We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

NCAC Donors Offer $60,000 Giving Day Match!

by

NCAC’s Giving Day and Summer of Service Kick-off  is right around the corner!

Due to the extraordinary generosity of several supporters including Sally Snyder and George B. Delaplaine Jr., we are excited to announce a $60,000 matching gift! This means each individual gift up to $60,000 will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the support of local Scouting programs. We need your help to get us to $60,000 raised on Giving Day so that we can claim this generous match to strengthen our programs and ensure that every youth who wants to be a Scout has the opportunity. To help us reach our goal, please visit www.ncacbsa.org/SummerGiving

Not only will we be raising funds on  June 10th for our Giving Day, but we will also be kicking off NCAC’s Summer of Service. Be sure to join us on our Facebook page for some special guest speakers, ideas, and inspiration for your summer service activities and to see if you or your unit’s past service activities will be featured!

Meet 2021 NOESA Honoree Dr. William Hubbard

by

Dr. William (Bill) Hubbard spent his formative years as a Boy Scout in the hardwood forests of Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin where he learned to love and appreciate the outdoors and held several leadership positions in the BSA and the Order of the Arrow.  He was awarded Eagle Scout on his 14th birthday in 1976 with Troop 501 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, in Naperville, Illinois, and headed to Philmont Scout Ranch for two weeks of high adventure two months later.

Bill received degrees in forest management and forest economics at the University of Florida  (UF) and spent two summers on staff at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico where he taught mountain search and rescue skills and told ghost stories to scouts coming through the Urraca Mesa Camp.  He was active in student organizations and the Sigma Nu men’s fraternity.

After college, he was offered a faculty position at UF as a statewide Extension forester with responsibilities in forest management and urban forestry. This was an amazing experience as he learned another thing to love and appreciate: lifelong education.  This position afforded him an opportunity to become part of a team at an institution that meant a great deal to him and provided him an opportunity to develop and deliver educational services to youth and adults interested in forest management and natural resources.  He traveled extensively within the state, nationally, and even internationally to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DCR) as part of a USAID agroforestry effort. In 1993 he accepted the position of Southern Regional Extension Forester serving thirteen southern Land Grant Extension programs and the USDA Forest Service. The position was housed at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.  He earned a Phd in Adult Education and Program Evaluation from the University of Georgia’s Department of Lifelong Education, Administration and Policy in 2010.

After 25 years at the University of Georgia, Dr. Hubbard accepted the position of State Program Leader and Assistant Director, University of Maryland Extension with responsibilities in the environmental, natural resources and Sea Grant programmatic areas.  He currently provides administrative leadership to Maryland’s diverse natural resources programs including forestry, wildlife, wood products, fisheries and aquaculture, watershed, energy, climate and home horticulture/Master Gardener programs.  These programs include over 35 faculty and staff members within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and throughout the state of Maryland.  Dr. Hubbard has authored or co-authored over 100 refereed, popular or Extension publications in his career, and has been active in several professional societies including the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) where he served as President, Executive Secretary and most recently received the Distinguished Service Award, the Society of American Foresters (SAF) where he was elected Fellow in 2018, and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) where he is current Deputy Director of the Extension, and Knowledge Exchange (EKE) Working Party.

He is married to Joni Hubbard and has four sons: Liam, Duncan, Keenan and Sean.

Please join us on Wednesday, June 2 at 6:00pm as we recognize Dr. Hubbard and his fellow 2021 NOESA Honorees. To become a sponsor for this event, please visit www.NCACBSA.org/NOESA. Proceeds will go towards providing Eagle Scout Recognition Kits for new Eagle Scouts in the National Capital Area Council.

A Stellar Performance for a Supernova Award Winner

by

It is AOL crossover season once again, and this year the National Capital Area Council’s very own Pack 698 in Burke, VA had one Arrow of Light Scout who became the first ever Cub Scout in his Pack to receive the Dr. Charles H. Townes Supernova Award. Lian Flinner is a fifth grader at White Oaks Elementary School and has been in Cub Scouts since he was old enough to join. As a Tiger Scout, he was always interested in building Legos like most children, but his interest grew as the years went on. He started to become curious about electronics, computers, and eventually robotics. As he neared the end of his Cub Scout journey, he decided to put his skills to the test during his final months in Pack 698. He chose to complete the challenging Supernova Award for the Webelos rank with less than a month to spare. While navigating a pandemic that challenged his ability to complete the requirements, he successfully completed his goal, and on May 1, 2021, he was awarded the medal alongside his fellow AOL Cub Scouts, who all received the Down and Dirty Nova Award.

While working together with his mentor, Neal Erickson (Cubmaster for Pack 698), Lian learned about famous scientists including Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Stephen Hawking; performed at-home experiments with his Dad (safely!); and discussed the method of creating a hypothesis and how to apply it to the scientific method in order to complete his main project. Lian’s first experiment involved growing crystals at home formed by two different compounds: magnesium sulfate and aluminum potassium sulfate. He watched them grow in different environments for several weeks and analyzed the growth patterns as well as the shapes they transformed into. He also included sugar as a part of the experiment and was able to make some tasty at-home rock candy!

The main project Lian completed was his “Arduino Car Experiment” for which Lian decided to use his Arduino UNO kit, a microcontroller board designed to take programming enthusiasts to the next level of computer programming and electrical engineering. With the kit, he built and programmed a speed tracker for three of his favorite Hot Wheels cars, which he happily mentions in his final report as being three out of more than one hundred cars that he owns! He measured the weight of each car and then tracked their changes in speed at different angles. Once the experiment was complete, he determined the winning car, analyzed the results, and investigated what could be done differently to make the experiment better the next time. After completing the whole project, Lian thought about how this could be applied to activities like the Pinewood Derby to help measure the speed of every scout’s car and perhaps introduce a new award for the derby that could connect packs across the NCAC: the fastest pinewood derby car based on an actual calculated speed. He looks forward to using his kit and the scientific method in the future to test new projects and perhaps even build his own robot. Speaking of which, he has already been eyeing the robotics merit badge in Boy Scouts.

The Supernova Award was a significant accomplishment for Lian. Along the way to achieving this award, he came across two powerful quotations from an inventor he now admires, Thomas Edison. The first quote is “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” The second is “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” The crux of these two quotes are time and effort, both of which Lian demonstrated good use of to successfully complete the Supernova award. As Lian becomes a supernova of his own, we can only look forward to his next stellar performance. Congratulations, Lian!

 

Meet 2021 NOESA Honoree Charles Charpentier

by

Charles “Chuck” Charpentier has been a partner in Troutman Pepper’s Finance and Restructuring Group since joining the firm in October 2016.  He focuses on lender side commercial financing transactions for early, middle and late-stage technology companies that specialize in, among other things, life sciences, biotechnology, information technology, hardware, software, SaaS, social media, cloud computing, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and health care technologies.  Chuck serves on the firm’s Associate Development Committee and Opinion Committee and is also a mentor to several associates at the firm.  Prior to joining the firm, Chuck was a special counsel and an associate at Cooley LLP from January 2008 to September 2016, and an associate at Sullivan and Worcester LLP from September 2004 to January 2008.

Chuck is a member of the Rotary Club of Capitol Hill and has served on the club’s board and on the board of the club’s foundation.  He served on the Executive Board and is currently serving of the Advisory Board of the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  Chuck is also a board member of the Villanova Law DC/MD/VA Chapter Board.

Chuck is admitted to the state bars of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.  Chuck received his J.D., magna cum laude, in 2004 from Villanova University, Charles Widger School of Law, his M.A. in International Affairs, International Law and International Organizations, in 2001 from The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, and his B.A. in 1998 in Political Science and Sociology from Boston College, Robert J. Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.  He was also a Fulbright Fellow in Journalism from 1998 to 1999 at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Chuck was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, and is the youngest of six children of Richard and Muriel Charpentier. He earned his Eagle Scout award 0n April 7, 1993, not long after his older brother Rich became an Eagle Scout, as a member of Troop 104, based out of St. Catherine’s Parish in Manchester, NH and part of the Massabesic District of the Daniel Webster Council.

Chuck, his wife Lindsay, their son Sebastien, and their puppy, Simi, reside in Washington, DC.

Please join us on Wednesday, June 2 at 6:00pm as we recognize Chuck and his fellow 2021 NOESA Honorees. To become a sponsor for this event, please visit www.NCACBSA.org/NOESA. Proceeds will go towards providing Eagle Scout Recognition Kits for new Eagle Scouts in the National Capital Area Council.

Meet 2021 Silver Beaver Recipient Carol Brown

by

Carol is a volunteer instructor for Fairfax County’s Community Emergency Response Team.  She also works with the Office of Emergency Management as an outreach educator for their Community Emergency Response Guide.

Carol volunteers with the Northern Virginia Audubon Society and the Fish and Wildlife Service as an ornithologist and wildlife biologist.  At the 2017 National Scout Jamboree, she developed and delivered the bird study program for the Nature at the Summit activity area.  Carol is a trained Hornaday advisor and is currently working with the distinguished Conservation Service Award Committee to develop guides and training for advisors and Scouts.  In 2020, she was awarded the Hornaday Gold Badge.  Both of her sons, Andrew and Alan, are Eagle Scouts who earned the Hornaday Badge.

Carol is currently an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 1853 and is an instructor for Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills, Outdoor Ethics, Leave No Trace, and Tread Lightly courses.  She is a graduate of the Wood Badge program.  She has been on staff at the Klondike Derby for six years.  She will be joining the Powder Horn staff for 2021.  She joined the Merit Badges At Home program for the National Capital Area Council in 2020 and counseled the Safety merit badge for over 100 Scouts.  Carol is the Old Dominion Chapter’s Order of the Arrow advisor for health and safety.  She became a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow in 2016 on a very cold November night in Maryland.

Watch Carol receive her Silver Beaver award at the virtual Court of Honor on Saturday, May 15th at 7:30pm. Purchase your ticket today at https://scoutingevent.com/082-46492 !

Join National Capital Area Council on Day of Giving

by

Bethesda, MD — The National Capital Area Council (NCAC) asks everyone to help kick off our #SummerofService on NCAC Day of Giving —Thursday, June 10.

National Capital Area Council is in the business of making our communities stronger by serving more than 36,000 families and helping instill in our young people the values of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of our donors to ensure we can deliver on our promise to make the DC Metro region a better place. That is why we are kicking off NCAC’s Summer of Service with a Giving Day on June 10th.

“On NCAC Day of Giving, we hope to ignite a spark that will encourage people to give more, whether it be their time or resources, to help make a profound effect on the youth in the DC metro area.” said Craig Poland, Scout Executive of NCAC. “By contributing to Scouting, more youth will experience a program that will further instill values and character in their moral fiber.”

For over 100 years, Scouting families have answered the call to work together in service of the greater good. From public health drives to caring for the environment to assisting neighbors in need. Scouts have always been a force for positivity and goodness in our communities. It is what we do. It is part of our DNA. We serve others. Now more than ever, our world needs that Scouting spirit once again.

As part of Summer of Service, a national effort, we’re also asking Scouting families to give back to their communities this summer through acts of service. Scouts will serve in a variety of ways as defined by the individual. The spectrum will range from large city-wide projects to small random acts of kindness. Although any type of service is applicable, there will be 4 key areas of focus: The Environment, Health & Wellness, Our Communities, and Neighbors In-Need.

To learn more about NCAC Day of Giving and our Summer of Service, visit  www.ncacbsa.org/SummerGiving

###

About Boy Scouts of America & National Capital Area Council Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life. ™ The Scouting organization is composed of 2.6 million youth members between the ages of 6 and 21 and more than a million volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more, please visit www.Scouting.org.

National Capital Area Council was organized in 1911 and today stands as one of the oldest and largest councils in America. The Council territory includes the District of Columbia; Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland; and in Virginia the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford and Culpeper as well as the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg in Virginia; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, please visit www.NCACBSA.org.