It has been quite some time since my last update here.  I’ve been really involved in Scouting since first grade as well as various sports.  I wanted to put an update here today to catch you guys up on the past few years as I’m now a Junior in High School. 

My past few years in Scouting have been very eventful and impactful in my life. Last summer I went to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron New Mexico, it was very fun and taught me a lot. In December following that, I spoke at the Indiana Governor’s Luncheon for Scouting.  I talked about my Scouting experience and how Scouting has helped me learn leadership and great outdoor skills while not being limited by my limb difference. It was very exciting to speak in front of a thousand people. Just recently I also went to NOAC (National Order of the Arrow Conference) in Boulder Colorado and had such a great time, it taught me so much about Scouting across America. I’ve also been to many campouts and Scouting events, all of them helped me grow as a Scout and as a person.

Philmont was a challenging and rewarding experience, we went to New Mexico Philmont Scout Ranch and hiked/camped for 10 days (120 total hiking miles). Starting at base camp and hiking to Baldy Mountain in 4 days, it was a spectacular view. Then we hiked across the burn zone (the Ute Park 2018 forest fire) towards the Tooth of Time mountain, which we hiked up on our last day there before coming back down into base camp. Several people got taken off the hike due to the intensity, this experience taught me and the other Scouts a whole lot about camping, survival, and a ton more helpful skills we will definitely use in the future.

The Indiana Governor’s Luncheon for Scouting was a huge experience; I spoke on stage in front of over a thousand people and it was definitely a milestone in my life. I spoke about how Scouting has helped me grow in life. Some topics I spoke on in my Scouting life were the effect of the Firecrafter program on me. Firecrafter is a program offered at summer camps, it helps with life skills and overall social skills AND you have to build a fire by friction with only natural materials. I also spoke about NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training) and how it helped me grow into the person I am now by learning and practicing leadership in my Troop and community.

The National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) was an awesome event my parents helped me go on. I had such a great time, it taught me so much about Scouting across America, I met so many new people from all over the USA and attended several teaching courses. I loved walking around the University of Colorado Boulder campus seeing all the people being friendly, it really increased my love for Scouting and activity in the community. I would definitely recommend this to anyone in the Order of the Arrow thinking about going, it happens every other year.

I’m looking forward to finishing my Eagle requirements and becoming an Eagle Scout, but that won’t be where Scouting stops for me. I plan to stay involved as much as possible for many years to come.  I plan to be a part of Scouting any way I am able.  It has changed my life for the better in so many ways and I can’t wait to see the change in all the younger Scouts I’m helping now as we all get older.