Events and Trainings

Calling all Scouts, friends, and family! Get your tickets for the Scout-tober Fest, our special Council-wide fall event.

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024

Location: Camp William B. Snyder, 6100 Antioch Rd, Haymarket, Virginia 20169

Day Pass Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Overnight Camping Options:  Units wishing to camp, we have room for 13 Cub Scout packs in the sites, all Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts and Venturers will be given space of their very own in the camporee field.

TICKETS AND REGISTRATION

ACTIVITIES:

• Hay Rides: Enjoy this special tour around camp, no walking required!
• Archery: Test your aim and focus on the archery range. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned archer, this activity might create some bullseye moments!
• STEM Activities: Immerse yourself in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with our hands-on activities that offer the chance to learn, create, and explore while having a blast because there will be rockets!
• Human foosball tournament: Can your team of 6-8 Scouts be the Scout-tober Fest champion?
• GAGA Ball Tournament: Is one of your Scouts a master gaga ball player? Be sure to sign them up for our tournament with an opportunity to win an awesome prize!
• Climbing Wall (weather permitting): Get to the top of the Scouterhorn.
• Crafts:  We always have lots of way to be creative!

This is the perfect chance to invite friends and family to a Scout event and have a good time outdoors. 

Scout-tober Fest 2024 flier

 

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Schedule of events

Friday: Camper-only movie night sunset in the Amphitheater.

Saturday

10 am-5 pm Open program

(Areas will open as close staff are available and to allow staff breaks).

10 am rosters for human Foosball and Gaga ball tournaments are due at the check-in station.

12-1 pm lunch (activity areas will close on a rotating schedule to allow staff to eat)

1 pm GAGA ball tournament (Cub Scouts), Foosball tournament (Scouts BSA+)

3 pm GAGA ball tournament (Scouts BSA+), Foosball tournament (Cub Scouts)

8 pm Closing show in the amphitheater

*All activities are subject to change due to weather conditions..

TICKETS AND REGISTRATION

Hey, Hyattsville, MD! Grab everyone, and I mean everyone, and let’s hit the trails of Philmont Scout Ranch. Or maybe the town of Culpepper, VA, or Georgetown University’s undergrads. Let’s go, staggered over the summer. Those two towns and Georgetown each have around 20,000 residents/students. (US Census for 2023) Twenty thousand is the predicted number of Scouts and Scouters who will hit the 315 miles of trails, 220 square miles, at Philmont this summer. Many people are making a (potentially) significant impact on the environment.

How do we reduce the “considerable impact”? Have the Philmont Rangers, your guides for the start of your trek, trained as Leave No Trace Trainers (Level 1). They can assist the hiking crews in limiting their negative impact on the area and its wild inhabitants—the best way to keep the area wild for the next year and generations to come.

Philmont hosted sixteen Level 2 and Level 3 Instructors the weekend of June 7-9. We delivered a Level 1(Trainer) course to a group of Philmont Rangers. I was fortunate to be one of those instructors.

Our participants were primarily first-year Rangers, and my group came from all over the United States—from Florida to Washington State and one from our own NCAC. All had a variety of hiking backgrounds and insights. All were former Philmont crew participants and had beautiful memories of the area and their trek. Each was vested in keeping Philmont wild and available for future generations.

We were based at the Camping Headquarters area, where crews begin their Philmont adventure. This is quite a change from the June weather/humidity and lack of elevation here in the DMV.

During the two-plus days of the course, the Rangers learned how to use the Leave No Trace Principles and related activities to help perpetuate the wild adventure that is Philmont for years to come. One of the best aspects of the course was learning from one another and getting insight into the different ways of teaching and influencing the Principles of Leave No Trace.

This was a pilot program, and we plan to return next year to continue integrating Leave No Trace into the Ranger training. Maybe we’ll see you at base camp as you start your trek.

— Carol Brown

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of Outdoor Ethics in Scouting? Have you ever wondered what the role of a Troop’s Outdoor Ethics Guide is? Never fear, as the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Committee can help you out!

On Saturday, June 29, 15 Scouts and Scouters attended the Outdoor Ethics Orientation, and eight Scouts attended the Outdoor Ethics Guide Course in Brandywine, MD, hosted by EvelynAnn Bruno. Taking advantage of the air conditioning on that balmy summer day, Scouts and Scouters learned the basics of Outdoor Ethics and how to integrate them into Scouting and everyday life.

The Outdoors Ethic Orientation, a BSA National recognized course, is available to all ages and units. This orientation introduces the concept of Land Ethic, the seven principles of Leave No Trace, and the five principles of Tread Lightly! This course is a great way to introduce those new to the Scouting program and provide an excellent review for those who have been around for a while. By attending this course hosted by EvelynAnn, Scouts completed two of the requirements for the Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award (for both Scouts BSA and NCAC Cub Scouts). The course is one requirement, plus EvelynAnn shows the National Park Service’s Leave No Trace video at the end.

The Outdoor Ethics Guide (OEG) Course, which is an NCAC exclusive, was created to provide Scouts in Scouts BSA and their leaders with an explanation of the role of this leadership position in the troop and expectations. A quick refresher on Outdoor Ethics is followed by a myriad of Outdoor Ethics-themed games demonstrated to the Scouts, plus post-game brainstorming of how to bring these games to their individual units. This course is not mandatory to fill the OEG role but may prove helpful in understanding its function plus getting access to all the resources available.

Want to know more about Outdoor Ethics? Scan the QR Code and subscribe to the NCAC’s Outdoor Ethics Newsletter! The Outdoor Ethics in BSA Outdoor Programs webpage serves as another great resource!

Want to know more about the available Outdoor Ethics Awareness Awards? Scouts BSA has five requirements to complete, while NCAC Cub Scouts has four. Both can be earned by both Scouts and Scouters.

You can learn more about the missions of Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly! at their individual websites.

EvelynAnn Bruno is a Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor and Tread Lightly! Trainer, in addition to being the Committee Chair of Troop 1778 in Waldorf and Treasurer of Pack 1014 of Brandywine. Located in Upper Marlboro, MD, she supports Patuxent and Western Shores Districts.

#weownadventure #LeaveNoTrace #treadlightly #doyourpart #ProtectTheAdventure

The Council hears from our Scouting Community that our outdoor programs and facilities are not designed and consistently maintained in the way Scouts and families prefer to experience the outdoors now and for the future. We want to gather input and feedback from our membership so we can adjust our outdoor programs and facilities to meet our Scouting Community’s expectations.

What We Hope to Achieve

In the next 18 months, we hope to define a compelling, dynamic and sustainable NCAC Outdoor Program and associated facilities that:

• Delivers the Scouting mission in a forward-thinking manner through at least 2050;
• Understands and expresses our Scouting Communities’ evolving expectations in a transparent way;
• Attracts and retains Scouts and families of all abilities and means with age-appropriate experiences; and
• Is a model that other councils emulate.

We want your input!

Outdoor Programs 2025 Kick Off

When: April 16, 2024 at 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Outdoor Program 2025 Town Hall

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://ncacbsa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qNMw8PvDSrK1LcRJW4qxxg

For complete information on the Outdoor Programs 2025 Initiative of the 2023-2025 Strategic Plan go to: https://www.ncacbsa.org/outdoor-programs-2025/

 

Join fellow Scouts at Nationals Park for Scout Days! With the purchase of a special ticket, fans will receive a limited-edition Nationals Scout Patch. For every ticket sold, $5 will be donated back to NCAC. 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 to be chosen for special experiences at the game! Don’t miss out on this exciting adventure – see you at the ballpark!

Link to purchase tickets: https://www.mlb.com/nationals/tickets/specials/scout-days