We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Scouts Participate in Leave No Trace Activities

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NCAC Scouters recently had the amazing opportunity to participate in Leave No Trace (LNT) activities with the LNT Traveling Trainers. This energetic, two-person team travels around the country visiting national, state, and local parks to spread the word about LNT by engaging the public in participatory games and activities. LNT is a set of principles that guides people in thinking about the impacts of their actions in the outdoors (#LeaveNoTrace) while also having a great time (#EnjoyYourWorld). Not surprisingly, LNT is one of the foundational elements of BSA outdoor ethics and BSA outdoor code.

The Traveling Trainers did a phenomenal job of engaging our NCAC LNT Trainer and LNT Master Educators in the hand movements for the 7 principles of LNT, a relay game about the 10 essentials, another game about durable surfaces, an activity to guess the mystery water pollutant & how to properly dispose of it, and an exercise about scenarios they find the most disturbing with respect to impacts on the environment.

Our Scouters are proud to note the learning was not unidirectional. They have so much experience teaching LNT to Scouts & Scouters that they shared a few new tips and games with the Traveling Trainers, making for a great exchange of experiences by people passionate about minimizing their impact in the outdoors.

Scouts, venturers and their scouters interested in learning more about outdoor ethics can complete 5 requirements to earn the Outdoor Ethics Awareness award (https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/outdoor-ethics/awards/scouts-bsa/). Not to be left behind, Cub Scouts in NCAC can earn our council’s Cub Scout Outdoor Ethics Awareness award (http://www.ncacbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/New-NCAC-Outdoor-Ethics-Awareness-award.pdf) by completing 4 requirements.
For scouts aged 14 and older plus scouters, NCAC will offer the LNT Trainer course twice this fall; see the NCAC Outdoor Ethics page (https://www.ncacbsa.org/training/outdoor-ethics/) for information.

Enjoy your world. Leave No Trace.

Scouts BSA in the Frederick 4H Royalty!

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Reese Davis, SPL and founding member of Troop 476G, was sashed as the 4H Junior Princess at this year’s Great Frederick Fair. Reese, 13, has been in 4H for four years. She shows Market Hogs, Market Rabbits, and Breeding Rabbits. She also raises turkeys and chickens plus enters baked goods, photography, canned foods, and crafts in the Fair. Her Vanilla Cake with Italian Buttercream won Reserve Class Champion.

Her experience in 4H is helping her work on her Pets and Animal Science merit badges. To earn the title of Princess Reese submitted an application showing her accomplishments and activity in 4H with an essay about how she would help teach more people about 4H in the coming year. She also had a panel interview with judges to talk about why she wanted to be princess.

Her brothers are both in Cub Scouts, Pack 278, and look up to her to learn from her in both 4H and Scouting. Reese is excited to spend the next year active in two wonderful youth organizations helping encourage people to join both.

Troop 55 Attends 9/11 Memorial

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 Thirty-nine Scouts and 13 Scouters from Troops 55B and 55G attended the Great Falls Memorial Service last night at Great Falls Freedom memorial.

Scouts carried the US flag and troop flag as color guard, led the Pledge of Allegiance, raised the flags, supported the candle-lighting ceremony, and helped with set-up and clean-up efforts.

Troop 1148G Learns Woodworking Fundamentals

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While camping at Camp Snyder, Scouts from Troop 1148G, South Riding, VA visited Michael’s Woodshop and crossed woodworking off of their Scouts BSA bucket list. After watching their brothers build pinewood derby cars and work on Eagle Scout projects for years, it was their turn in the shop! The Scouts learned about shop and tool safety, lumber basics and the proper use of a wide variety of hand and power tools; their favorite was the block plane. They also saw a demonstration of milling rough sawn, “ugly” boards into useable, “pretty” lumber. Scouts used their newfound skills of measuring, cutting, drilling and sanding to complete a project of their own. It was an awesome day!

Come see first-hand what our wood shop capabilities are during the NCAC Adult Scouting Skills Event on Saturday, September 14th.  It’s not too late to register to attend, you can register here.

Are your Scouts interested in learning woodworking fundamentals? Michael’s Woodshop offers Woodworking 101 classes for Scouts BSA youth each month. The class provides Scouts with a solid foundation of shop and tool safety and the function and proper use of common hand tools and other shop equipment. The course provide Scouts with skills they can apply towards the Woodwork Merit Badge, Eagle Scout projects and other service projects or it could even spark the desire to become a Woodworker!

Michael’s Woodshop is a great, hands-on work space where Scouts can learn and create. The shop was designed, constructed and is operated by volunteers. Michael’s Woodshop is currently seeking additional volunteers; both experienced wood workers and shop assistants.

To learn more about volunteering or for information about shop capabilities, upcoming events or reserving the shop, please visit the Camp Snyder website https://gotosnyder.org/ or email us at Camp.Snyder@Scouting.Org

The Impact of Scouting on Ross Perot’s Life – In his own words

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Much of the news surrounding the recent death of Henry Ross Perot expectedly focused upon his business acumen at IBM and EDS, his two unsuccessful bids to become President, and his dedication to principles, performance and country. What few Scouters and Scouts likely learned or came to appreciate, however, is that, long before Mr. Perot donned the iconic business attire of a dark suite, white shirt and narrow black tie, he proudly wore the uniform of the Boy Scouts of America.

Beginning as a Cub Scout in his then home town of Texarkana, TX, he would later join Troop 18 at age 11 where he set for himself the ambitious goal of reaching the rank of Eagle Scout in 15 months, the shortest period of time permitted given the position requirements. He met that goal handily at age 13 in 1943. He would later describe Scouting’s impact on him in a video presentation and a biography, “How to Become A Billionaire” by Martin Fridson, by saying:

“The day I became an Eagle Scout was more important to me than the day I discovered I was a billionaire. Scouting taught me to set goals and objectives and gave me my first leadership training and experience, I keep my old handbook in my office to remind me of the principles of Scouting.”

Throughout his life, Ross Perot never forgot Scouting and he remained generously supportive of the organization for decades. His son, son-in-law, and all five grandsons are Eagle Scouts. His philanthropy and personal engagement helped fund Scouting outreach efforts to local underprivileged youth enabling about 12,000 Scouts in Texas to participate annually at no cost. More recently, he and his family funded the Ross Perot, Sr. Family Wing and Hall in the new Tillerson Leadership Training Center at the BSA’s Summit Bechtel Reserve near Beckley, WV. In gratitude, Scouting recognized Mr. Perot over the years with their most prestigious national awards: The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, The Silver Beaver Award, The Silver Antelope Award and, finally, the Silver Buffalo Award.

Scouting is still there today for those young male, and now female, Ross Perots of this upcoming generation. Our Nation needs more Ross Perots who pledge the Scout Oath to be dedicated in duty to God, Country and the service of others; to aspire to live the Scout Law – to be Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. As Ross Perot’s life demonstrated, these are more than a litany of idyllic traits recited by rote; they are words to live by.

To find a Scouts, BSA Troop near you for the young Ross Perot in your family, girl or boy, go to: https://beascout.scouting.org/.

T.G. Motta – ASM, Scouts, BSA Troop 1717