Troop 840’s Court of Honor was on March 13th. Scouts and their families also decided to celebrate Pi day early.
Inspiration, STEM, and delicious desserts: Scout us in.
We Need 5 Seconds of Video
We need 5 seconds of video from you! (Well, actually, probably more like 2 seconds…)
We need you to deliver a hearty “Welcome to Washington, DC,” into the camera and send it to us. It can be in front of a monument, at a campsite, in your backyard, with friends, or just you…however and wherever you want. Your clip will be used to help welcome national representatives of Scouting to DC for an upcoming meeting.
Wear class As or Bs, be your friendly self, and drop it in the Google folder found here.
All videos are due to us by April 1st!
First Campout – First Bridging!
Troop 1920 had their first campout and first bridging this weekend. The weather was cold, but the Scouts didn’t complain one bit. We arrived to snow and made peachy french toast in the dutch oven for breakfast and then went on a 5 mile very muddy hike. Lunch on the trail was followed by dinner and another night camping, this time in the rain. While we were doing that, representatives of our troop went to their first Webelos bridging. We had a really busy weekend, and although we’re tired, we had our first Scout make Scout rank.
Troop 987 girls advance!
Annalise S., Abby E, and Katie H are the first members of Girls Troop 987 to reach the rank of Tenderfoot, with more right on their heels! The Scouts said the second campout was the highlight of their adventure so far!
Visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps
AQUIA DISTRICT – Scouts of Troop 1717, sponsored by Hartwood Presbyterian Church, decided to do something special this year in recognition of Veterans’ Day. They scheduled a campout at Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA so that they could spend the day touring the nearby National Museum of the Marine Corps. While there, Scouts were given a personal perspective on a veteran’s service with a guided tour of the Vietnam War gallery and other galleries by Vietnam War Veteran and Museum Docent, Major William (“Bill”) Peters, USMC (ret.). Scouts also received a special sneak peak of the new museum wing, still under construction, which is slated to open sometime in 2020 and will depict Marines in action from 1976 through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Before leaving, the Scouts participated in a remembrance and honor ceremony in the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park behind the museum where they presented a wreath in recognition of all veterans, past and present, “who risked or gave their lives for our country and the cause of freedom.”
NCAC OE Hosts 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Ethics Community Meeting
The National Capital Area Council (NCAC) Outdoor Ethics Committee recently held it’s fourth annual Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Ethics Community Meeting at the Marriott Scout Service Center. The event brings together Leave No Trace Trainers and Master Educators from around the region to receive updates on the latest trends in Outdoor Ethics, to share information, and enjoy fellowship. This year’s event drew 35 participants including the Leave No Trace State Advocates for Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, the Council Outdoor Ethics Advocates for NCAC, Hawk Mountain Council, Cradle of Liberty Council, Garden State Council, and the Colonial Virginia Council, and the BSA Area 6 Outdoor Ethics Advocate.
The group received an update from Paul Sanford, National Director of Recreation Policy at the Wilderness Society. Paul gave a great overview of the Wilderness Society, land designation under the Wilderness Act, the importance of wilderness, and the current issues in wilderness recreation. His talk was very well received by the group and will be used to help shape our ongoing awareness and educational efforts. Paul indicated that the Wilderness Society will soon be releasing a wilderness curriculum aimed at middle and secondary school age youth. We will post this information on the Outdoor Ethics page of the NCAC website once it is released.
Marian Orlousky, Director of Science and Stewardship at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), was next to provide an update. Marian detailed the increasing number of bear interactions on the Appalachian Trail (AT) and the need for improved food storage by folks recreating on the trail. She also introduced a new initiative of the ATC called the Wild East. Read more about it on the Outdoor Ethics page of the NCAC website. Marian’s presentation really hit home with the group and will inform our future lessons.
Rush Williamson of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) gave an update on improvements seen by land managers of scouting units on the trails in the Mid-Atlantic region. Paul Schimke, the Maryland State Advocate for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, updated the group on the latest news from the Leave No Trace Center and also updates from the National BSA Outdoor Ethics conference that took place near Kansas City last fall.
Sara Holtz, Outdoor Ethics Advocate for the Powhatan District, led the group through several interactive Leave No Trace activities that were fun examples of how to train youth in an engaging manner. The meeting wrapped up with a panel discussion on various contemporary Outdoor Ethics topics.
The NCAC Outdoor Ethics Committee would like to thank all of the speakers, participants, and also the committee Staff Advisor, Ray Posluszny, and his wife Liz for all their assistance with the facility and equipment for the event.
See the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Committee webpage here for materials from the event. There is a link on the left-hand side of the page for “Community Meetings” http://www.ncacbsa.org/training/outdoor-ethics/
Please contact Victor Bieniek with any questions.