We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Cynthia Griffiths

NCAC Scouts Interview Astronaut on Space Station

by

Scouts at Camp William B. Snyder interview astronauts from the Dining Hall

While at Camp William B. Snyder on Friday, July 21, 2023 for its Merit Badge Specialty Week, Scouts in the National Capital Area Council talked with astronauts on the International Space Station via Amateur Radio. This activity complements the BSA’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program and is part of the ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) Program which promotes learning opportunities as part of its STEM initiative.

In the days leading up to the ISS interaction, nearly 200 Scouts attended the Specialty Week at Camp William B. Snyder.

During this week, Scouts:
• Practiced proper call signs and Morse code, drew charts of the electromagnetic spectrum and assembled dipole antennas as part of earning their Radio Badge
• Built, launched, and recovered model rockets as part of earning the Space Exploration Badge
• Read aeronautical charts, experimented with ailerons and propellers, and flew model airplanes as part of earning the Aviation Badge
• Made electromagnets to show magnetic attraction and repulsion as part of earning the Electricity Badge
• Programmed robots for autonomous tasks akin to Mars Rovers as part of earning the Robotics Badge

These are just a few of the many activities that the Scouts participated in during this fun week of learning. Of the 138 merit badges that Scouts are eligible to earn, over 50 are considered STEM merit badges. Nearly 35 subject matter experts volunteered to counsel the Scouts during this week, making this event possible.

The ARISS contact was performed using the Amateur Radio telebridge network, a world-wide network of amateur radio ground stations that enable students to contact the ISS. The amateur radio ground station operated by Claudio Ariotti established contact with the ISS is IK1SLD in, Casale Monferrato, Italy,  The ARISS mentor, Charlie Sufana AJ9N, was based in Florida and served as the ARISS Radio moderator for the event.

Scouts interviewed astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi and had time to ask 13 questions. Astronaut Al Neyadi is an Emirati Astronaut who traveled to the ISS with NASA’s crew rotation flight, SpaceX Crew-6. Astronaut Al Neyadi is the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk.

The “ground” radio experts at Camp William B. Snyder were Pete Collat KI4YBH (Radio Merit Badge Counselor), Mike Aimone WA8AHZ (Virginia Radio Club coordinator) and Joe Porcelli KT3I (Virginia Wireless Club HAM). Porcelli set up a SATCOMM for Scouts to experience satellite chasing before and after the ISS contact.

A dozen STEM Scouts had a first look and experience with the SATCOMM in May, as the Virginia Wireless Club welcomed our Scouts to their radio field day. These STEM Scouts had completed a module on software-defined radio in which they listened to FM broadcasts, tracked airplanes, built a HAM radio, and captured GPS data. STEM Scouts is a National Capital Area Council program for girls and boys in grades 3-8 that incorporates hands-on activities to inspire youth in STEM. The SDR module encouraged hands-on experimentation as a basis for understanding technical subjects, and exposes Scouts to potential careers in broadcast engineering, telecommunications, computer science, consumer electronics, and more. Three of these STEM Scouts will take part in asking Astronaut Al Neyadi questions during the International Space Station contact on Friday.

The event was livestreamed at www.facebook.com/NCACSTEM and a complete recording can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/NCACSTEM/videos/796657518531573

 

Washington Commanders Scout Day at Season Opener

by

Washington Commanders Game

Season Opener – September 10, 2023

 

This game will sell out! Special pricing for a limited number of seats is available for this Scout Day!

 A ticket to the Scout Day game – the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 10, 2023 – is included with this special offer along with a patch for game attendees and an invitation for a post-game photo on the field.

Link to purchase tickets: https://patickets.group/ScoutsDayNCAC

Need to purchase 10 or more tickets?  Please contact Roman McLane at (301) 276-6456 or roman.mclane@commanders.com

Scout Day at Nationals Park

by

NATIONALS BASEBALL

September 23, 2023

Join fellow Scouts at the ballpark! The second Scout Day with the Nationals this year is on September 23, 2023, as the Nats take on the Atlanta Braves! All Scout Day ticket holders will receive a Nationals Scout Day patch and $5 from each ticket will be donated back to our Scouting program.

If you organize a group of 20 or more, the group leader will receive a complimentary game ticket (1 ticket per order).

Scouts are encouraged to attend as a troop, patrol, pack or den.

For more information or to purchase a group of 20 or more, please contact us at 202.640.7747 or email Bret.Morsberger@nationals.com

Link to purchase tickets: www.nationals.com/scouts

The full information regarding Scout Days and the patch pick-up will be emailed to all special ticket event buyers 24 hours prior to the game.

Two Full Days of Climboree 2023!

by

CLIMBOREE 2023

October 6–9

Activity Registration Opens: Saturday, July 29

Two full days of climbing, high ropes challenges, shooting sports, and Dutch oven cooking on the long holiday weekend!

The National Capital Area Council and Mountaineer Area Council will host CLIMBOREE 2023 at Camp Mountaineer near Morgantown, WV. Scouts BSA, Venturers, and Sea Scouts are all invited to enjoy a wide range of adventures.

  • Climbing in camp: For both novices and experienced climbers, bouldering and climbing on natural rock AND climbing and rappelling on a 60-ft tower, all under the guidance of trained instructors.
  • Wilderness climbs: For experienced climbers only, half-day wilderness climbing adventures OR all-weekend advanced skills training while climbing and wilderness camping with professional guides and NCS trainers.
  • Challenge courses: Guided youth and adult team-building programs on high and low COPE courses.
  • Zipline: Take a 45-mph ride on a 1/4-mile zipline.
  • Shooting Sports: Archery, .22 rifle, 12 or 20-gauge shotgun shooting for youth and adults. Credit for archery, rifle, and shotgun merit badge requirements.
  • Dutch oven cooking: An introduction to Dutch oven cooking for youth on Saturday. An all-day-Sunday adult class covers every aspect of Dutch oven cooking from food selection and preparation to fire-building and heat control to efficient cleanup.
  • Advancement: Earn the Climbing or Wilderness Survival merit badge. Earn partial credit for the Camping and Backpacking merit badges. Complete shooting requirements for Archery, Rifle and/or Shotgun.

Some activities have limited enrollment–plan ahead! See our Activity Catalog for details.

Key dates:
Saturday, July 29, 10:00 am–Activity registration opens.
Saturday, August 26, 10:00 am–Activity registrants-per-unit limits removed.
Sunday, September 3, 11:59 pm–Patch orders close.
Sunday, September 17, 11:59 pm–All registration closes.
Sunday, September 24, 5:00 pm–Deadline for shared campsite requests.
Friday, October 6, 4:00 pm–Climboree gates open.
Monday, October 9, noon–Climboree ends.

Camp Mountaineer is at 187 Camp Mountaineer Rd., Morgantown, WV 26508, 39.52328, -79.89842. Event registration $30. Limit 500 participants. Campers must provide their own tents and meals. Contact us if you have questions. REGISTER NOW!

Former Explorer, Now Officer, Forms a New Post

by

 

Post 1910 at their recent inaugural banquet.

Gerson Cruz participated in Scouting as an Explorer in Prince George’s Police Department. After he graduated, he was hired by the neighboring police department in Mount Rainier, where he founded an Exploring Post.

“Being an Explorer for Post 600 in Prince George’s County really showed me what it meant to be able to help the community and reach my goal of being a police officer!” said Gerson Cruz.  “My goal had always to give back to the community that gave me so much when I was an Explorer and living in a very low-income family. To now be in charge of Mount Rainier Post 1910 and have 40+ Explorers is surreal to me and makes me realize I finally made it. Without Explorers I don’t believe I’d be where I am in life today and for that I will give this program everything I possibly can!”

In one year, Officer Cruz has recruited 40 youth to the program which demonstrates an extremely successful recruitment effort. In our Council, he is our youngest Exploring Advisor to date.

 

 

Eagle Project Builds Community at Home and in Ecuador

by

The Arlington Catholic Herald published a story about a special Eagle Scout project that strengthened relationships at St. John Neumann Church in Reston and with the church’s sister parish, Niño Jesús Church in Manta, Ecuador.  With the help of many volunteers, the Scout, Morrow, built a set of 14 Stations of the Cross then created English, Spanish and bilingual booklets containing reflections that he sought from 14 ministries of his church. He delivered the stations in person to the Niño Jesús Church and worked with 15 youth to install the stations. Some of the youth turned out to be Scouts in the Ecuadorian program. Read the full story in the Arlington Catholic Herald: https://www.catholicherald.com/article/local/simple-eagle-scout-project-fosters-community-with-ecuadorian-parish/