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Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Scouting Programs

Summer Scout Aviation Maintenance Experience

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Photo from SAME 2019

In 2019, Crew 7 initiated the Scout Aviation Maintenance Experience, or SAME. The SAME project offers youth aircraft maintenance experience at Oscoda Wurtsmith Community Airport at Michigan.

With guidance from Program Advisor and retired USAF colonel, Dr. Pete Mapes, and other aviation experts, youth will gain hands-on experience with avionics, electronics, engine work and airplane maintenance.

Photo from SAME

During the summer of 2021, scouts who are selected into the program will rebuild a 1965 Cessna 150E using a Supplemental Type Certificate to permit a 150 HP engine in place of the stock 100 HP engine. Know any Scouts who might be interested? If you do, have them contact Dr. Pete Mapes ASAP! email: mapesni@aol.com

A scholarship opportunity is below.

Program details:

Program lasts 7 weeks, from 7 AM to 1 PM at Oscoda Wurtsmith Community Airport. Successful applicants will study maintenance topics and tasks under experienced aircraft maintainers while assembling aircraft.

Dates are: 21-25 June, 12-16 July, 19-23 July, 26-30 July, 2-6 August, 9-13 August, 16-20 August

Note the 2 week break between weeks 1 & 2.

Who may apply:

Young men and women, who are registered members of the Boy Scouts of America and who will have completed the 8th Grade OR turned 14 may apply for scholarship, which covers all program expenses.

Transportation to/From Michigan is the responsibility of the participants and some local hosting is available for Scouts selected for the program.  Scouts do cover their own food expenses in Michigan but local transportation and housing is free.

Youth interested to gain aircraft maintenance experience during the summer of 2021, please apply!

Application:

Submit an application containing a 200-word statement of why the scholarship is desired, school transcript, BSA Membership number, a Young Eagles Flight Certificate (this requirement may be waived due to covid) and 3 letters of recommendation to:
OYES
206 East Park Street
Oscoda, MI 48750
Deadline is 23 March 2021. Applicants will be expected to interview for positions. Up to six scholarships will be awarded for the summer of 2021.

 

Some recent press on SAME: 

http://www.wbkb11.com/boy-scouts-takes-flight

https://www.flyingmag.com/story/careers/2021-michigan-scout-aviation-maintenance-experience/

https://www.asma.org/news-events/asma-news/asma-members-lead-scout-aviation-maintenance-program

Scouts, Venturers from Michigan restore old plane, helping them soar

 

Troop 1182-G’s First Eagle Scout

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Troop 1182-G, chartered by the Park West Lions Club in Manassas, Virginia, is proud to recognize McKenna Westen, of Bristow, Virginia, who earned her Eagle Rank in February 2021. She created a Little Lending Library for her community, served as an elections leader for OA and has been an amazing representative of this Inaugural Class of Eagles.

SIGN UP – Seeking Counselors for March 2021 NCAC MB@Home

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NCAC is looking for Merit Badge Counselors for the March 2021 session of the MeritBadges@Home program.

Counselors will conduct remote instruction for Scouts through the Zoom and collaborate through the Basecamp platform between a period of March 15-April 3, 2021.

If you are interested in serving as a counselor, please follow the link below to learn more and sign up. The counselor registration deadline is Monday, February 22.

March 2021 MB@Home Counselor Registration Form (https://forms.gle/TsvZK1PuFhnQTay88)

Feel free to share these links with your Scouting and professional colleagues.

Final Winter Leadership Seminar on Tuesday Jan 26@5pm

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Winter Seminar: Strengthening your Program

Tuesday, January 26th @ 5pm
Free Registration – click here!
We’re going to talk about steps youth leaders can take in their Units to create fun and effective programs. We’ll explore character development through themed campouts and talk about making the most of youth leadership roles.

More info:
Leadership Training is one of the four Aims of Scouting. Through these seminars Scouts will have an opportunity to continue their leadership development despite the cancellation of NYLT this winter. Each seminar will be fast-paced and last about 50 minutes. Content is delivered by NYLT staff and is designed to help Scouts develop as leaders. It is recommended, but not required, that participants hold positions of Unit leadership and have attended ILS(T/C/S) or NYLT.

FAQ

Q. Is this an “Online NYLT course?”
A. No. NYLT is a 6-day practical learning experience. We are offering this webinar to help Scouts who have attended NYLT (or are thinking about attending NYLT) focus on a few specific leadership topics in a fast-paced online format.

Q. Who should attend?
A. Scouts from Troops, Crews and Ships in positions of leadership will find it most helpful. There are no prerequisites for the online Seminar. All welcome.

Q. Will you offer this session again?
A. This is currently the only time we are offering the seminar.

Q. Is there a certificate of completion I can share with my Unit Leader?
A. All Scouts will have an opportunity to receive (via email) a certificate of attendance.

Q. May Scouts who are not in NCAC attend this activity?
A. Of course. We will advertise within NCAC primarily but welcome Scouts outside NCAC who wish to explore leadership concepts.

Q. Will these webinars be placed on YouTube?
A. Not likely.

Q. Last summer NCAC also produced online Leadership Seminars. Is the information from those webinars still available?
A. You may download the course notes from any of the Summer Leadership Seminars at: https://www.ncacbsa.org/national-youth-leadership-training-seminars/

Q. When is the next opportunity to take NYLT in NCAC?
A. We are planning our 2021 calendar now. When dates are confirmed and registration opens we will announce on our website, Facebook and over email.

Question? email contact@myNYLT.org

A Better Pool

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Ethan T. of Troop 1966 in Fairfax Station, VA, has always been an avid swimmer. In fact, for the past ten years, he has been part of the Sideburn Run Swim Team, which is nearly as long as he had been a Scout. So when Ethan was looking for an Eagle Scout Project, he learned that Sideburn Run’s pool had some overgrown ivy area. While he was inspecting the ivy-covered area, Ethan recalled the times he and his teammates had found the space too small. Ethan began to consider incorporating a way to make the area around the pool more usable while for his teammates while he inspected the ivy. After consulting the board members, he decided he would clean up the ivy and clean up the area so the team could maximize it.

Ethan got to work by writing up a proposal for the pool board. Once they approved his proposal, he created a timeline, yet that timeline got put on hold due to COVID-19. Yet once restrictions were lifted, and Ethan drafted a new plan that followed social distancing rules. Ethan then began to gather the supplies, and he got to work. He found some trouble trying to lead at first. He realized he couldn’t just explain and then do the task to his volunteers; he discovered that he would only do the work. He also felt overwhelmed by the number of questions he would receive, asking if he could assist them. Yet once he figured out how to properly guide his volunteers, Ethan felt like he could handle anything.

After completing this project, Ethan felt he learned a lot about leadership and how to break down a large project into manageable parts. He was proud to have helped his community and later said, “My favorite aspect of this project was seeing all the different tasks coming together. I enjoyed stepping back to see the progress we had made and how all the tasks were coming together. I also enjoyed seeing my plans turn out exactly how I envisioned the project would look in the end. I am looking forward to next season so people can start using the new area. I feel like the swim team can now fully maximize that area during their meets, and members can enjoy the games we made.”

The Importance of Bees

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Robbie S. of Troop 2012 in Sterling, Virginia, had taken an interest in his father’s hobby as a beekeeper. Watching him work taught Robbie the importance of bees in the environment. He learned that bees and other pollinators are vital to plant reproduction and biodiversity. While learning more about these pollinators, he also learned that honey bees are at extreme risk of extinction due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which is caused by various factors such as pesticides and poor nutrition. Robbie knew that for his Eagle Scout Project he wanted to raise awareness about pollinators and help the local honey bees out with some new bee boxes.

Robbie needed to show his Troop and his community the importance of pollinators to their ecosystem. So he began to research all he could about honey bees, mice, tracheal mites, and other pollinators, and how they help spread pollen. While Robbie was enthused to have found so much information, he was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of it and he had to figure out how to condense it into a slideshow. Once he had completed his slideshow, he recruited some volunteers to begin the process of building bee boxes. They were able to get their hands on a few kits with the help of Robbie’s father and they began their work. After finishing two beehives, Robbie was ready to show his work and spread awareness about pollinators to his community. He explained their importance to biodiversity, and ways they can help on an individual level, such as not using pesticides on your lawn.

Now that he completed his project, Robbie was able to not only learn more about pollinators and how to build bee boxes but how to effectively communicate and organize. There were many steps to this project from emails and agendas to keeping Scouts organized and keeping track of dates which led Robbie to quickly build his communication and organization skills. Even though it was hard work, it was all worth it in the end for Robbie because he was able to spread more awareness about the importance of pollinators.

If you’re interested in learning more about pollinators, you can check out Robbie’s slideshow here!