be Council-wide. This is a tournament with 5 rounds. Scouts need to register for their age appropriate bracket. Please see the links below for tournament rules and additional details.

The Scouts BSA Tournament will be held on February 2nd at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Herndon, VA. The Cub Scout Tournament will be held on February 9th at St. Raphael School in Rockville, MD.

Those interested in participating in the Cubs Tournament can register at https://scoutingevent.com/082-akelaChess_CUBS. For those who wish to participate in the Scouts BSA Tournament, please visit https://scoutingevent.com/082-akelaChess_SCOUTS for registration and more information.