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Pack 278 in the Francis Scott Key District hosted a World of Scouting Pack Meeting on March 15th. Each den chose a country and learned more about it. They researched information about the government, culture, religion, and history of the country they chose. They also learned about Scouting in the country. Dens found out about the names given to different ranks, the Scout Oath and Scout Law for that country, as well as the history of when scouting began and any significant events in their scouting history. The countries chosen were Scotland, Guatemala, Germany, Japan, Chile, and Brazil. A local Scout Troop, Troop 1998, also joined and researched Italy.
When choosing their countries several dens picked ones that had significance to their members. The den that chose Brazil has a scout whose family is from Brazil and the scout was actually in Brazil on the day of the meeting. The Wolf Den chose Guatemala, where one of the parents was a scout as a youth growing up. She was able to reach out to Guatemala and connected with Damaris Herrarte at the National Scout Association in Guatemala. Damaris is a Wolf Leader in Group #1 Saint Francis of Assisi, a Group that is turning 102 years old this year. Damaris joined the Pack meeting through a Zoom meeting where the Wolf parent served as an interpreter. The Cubs got to hear stories and ask questions about scouting in Guatemala.
Silvina Etchegoyen, the Scout Master for Troop 1070G, also attended the meeting to share stories about being a scout in her home country of Argentina. She explained the connection between scouting and The Jungle Book in Argentina and showed the cubs some of the awards cub scouts earn there. Mike Parrish, the FSK Program Chair and member of the International Committee, set up a display of uniforms he has collected from various countries and shared stories with the scouts of places he has visited.
Cubs then spent the rest of the meeting looking at the displays created by the dens, reading about other countries, and sampling some of the food that was brought in. Through this meeting, the scouts got a small glimpse at how big the scouting community is. They found some similarities between the countries and some differences. The Pack Committee plans to make this an annual event for the Pack and hopes to inspire the Cubs to want to attend events like World Jamboree and meet scouts from the countries they have learned about.

On Thursday, February 16, 2023, Pack 28 held their Blue and Gold Ceremony where Arrow of Light scouts Dilan S. and Charles (Charlie) P. received their Charles H. Townes Supernova awards. These two superstar scouts have been in orbit together ever since Mrs. Burroughs’s kindergarten class at Glenkirk Elementary in Gainesville, Virginia. They share a love of scouting, video games, and all things STEM. Charlie and Dilan motivate each other to take on challenges and set big goals. They have been working together and independently for the past year on various NOVA STEM awards and their Charles H. Townes Supernova.

Their countless joint scouting adventures have included exploring Skyline Caverns, visiting the George Mason University Observatory, indoor sky diving, indoor rock climbing, ice skating, an escape room, summer camp at Camp Ross, troop visits, Pinewood Derbies, popcorn storefronts, campouts and hikes. The boys started working on the Out of this World NOVA award together at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space museum in February of 2022 and things really took off from there. Over the summer, they earned 1-2-3 Go!, Swing!, and Up and Away together as part of their pack’s STEM mini-camps.

Dilan S. was a founding member of Pack 28’s pilot Lion den in 2017. Dilan has a great love of coding, and he inspired Charlie to join him at a coding camp last summer. Together, the boys learned how to program a Microbit and worked on game design. Dilan subsequently earned the Cubs Can Code NOVA. Dilan worked on his Cub Scout NOVA awards throughout 2022 and achieved five of the awards. It wasn’t until three months before crossover and inspired by Charlie when Dilan challenged himself and set a goal to earn the Charles H. Townes Supernova. He was up to the challenge and was able to achieve his goal. As part of the Supernova, Dilan’s mom, Kanar Sarraj, who is an electrical engineer, helped his den learn about and build electrical circuits. Reflecting on his scout STEM work, Dilan said that he liked learning more math and science. Of his Supernova, he noted, “I especially liked researching the scientists. Albert Einstein was the most interesting.” Dilan’s next endeavor is to achieve BSA Supernova awards and becoming an Eagle Scout.

Charlie P. joined the pack as a Tiger in first grade. After earning Nova Wild! as a Wolf and starting Up and Away with Dilan, he set a goal to earn all eleven of the Cub Scout NOVA awards and the Charles H. Townes Supernova before crossing over to a troop. Between council and pack programs, and daily work at home over the summer, he achieved his goal in December of 2022. Charlie’s favorite part of the Supernova was earning the Engineer Adventure. For his engineering project, Charlie worked with his grandfather, Robert Williams, who is an Eagle Scout and computer enthusiast, to build his own PC from spare parts. When asked about his favorite experiences, Charlie said, “I really liked learning new things and getting to meet Ms. Liv [his mentor] and the scouts from her pack.” Now, Charlie also has his sights set on the BSA Supernova awards along his trail to Eagle Scout.

The Charles H. Townes Supernova awards were presented to Dilan and Charlie by their mentor, Liv Martin of Pack 42. Later that same night, the boys crossed over to Troop 581 together. And so they continue to adventure on and inspire each other to shoot for the stars.

A dozen Scouts from Troop 58 of Ashburn went wild with civic engagement when they attended a public meeting of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on February 15, 2023. The Scouts were courteous and obedient, of course, but the topic of the evening was a proposed ordinance to limit the private ownership of certain wild, exotic and venomous animals, such as kangaroos, baboons, and vipers in the county.

The Scouts ranging in age from 12 to 17, from Scout to Life rank, were each working on requirements for the Citizenship in the Community and/or Communication Merit Badges. Before the meeting began, Chair Phyllis Randall asked the Scouts to introduce the Troop to the Board, after which she and Broad Run Supervisor Sylvia Glass gave the Scouts a tour of the Boardroom, including the dais. Senior Patrol Leader Connor Q. was invited to test out the gavel.

The Scouts had the opportunity to read about the proposed ordinance before the meeting, including issues encountered by first responders and delivery workers with potentially dangerous animals at residents’ homes. A story was shared of a recent enforcement officer visit to a property had multiple alligators, a caiman, Gaboon vipers and an 11-foot king cobra snake, which was reported on social media to be allowed to roam freely on the property. They learned that no effective anti-venom is readily available in the county, presenting a serious risk in the event of a bite.

The Scouts listened intently as the County Animal Services staff presented the issue, and constituents voiced their opinions and concerns related to the proposed ordinance. Two Scouts rose to address the Board of Supervisors, sharing their thoughts on the issue and directly participating in the process of local policymaking.

Even before they are old enough to vote, these Scouts are learning the importance of being informed and active citizens.