Summer 2020 Edition by Venturing, BSA

VOLUME TWO

ISSUE ONE

EDITOR IN CHIEF: NICOLE STEELE DESIGNER: JONATHAN BERGLER

Hi again Venturers, Advisors, friends, families, and all of you new Zoomers, VOLUME ONE

ISSUE ONE

Needless to say, this has been a weird season for us all- it was not in the least how I was expecting to finish up my high school career! However, despite all of that, I have seen many perks. My family-hosted prom was more special than a normal N I C O L E S Tone, E E L EI got to fast forward all of the names during my graduation, I’ve watched the different communities I’m a part of grow closer and be more intentional with each other, and most of all, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the way that Scouts have adapted to all of the changes around them.

EDITOR'S NOTE |

Ed-

itor’s

NICOLE STEELE

Almost immediately into the COVID-19 pandemic, I began to see various ideas for social distancing safe Scouting activities, Venturing 5k’s, s’mores over stoves, Jamboree on the Internet, and Zoom meetings. Apart from the tents in living rooms and backyards, my favorite things to hear about were the countless stories of Venturers and other Scouts adapting their service projects to fulfill the new needs of society by making items such as masks for local hospitals. Through my time in Venturing, I have watched myself and others grow as they gain leadership skills, an ability to adapt, a passion to help others, communication expertise, and more; I have seen all of these factors play into the great stride with which other Venturers have handled this season. Seeing everything Venturers have done has given me great pride to wear my green shirt, even if it’s only been in my bedroom during calls. If you have any stories of Venturers or Crews who have shined recently, accomplished something unique in or out of Scouting, done any cool events, or made an impact on their community, please reach out! You can tag us on social media through a public account, email us at nationalventuringcommunication@gmail.com, or message us on Facebook and we would love to answer any questions or hear about a possible story to highlight in a future edition of The Venturing Newsletter. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this edition!

Nicole Steele

CONTENTS 3 ADVENTURE 2 021 N a t i o n a l J a m b o r e e - 2 J a m b o r e e o n t he I n t e r n e t - 3

LEADERSHIP G e t t i n g t o K n o w Yo u r N a t i o n a l V O A - 6 M e e t t he N a t i o n a l V L A Re c i p i e n t s - 9 B e r n i e Lo c ka r d : The N e w Ve n t u r i n g C ha i r - 13

PERSONAL GROWTH Re t h i n k i n g S c o u t i n g a t H o m e - 16 Ve n t u r i n g ' s G o t Yo u r B a c k - 17 Re c o g n iz i n g 5 5 Ye a rs o f S e r v i c e - 19

SERVICE Fe a t u r e d S u m m i t Pro j e c t s - 22 M a k i n g Ro u n d t a b l e s A c c e s s i b l e - 23

Ca l e n d a r - 25

Adventure

NATIONAL JAMBOREE 2021

JAMBOREE ON THE INTERNET

Page 2

Page 3

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

JULY 21 - 30 | REGISTER TODAY AT

JAMBOREE.SCOUTING.ORG

SUMMER EDITION

Jamboree

ON THE INTERNET ing the stream. If you've attended a jamboree or saw the last World Jamboree's Facebook page, you'll know that a jamboree is packed with activities - this one was no different. There were over 100 activities split among the 4 main program zones: the "Humanitarian Hub," the "Fun Zone," the "Health and Wellbeing Oasis," and the "Digital Citizenship Den." Activities included a global scout talent show, Yoga & mindfulness sessions, and workshops on global citizenship.

About the Special Edition of JOTI BY WILLY X IAO

If you're anything like me, then COVID-19 has pushed much of your life - Scouting and non-Scouting - online. You're deep into quarantine. Virtual campouts, 9am college lectures (in which 'participation' is graded), or weekly team meetings are now filled with virtual backgrounds and "oh no, Ally, you speak first"s. Ok, Zoomer, we'll get through this. Maybe, as part of your online Scouting activities, you tuned into the Boy Scouts of America's National Camp-In earlier this month or maybe you heard about the Virtual ScoutFest 2020. Ironically, while staying in has made it harder to visit your local Scout friends living down the street, in some ways, it's brought

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

the world closer together. Just like how you're quarantined and eating mac and cheese, Nour from Algeria chomped away at her Baghrir from home. As you scrolled through movies on Netflix, Edgar from Kenya was crushing episodes of Star Trek: Discovery. In fact, there are 50 millions Scouts (and growing!) around the world, many of whom are experiencing similar cautionary directives to stay at home. Last month, World Scouting held an impromptu "Jamboree on the Internet" - or, JOTI - in an attempt to connect these 50 million global Scouts over the weekend of April 3-5. I was one of the Master of Ceremonies of the live show, and I spent 2 hours a night over 3 nights host-

The World Scout Bureau in Kuala Lumpur (World Scouting Headquarters) led this event's planning and delivery. Over the course of a month, as Malaysia instituted stayat-home orders too, the team went from having nothing to scheduling activities, signing up participants, setting up a twice-daily live stream, and collecting Youth Got Talent submissions from across the world. The UN's Envoy on Youth visited the JOTI on one of the live streams as did Bear Grylls on another night. During the event, World Scouting also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to provide Scouting programs in refugee camps. And as with many scouting programs, fun activities elicited invaluable, lifelong lessons. Scouts discussed preventing violence online, learned about disaster risk reduction and the SDGs, and change through kindness.

For me as an MC, the most inspiring part was watching the Scouting spirit stay alive throughout the course of the event: Africans joining into our live stream at their 3am, Scout groups stitching together music videos in different languages, and

newly formed Scouts, BSA troops teaching us how to support their local communities during this difficult time. When I think on the lasting impacts of COVID, I find some solace in knowing how flexible, innovative, and energetic the Scouting move-

ment is. I hope to see most of you all in the fall for the regular, annual edition of the JOTI. Follow along updates here for more information. And until then, lead the adventure, wherever it has taken you now!

A Participant's Experience of JOTI BY SETH GRIFFITH

Scouting proves, yet again, that it will lead our world at being the largest educational youth movement. Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI) Special Edition was held on April 3-5, 2020 and connected millions of individuals around the world for a special World Scouting event. Especially in a time of crisis, this event successfully engaged our young people globally. Typically, JOTI/JOTA is held annually during the third weekend in October and is well known for being the largest participated world event held! This Special Edition event was a oneof-a-kind experience that brought fun and educational opportunities to the comfort of my own home. While my regular activities and events were cancelled, this event reminded me that during this challenging time we are in, together we are able to make a difference in our own way. The JOTI platform had many options for any Scout to choose from and pick their own schedule. I got to start my morning with a fun interactive fitness course “Maximum Fitness - get moving in your home!” During

this module, many other Scouts and I were able to exercise from the comfort of our living rooms while a “virtual coach” instructed us on an exhilarating fitness routine. Thankfully, each fitness course had a level of difficulty for any comfort of athletic ability! Later in the afternoon, I participated in a series of events at the “Humanitarian Hub” and “Scouting from Home” on becoming an active global citizen in my own community. Each of these courses had a series of engaging opportunities/ideas on where Scouts can safely serve their community in a time of public health crisis (such as COVID-19). These programs ended with a useful knowledge check on the audience’s knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals. I got to spend my Saturday evening singing along at a virtual International Campfire with many others from around the world at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre! This session brought me back to when I traveled to Kandersteg, Switzerland in 2016 and experienced the actual

campfire myself with my Scouting friends. Needless to say, the campfire had a lasting impact on my Scouting spirit and concluded my JOTI special edition weekend on a wonderful note. Connecting young people virtually, this impact never stops in Scouts. Together in this challenging time of social distancing, JOTI special edition enabled me and millions of others across the world to connect together in a safe online adventure for all! I am very excited for the next JOTI experience at its regular scheduled appearance in October.

SUMMER EDITION

Leadership

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NATIONAL VOA Page 6

BERNIE LOCKARD: NEW VENTURING CHAIR

NATIONAL VLA RECIPIENTS

Page 9

Page 11

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

GET TING TO KNOW YOUR NEW NATIONAL

VENTURING OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION TYLER GREY

N AT I O N A L V OA P R E S I D E N T

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

My main goal is to ensure each of our Region VOA Presidents feel comfortable, secure, and confident in their roles and their teams. I will be working with our team to revamp the training resources we offer for educating VOA officers as well as working with Samantha to create a detailed Area VOA performance criteria for regions to implement. It is also my utmost priority that we as a National VOA are constructively engaging Venturers across the country as serving as the model Venturers to represent our program. IF YOU GOT TO HIRE CELEBRITIES TO REPL ACE THE NVOA, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

I would definitely start by replacing myself with Morgan Freeman. He’s very inspirational and has such a commanding presence, plus he’s been the US President in a bunch of movies! As for our VP, Ryan Reynolds seems to be very personable and his charitable work has been very inspirational. Leading the West, I think Taylor Swift would be a great icon because she strives to represent diversity and equality but also because I am a HUGE fan! Over in the Central Region, Harrison Ford would be an outstanding leader, given his well-seasoned career and widespread experience. Down South, I'd choose Steven Spielberg because of his sheer innovation with each movie he has directed. Plus, he’s an Eagle Scout! The Northeast Region would shine with Hugh Jackman at the helm, between his frequent Broadway appearances and long-running screen career.

SAMANTHA TROIANO

N AT I O N A L V OA V I C E-P R E S I D E N T

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

One thing I am focusing on is continuing the Region Vice President task forces that started this past term. These task forces were a great opportunity to encourage inter-regional collaboration, while also creating some great resources for Venturers! I am hoping to create a welcoming environment for Region Vice Presidents to share the work they have done throughout the term, and create some resources to help Crews and VOAs. WHAT ARE THREE ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE YOU THINK DESCRIBE YOU BEST?

First, I'd say education simply because I want to be an educator when I grow older. I believe my love of education has helped me to understand other people's perspectives, grow my own leadership skills, and helped to develop my critical thinking skills. Second, Scouting has impacted my life in many different aspects, and helped me to grow my love for education. Scouting has brought me to different corners of the globe, and has given me invaluable skills that I know will help me for the rest of my life. Lastly, I believe theatre is one of the most defining things about myself because it has given me: friendships, a stronger work ethic, and opportunities to do things like working on Broadway shows!

SUMMER EDITION

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR

CONTINUED VENTURING NATIONAL COMMITTEE

JULIANA MURILLO

WESTERN REGION VOA PRESIDENT

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

This upcoming term I plan on finding ways to incorporate alumni throughout the term inorder to encourage collaboration from both past and incoming officers. I feel strongly about using past VOA officers as resources in order to create a culture of inclusion and innovation among my fellow officers. I also plan on expanding different task forces in my area to enable my Region Vice Presidents to lead a team of their own while also allowing a space for everyday venturers in the West to become involved with higher leadership in the region. WHAT WOULD YOUR IDEAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

My ideal day would consist of me spending the day exploring a new city that I’ve never been to before. Like most young people who are bored with the hussle and bussle of everyday life I really enjoy the different life experiences you gain from travelling and being able to discover new cultures. Another thing I always try to do while traveling is visiting book stores, so ideally I’d go and scour the shelves of a look bookstore. I would end the day by enjoying a wholesome meal with some close friends.

ANDREW STECKNER

CENTRAL REGION VOA PRESIDENT

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

My team will be very focused on increasing our support of our areas, councils, and crews through the development of training, providing more up to date resources, and a larger offering of training to increase support of our VOAs. Our hope is that we can create much more awareness of the support structure that does exist for all of us in the Venturing community, and improve upon it to the best of our abilities. WHAT IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCOUTING EXPERIENCE?

I’ve gotten to experience Scouting not only in the BSA but also in Scouts Canada because I’m also Canadian. I’m super passionate about world scouting so having that unique opportunity to experience two quite different and yet similar programs is incredible to me. Some of my best memories and best friendships have been made at Scouts Canada events, and I’ve also earned the Queen’s Venturer Award, which is essentially the Canadian equivalent of Eagle. I love the opportunities that Scouts Canada as well as world scouting in general have given me to connect with people from every corner of the globe that I simply wouldn’t have met otherwise. To me it’s so special to know that I have friends in various countries who I’ll visit whenever I travel abroad, or I’ll certainly spend time with if they’re ever in the USA. It also amazes me that even though the world is such a vastly different place depending on where you live, Scouting gives you an instant bond with so many people.

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

IAN ARNOLD

NORTHEAST REGION VOA PRESIDENT

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

One of the major projects the Northeast Region VOA will be tackling this year is further diversifying our Region’s Venturing program as well as working to improve the inclusion of three of our councils whose Scouting community speak languages other than English into the Region’s program. I hope to personally speak with some of the youth and adults in the program in order to get a better understanding of how the Northeast Region can best support each of their crews and continue to help grow their Venturing community. WHAT WOULD YOUR IDEAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

My ideal day starts with sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, hash browns, and a cup of coffee. After breakfast, I'd probably read some more of Don Quixote (in Spanish) and then maybe take a hike. I'm also a big fan of photography and butterflies so if I could get some pictures, that would truly make my day. Finally, I'd end it all with LOTS of Chinese takeout and chicken nuggets as I watch my favorite show, Criminal Minds.

AMY HERMANN

SOUTHERN REGION VOA PRESIDENT

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING TERM?

My biggest goal for the upcoming term is to create a strong Southern Region family. I personally believe that the best way to cultivate success is to first cultivate an environment of love and compassion. I hope to accomplish this by personally being emotionally available and supportive for the entire region, as well as implementing strong support systems for Area Presidents and Vice Presidents to rely on. Within the South, I want to help grow each of the Region’s nine areas. Each area is distinctly unique; I want to help them realize their individual strengths and achieve their own goals this upcoming term. More importantly, I want to meet Venturers from across the Southern Region. I want to understand why Venturing is so important to each of them and use that new knowledge to better Venturing overall. WHAT IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SCOUTING EXPERIENCE?

Through Scouting, I’ve had the ability to pursue adventures not just on land, but also under the ocean! My home unit, Crew 1978 out of Garland, Texas, specializes in SCUBA. As a founder of the Crew in 2014, my crew and I made the decision that we would go on a major SCUBA trip every year. Because of our crew’s vision, I’ve been lucky enough to see so many different creatures and underwater formations. During our trips we don’t just dive, we’ve gotten to learn about a whole new culture. My stays in both Honduras and Mexico helped me to develop my own Spanish skills and learn the local customs! I am really grateful to have such a rich and unique Venturing experience.

SUMMER EDITION

Bernie Lockard THE NEW VENTURING CHAIR

his year, Venturing is introducing a new National Venturing Chair, Bernie Lockard. Bernie runs a family owned business in Pennsylvania and is a father of five. As he steps into this new position, we are excited to see all that he accomplishes. Before his term started, we had a video conference to talk about his goals and learn more about who he is. We started off the conversation by talking about his previous Scouting experience. BERNIE: Well, this was about 2000, my oldest daughter joined a Venturing Crew and I was involved in a Cub Scout pack of the time. I was the Cubmaster, so I didn’t really have time to be the Crew Advisor, so she had a different advisor… And then I took a Crew to Philmont in 2002… So that’s my Venturing background. But basically, I think I got asked to come into this role because I have some experience but not a lot, so I’m not bringing any preconceived notions. I’m starting to learn some of these areas that people are afraid to touch. But I think the reason they asked me to do it was because I had some experience but I was open-minded as to what the future of the program is going to be like.

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

NICOLE: For sure. So you were involved in a Cub Scout Pack, but were you involved in Scouting during your youth? BERNIE: As a youth for myself? So I was an Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow. And are you part of the Order of the Arrow? I can’t see your uniform. NICOLE: I went through Ordeal, but I have to say I didn’t have the time to get as involved with it as I would have liked to. BERNIE: Okay, well I kind of did that as a kid, too. I did the Ordeal, but I didn’t do Brotherhood until somewhere in the 90’s, and then I was awarded Vigil about ten years ago, something like that. NICOLE: Oh congratulations! That’s huge. BERNIE: Ah, well, thank you. The Vigil was one of the neatest things I’ve ever done, I’ve got to say. Very fun.

NICOLE: That’s awesome. Sorry if I’m jumping around here, but you mentioned how you were going to bring in a new point of view as the National Venturing Chair, but what are you looking forward to as you step into that role? BERNIE: I’m looking forward to seeing this program grow as a result of some changes we may make. So to me, that’s the exciting part. I certainly would like to see Venturing become more important to the National organization. NICOLE: How does it feel to know what an impact you can be making on Venturing from such a high level of the program? BERNIE: It’s daunting. But I’m really excited about it. I’m really looking forward to it. Jenn Hancock is a hard person to follow, I’ve got to tell you. You know, she did it all. So my biggest concern is filling her shoes, to be honest with you.

NICOLE: I’m sure you’ll do great. BERNIE: I hope I can. I think I can. I don’t think I can do as good as her, but I’m coming in at a time where change is inevitable, so I kind of like that. The BSA bankruptcy is of course bad, but on the other hand, it’s making us look at how we’re doing things and seeing how we can do them better. And so Venturing is certainly part of that mix, to see what we can do to make our program more relevant. The first question I asked when we started the conversation of becoming a chairman was to tell me the difference between Venturing and a club in high school. And it can be much, much more, and we have to be careful that it is.

NICOLE: Yeah, totally. How can you, being at such a high level in Venturing, how can what you do trickle down so that you can help the Crews and individual Venturers in the program? BERNIE: Well, I hope that we can develop a sharing program. An idea sharing program. So that Crews have more options where they think more broadly about what they can do today, but more specifically as a Crew. I’m infatuated, for example, with the Dungeons and Dragons crew. I read about them and I don’t know a whole lot about it, but it was interesting because I said in one meeting, I don’t know a whole lot about Dungeons and Dragons, but how can it teach the Scouting values. But Tyler Grey told me how it does and it makes sense. As long as they’re analyzing what they’re doing from that BSA perspective, it really makes sense. So I really think that kind of stuff is interesting to me and the youth out there are going to come up with a lot more ideas. And now that we’re stuck with Zoom, we have a lot of options other than just face to face meetings. NICOLE: Yeah, its definitely an interesting time. Okay, well I think that sums up all of my questions for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to call with me, I really appreciate it. BERNIE: Sure, no problem. I enjoyed it, I looked forward to it, really.

SUMMER EDITION

Venturing Leadership Award 2 0 2 0

N A T I O N A L

V L A

R E C I P I E N T S

TYLER GREY

CLARE TOMAN

Clare is from Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey and served as the 2019-2020 Northeast Region Venturing President. Clare has also served on staff for National Youth Leadership Training, Wood Badge, NAYLE, and VenturingFest. She brings a large degree of enthusiasm to the Venturing program, inspiring other Venturers.

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

ELLA HIRSCH

Ella is from Boerne, Texas and served as the 20192020 Southern Region Venturing President. She has also served on Wood Badge Staff, National Youth Leadership Training Staff, and VenturingFest Staff. Ella is a role model to other youth and adults in the Venturing program.

Tyler is from Simi Valley, California and served as the 2019-2020 Western Region Venturing President and is the incoming National Venturing President. Tyler has served as part of the National Venturing Communications Committee, National Venturing Strategic Planning Committee, and VenturingFest Western Region Base Camp Staff. Tyler is an inspiration to Venturers and he offers outstanding leadership to carry out and continue the Venturing program.

 N ATA L I E N I C H O L S

Natalie is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She has served as a Council President, Area President, and last year was the Central Region Venturing President. Natalie has worked to improve the image of the National VOA and worked to increase region collaboration to help strengthen all regions and the National VOA. It is with this collaboration that helps to provide long term relationships that encourage productivity and success.

 R Y A N D AV I S

Ryan is from Coral Springs, Florida. Ryan is serving as the current VenturingFest Youth Lead and is on the National Venturing Program Committee. He previously has served as an Area President and Southern Region Venturing President. Ryan has outstanding leadership skills and structure/organization that he has used to strengthen the Venturing Program and its members.

LYNDSEY NEDROW

Lyndsey is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has served as an important advocate to strengthen the new link between the Venturing program and the Order of the Arrow. She has been outstanding in representing Venturing and ensuring a female Venturing presence in the Order of the Arrow. It is with Lyndsey’s involvement in this relationship and outstanding leadership over the task that is crucial in forging this relationship.

SUMMER EDITION

OWEN McCULLOCH

JU LI E DALTON

 D AV I D B U S H

David is from Tyler, Texas and is serving as part of the Program Development Team for the National Venturing Committee. He works tirelessly on investigating, researching, and developing proposals to better the Venturing program. David is an excellent mentor to youth and adults in the Venturing program.

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

Julie is from Wichita, Kansas and is serving as the current Central Region Venturing Advisor. Julie has been a Powder Horn Course Director, helped with VenturingFest as the Central Region Chief of Staff, and previously served as an Area Advisor and Region Associate Advisor. No matter the challenge, Julie tackles it head on with her outstanding leadership skills and makes the program better for it.

Owen became National Venturing Director after the 2017 National Jamboree, and he has spent the last three years working to help benefit Venturing in that role. He has been instrumental in the development of the program, both through his actions and by advising the youth he has encountered along the way. Not only does he serve on a national level, but he is also a crew advisor and is Assistant Scoutmaster for two Scouts BSA troops (one girl troop, one boy troop). Owen has been engaged at every level of Scouting and he exemplifies a level of that leadership we all admire. It is an honor to have Owen McCulloch receive the National Venturing Leadership Award.

APRIL McMILLAN

April is from Knoxville, Tennessee and is an active member of the National Venturing Committee and is the National Director of Program, overseeing Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts, STEM Scouts and Exploring. She provides so much support and leadership over the Venturing program to continue to make the program better and more engaging for the youth Venturers and adult advisors. April has served as a volunteer for many years prior to joining the National team. Her enthusiasm for Venturing, outstanding leadership, and endless contributions to the program have made her an outstanding candidate for the National VLA.

BOB SIRHAL

Bob is from Kingston, Rhode Island and is the current Training Chair for the National Venturing Committee and coordinates for many training sessions at the Philmont Training Center. Bob has served as the Northeast Region Advisor and also was part of the National Venturing Steering Committee when the structure of the National Venturing Committee was being redesigned. Bob has contributed to the Venturing program in so many valuable ways that have helped shape the program into what it is today.

JIM LYNCH

Jim is from San Antonio, Texas and is serving as the Chair of the Program Committee for the National Venturing Committee. He has worked to analyze and develop plans to build a sustainable Venturing program. He has provided extreme leadership over the program and the youth and adults part of it.

SUMMER EDITION

Personal Growth

RETHINKING SCOUTING AT HOME Page 16

VENTURING'S GOT YOUR BACK

RECOGNIZING 55 YEARS OF SERVICE

Page 17

Page 19

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

WINTER EDITION

[ RETHINKING SCOUTING AT HOME ] Staring at a screen can be tiring, so we came up with a list of fun activities you can be doing in your own home that connect to the ideals listed in the Scout Law. Check them out below and share with us on Facebook and Instagram what you have done by using the hashtag #ScoutingAtHome and tagging @VenturingBSA!

T RUST WORTHY Practice trust falls or even recreate a whole COPE course using items in your home. LOYAL All throughout history, jewelry has represented loyalty. You could show your friends how much you care by making them a friendship bracelet. HE L P F U L Get together with a friend (social-distancing, of course!) and teach each other something new as to help relieve boredom, be it how to embroider, a new dance, or tips to get that perfect free-throw. FR I E N D LY Write a letter to someone. While this may seem less practical, the intentionality behind this shows others that you care about them. CO U RT EOUS Put those camp kitchen staff skills to test by baking or cooking a meal for your family. For added fun, you can even get the family to dress up fancy for no reason! KIND Find a few smooth rocks, wash them off, paint something kind or encouraging on them, and leave them in places for people to find on walks or in front of stores.

OBEDIENT Instead of waiting until your TV show is finished to complete that chore you were assigned, do it right away and eliminate the possibility of forgetting about it. CHEERF UL A simple way to spread positivity is to leave a colorful chalk painting somewhere for others to enjoy. THRIF T Y Do something crafty using materials in your house you would typically get rid of like using an old shirt to sew scrunchies or using old plastic containers to form homes for succulents. BRAVE Start that YouTube channel you’ve always wanted to start! Just remember, at the end of the day, your opinion is the only one that matters. CLEAN A “chore” that can be surprisingly fun is cleaning cars by hand with your family. Just make sure you don’t have anything you don’t want wet on you, because things can get crazy. REVERENT Watch online services for your faith and dive into texts. You can also do research to try to understand people from other religious, ethnic, and social identities better.

SUMMER EDITION

Venturing’s Got Your Back A VENTURING ALUMNI’S SUCCESS STORY

Dan Bronstein

DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC

n 1998 I was first introduced to Venturing, having previously come from a Venturing Crew in my home troop the year prior. I was a Life Scout who had just served as a National staffer at the 1997 National Jamboree and was full of enthusiasm for Scouting. We started a High Adventure Crew and recruited our friends and acquaintances who either weren’t involved in Scouting or had been disenchanted with the program. We backpacked relentlessly, honing our outdoor skills and leadership capabilities. When we traveled to Philmont a year later, we were more than friends; we were family. We had been through thick and thin together, and to this day, I would trust each and every one of my crewmates with my life. Venturing opened the doors for so many Scouting opportunities: I obtained my Eagle Scout in my Venturing Crew, I served as a National staffer at yet another National Jamboree where I represented the National Venturing program, I served on the National Venturing Cabinet as the first Western Region Venturing President, and I also served on not one, but two National High Adventure Base staffs. And through it all, I had the time of my life. CONTINUED >> 17

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

The leadership skills afforded me by my time in Venturing translated well into my professional life. In fact, I became interested in my chosen profession, chiropractic, by first becoming an EMT as part of a Venturing Silver Award requirement. Throughout chiropractic college, I served in a plethora of leadership capacities: first as a Student American Chiropractic Association President, then as National Vice President, and eventually as a director on the board of the World Congress of Chiropractic Students. Ultimately, my skills and experience allowed me to serve as an intern to the World Health Organization, then as a consultant, the second chiropractor in our profession’s history to do so. Eventually, I entered private practice and learned quickly that the most crucial component to running a successful business is the team you surround yourself with. I could not serve my patients at this capacity without a strong team. Recognizing strengths and weaknesses in my team and cultivating skillsets is equally vital to the clinical work we do because it allows me to focus on the things I’m good at and rest assured that the office will run without micromanagement. We train relentlessly using the EDGE method, working to continuously better ourselves, a necessity for sustained growth. We engender personal responsibility and encourage everyone in the office to lead from the front. My team is the face of my practice both inside the office and in the community-at-large, and I can be confident that they represent me and my brand well.

Now eight years into private practice, I’ve found that the skillset I cultivated in Venturing holds truer than ever. As a primarily pediatric and family chiropractic office, we are highly specialized, which requires an even-more attuned leadership acumen. Not only must I lead my team, but also my community. Parents are looking for answers and education regarding their health and the health of their families, and that requires me to be on the vanguard of research and best-practices. Because the work we do is non-traditional, adaptability is an invaluable asset. Through it all, I’ve never forgotten the core values which made our crew successful all those years ago. I still love the outdoors, go backpacking whenever I have the chance, and take every opportunity to instill Scouting’s aims in my daughter and the youth I serve. l

chirobeacon.com WINTER EDITION

AWARD HIGHLIGHT

--------

BRONZE WOLF

Recognizing 55 Years of Service Recipient: Scott Sorrels

--------

Article by Nicole Steele

recently had the honor of speaking with Scott Sorrels, one of this year’s four recipients of the only award presented by the World Scout Committee: the Bronze Wolf Award. This award recognizes the outstanding service individuals have contributed to the World Scout Movement. Over the course of 85 years in Scouting, only 371 Bronze Wolf Awards have been presented WorldWide, 38 being from the United States of America, and 2 with involvement in Venturing. That being said, Scott’s initial reaction to the phone call from WOSM that offered him the award caught him entirely by surprise; he says he “got a call and initially thought they were calling to recruit me to do something else.” As I talked with Scott, I was enthralled by his passion for uniting Scouts, supporting the youth in any way possible, and enabling leaders from across the world. Not only was he dedicated to those ideas, but he spoke with wisdom, compassion, and a downto-earth tone that you could tell came from years of working with adults and youth alike; immediately, I realized why he was selected as a recipient for such a prestigious award. Throughout his 55 years in Scouting, Scott has gotten to leave his mark on not just those around him, but the world.

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

Scott first got his start in Scouting as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout before he began to long for an experience with older youth and more of an emphasis on leadership. At that point, he joined Venturing’s predecessor, Exploring. During his time in Exploring, Scott held national officer positions and met his wife of now 42 years. Scott shared how “some of the best people you will ever meet in your life are from Scouting, and the quality of the individuals you get to work with and the fellowship are very rewarding. You get life-long relationships.” He continued his Scouting involvement after aging out, eventually even being the Vice-Chair of the National Venturing Committee when it first formed and helping start the Southern Region’s WinterFest. As I talked to Scott, I was empowered to see how someone who got their start in Scouting in such a common way was able to accomplish so much through time, passion, and determination. Of course, Scott is most recognized for his work to help ensure the success of last year’s World Scout Jamboree. I was impressed to hear that as the BSA Co-Chair of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, Scott's work started about a decade before the event. As Scott put it, “the Boy Scouts of America was the organization that brought the Summit Bechtel Reserve to the table as a permanent campsite for world youth. So that was quite an effort.” Last summer marked not only the grande debut of the Summit, but also a cultural change for the BSA.

“About half of the service team for camp staff were 29 years of age or younger, which is really different from previous years and brought a completely different energy and vibe to the event that was very fun to watch. The other thing I probably liked the best was keeping the adults in the background and trying to empower youth to lead, which brought along what we called the dream team of just incredibly talented youth from our three co-host countries. They became our public relations group, and when they got to the Summit, it was very intentional that no one who was an adult had a speaking role on the stage.

"WE’RE DOING THE PROGRAM FOR THEM, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. I KNOW THIS PROGRAM POSITIVELY CHANGES LIVES, IT DID MINE, IT DID MY WIFE’S, AND I’VE SEEN IT HAPPEN TO COUNTLESS OF LIVES TIME AND TIME AGAIN."

In addition to all of his work in the World Organization of Scouting Movement, Scott was recently appointed as the National Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. One of the many things Scott is looking to do as the National Commissioner is to work on incorporating and welcoming World Scouting more to North America. As he put it, “It’s a very big world, and sometimes we have the perception that we’re the center of the universe, and we’re not. We serve 53 million people around the world, and when we’ve mentioned that over the years, people glaze over the fact because of the perception of the BSA, but the World Organization of Scouting

Movement is much different and bigger than people believe. Hopefully, what we’ve done is open the eyes of the Scouts, BSA family to be a part of World Scouting in a more engaged way. We already see this in just little things like the Virtual Campout this weekend. We pushed it out on some Jamboree social media, and Scouts from ten or twelve countries signed up. That’s pretty neat. The world is shrinking and the World Scouting Committee is growing closer, and that’s pretty neat.” Even before Scott began his time as the National Commissioner, he had been involved in the National Committee. He told me of how he saw that both the program and the world are rapidly changing, he’s just trying to make sure that they “have the program positioned correctly for what this world of rising adults wants to be involved in,” but even further than that, it’s his “belief that [he] can’t do that. It needs to be someone much, much younger.” So with that, Scott is trying to give a voice to all of the youth, as to ensure that all aspects of the Boy Scouts of America serve the youth of this generation in the best way possible. As I conclude sharing some of the things I learned from my interview with Scott Sorrels, I’d like to give light to Scott’s advice to anyone looking to start their career in Venturing. In his words, “at the end of the day, it’s not about you. I’m a big believer in servant leadership where you identify talent, you grow and encourage that talent, and you then get out of the way to let them lead, and that’s how Venturing is designed. It’s important to remember that. It’s not about the positions and patches; it’s about providing opportunities for others to go do things.” So whether it’s your typical Scouting excursion, something a little bit more creative, or something from behind the scenes, I’d like to encourage you to follow the advice of Scott Sorrels, and go out and do things.

To learn more about this award and the other recipients, you can visit the World Scout website. WWW.SCOUT.ORG SUMMER EDITION

Service

STANDOUT SUMMIT AWARD PROJECTS

MAKING ROUNDTABLES ACCESSIBLE

Page 22

Page 23

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

WINTER EDITION

FEATURED SUMMIT PROJECTS HANNAH BAILEY

MIDDLE TENNESSEE COUNCIL, TN

"I put mile marker signs at each mile on all 50 miles of the Collins River. The signs serve 3 purposes. First, Individuals and groups can now adopt sections of the river for year-round clean-up efforts. Second, the signs created a blueway, so less experienced paddlers can know where they are on the river. And lastly, the coordinates of each sign were given to the Rescue Squad to aid in river rescues."

MACKENZIE COURTRIGHT

NORTHERN NEW JERSEY COUNCIL, NJ

"My project was building two benches and four raised garden beds for the back/side garden of the Caldwell Free Public Library. My project also included putting in edging for the shade garden."

RECENTLY COMPLETED YOUR SUMMIT PROJECT? Fill out this quick survey to be recognized on Scouting.org and have a chance to be featured in a future newsletter! SCOUTING.ORG

SUMMER EDITION

ne of the things many people have needed to quickly adapt to these past three months has been the use of electronics to continue communication that would normally happen in person. The Capital Area Council in Texas, however, got a head start. Before COVID-19 hit, they noticed that hardly anyone was showing up to their Venturing Roundtables. In response, Becky Haluska and Michael Capochiano thought of a creative way to make them

VENTURING NEWSLET TER

more accessible: doing them via Facebook Live. According to Becky, the reasoning behind this decision was that “The Crews in our council are spread out geographically, it can be extremely difficult to meet in person. The Facebook Live work was an attempt to get information out to Advisors that couldn’t make a normal meeting.… We have learned that Crews are looking for information and a sharing of other’s experiences, even if they are unable to make a meeting in person.”

The preparation work for their meetings are essentially the same as normal ones. “Michael and I try to schedule topics that will be relevant to Crews during or around the month that we host the Roundtable topic. Preparation for each topic usually involves reviewing the BSA guidelines and information about the topic, making note of experiences we have with the topic, and doing research to fill in information that can help explain or illustrate the topic further,” Becky shared. They then simply broadcast each Roundtable on Facebook for those who can’t make the commute while still leaving the option for people to physically join them. For those looking to boost the impact of their Roundtables or Forums by creating accessibility online, be it via Facebook Live, Youtube, or another platform, it is important to pay attention to the needs of your specific council as opposed to merely copying another’s without adapting. Becky had some thoughts on this topic. “Make sure you understand your audience,” she said, “It’s important to know where your reach can be most effective. The whole idea of the Roundtable is to share information and to support

one another in helping our youth become the leaders we know they can be.” In addition to that, one piece of advice Michael had to give was to “keep on a regular schedule. Promote it with a council newsletter or another channel, and make it an event on your Venturing Facebook page. Then promote it using posts on your page.” One of the biggest components of success is communication. It is important to make sure that you are getting information out to people, hearing back on what they would like to see in the future, and creating a way for Venturers and Advisors to learn from one another. This innovative way of adapting to what suits the needs of those in their council is one that can be transferred to other aspects in Venturing, as well. Crews may be able to have meetings more often if they get business that doesn’t need a face-to-face interaction done by using platforms such as Zoom, and they can even play games together online. It’s exciting to be living in a time where there are endless possibilities for the way we can make Scouting more accessible, and I can’t wait to see what people come up with.

SUMMER EDITION

LIST OF UPCOMING

EVENTS

J U LY 2 0 2 0 - O C T 2 0 2 0

J u l y 2 8 - 31 S o u t he r n Re g i o n Ve n t u r i n g O f f i c e r s ’ O r i e n t a t i o n A u g u s t 1 C R A r e a 7 P I V OT

VENTURING 30-DAY CHALLENGE

A u g u s t 21 - 23 S R A r e a 7 Ve n t u r i n g O f f i c e r s ’ O r i e n t a t i o n

APR 2020

S e p t e m b e r 11 - 13 S R A r e a 7 S O A R S e p t e m b e r 18 - 2 0 N E R A r e a 5 O h S h o o t Le t ’s G o t o t he B e a c h S e p t e m b e r 25 - 2 7 C R A r e a 7 E x t r a v a g a n za O c t o b e r 9 - 11 N E R A r e a 6 Re C o n n e c t O c t o b e r 9 - 11 S R A r e a 1 Fr i g h t f e s t O c t o b e r 9 - 11 S R A r e a 5 Le g a c y 8 O c t o b e r 16 - 18 C R A r e a 1 We l c o m e t o t he J u n g l e O c t o b e r 23 - 25 N E R A r e a 4 E n g a g i n g Q U A D O c t o b e r 3 0 - N o v e m b e r 1 S R A r e a 7 The L a s t Ve n t u r e r

VIEW MORE AT VENTURING.ORG

Facebook: @BSAVenturing

*NOTE: some events may be canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Instagram: @VenturingBSA

Twit ter: @VenturingBSA