VOL III Edition 2
wESTERN rEGION vENTURING
AUG-Sep 2017
Area 4 Newsletter Orange County Council Beach Day Crew 128's Banquet
Lien Ket Labor Day
Western Region Area 4 Venturing Orientation
WR Area 4 Venturing Newsletter Vol. III Issue 2 Cover Image Jonathan Bergler Contributors Jonathan Bergler, Kiera Neccesary, Johnathan Ho Instagram @wra4ventuiring Facebook WR Area 4 Venturing Facebook.com/wra4venturing For Questions, Comments, or Concerns, email us at Nicole Steele area4-vpcomms@wrventuring.org
WESTERN REGION AREA 4 VENTURING
IN THIS ISSUE: AUG-SEP 2017
WR Area Venturing 4 Newsletter 3
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Aug-sept 2017
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
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John F. Kennedy
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Aug-sept 2017
WR Area 4 Venturing Newsletter
President's Minute Hello WR Area 4! Wow! I can not believe the school year has begun and I must say it has been bittersweet. Starting off senior year is exciting with tons of great events and activities to look forward to (not to mention graduating), but with it came seeing close friends go off to college, the responsibilities of school work, club meetings, sports practices and games, and this crazy thing called college apps that take up a lot more time and energy than you would expect. Overwhelmed with everything at once, I realized that the downside of being strongly determined is that I often find myself looking at life through the lens of productivity and miss the beauty of being, as we are made to be just as much as we are made to do. I acknowledge that getting caught up in all the chaos of the school year is almost unavoidable no matter what grade you are in, however, I challenge you to take the time to do what you love for yourself, not for a college app, or an A in a class, but for the pure reason of wanting to, whether its going out to eat with a friend, doing a scavenger hunt in LA, going on a backpacking trip with your crew, or writing a college essay on a rock in the middle of a creek. The future is bright, Area 4, so don’t stop leading the adventure! Yours in Venturing Natalie MacEwan WR Area 4 VOA President
Advisor's Minute
Hello Area 4, Different times in each Venturing term are like seasons in the year. Summer is when we start our term and go live our Venturing adventures. Fall is when we take all the necessary trainings and learn about our jobs and responsibilities. Winter is when we get ready to use our skills that we’ve learned and have great fun with our activities. And spring is when we get ready to graduate, pad ourselves on the back for a great year that we just have. Every beginning of Fall on September 21st is an “International Day of Peace”, a day that all scouts serves their communities. This could be your neighborhood, school, church, or your council. Many of yours council officers just went to our Area Venturing Officers Orientation a couple weeks ago. This is where many learn how to become a better VOA, become a team, and use what they’ve learned from the orientation to better serve their council, districts, and units. With this knowledge they will grow to be a better leader in their communities. Lastly, I would like to remind you that being a VOA officer is not about a position that you held in scouting. It’s a character of being servant leader, and what you can do to better the world brotherhood of scouting. Yours in Venturing T. Itsarapakdetam WR Area 4 VOA Advisor
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Aug-Sept 2017
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter
OCC Beach Day Written by Jonathan Bergler Laughter in the air, s’mores over the fire, sand between our toes, I’d say the OCC Venturing Beach Day and Bonfire was a tremendous success. Venturers began piling into our little section of Bolsa Chica State Beach at 2:00, loaded with their food, towels, and great attitudes. After putting our scout skills to use while setting up a makeshift net constructed of paracord, an easy-up, and an umbrella we kicked-off the bonding with several intense rounds of volleyball. Needing to cool off from the heat of the game, some of us headed to the water while others chilled in the shade. Orange County Venturers got to goof-off and talk to new faces as we started the fire and began roasting hot dogs. With the sun setting we pulled out the marshmallows and began creating decadent, gooey s’mores. This event was a true testament to the connection that all Venturers have.
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Aug-Sept 2017
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter
Crew 128's Banquet Written by Kiera Neccesary
For the first two and a half years of Crew 128’s existence, we were fairly stagnant. We kept the same president and cabinet this entire time, in order to stay stable and organized. However, since our formation, our crew has gotten a lot more involved, with three of us representing in the WLACC VOA. We are a lot more active, and together we had our very first election since our formation. To swear in our two new co-presidents and their cabinet, we held a start-of-term banquet for the crew on August 11-12. We played team building games, had an induction ceremony over dinner, went for a short hike, and got to know the three newest members of our crew. The banquet lasted overnight, and finished with an early pancake breakfast Saturday morning.
What's your Crew up to? We want to know about any fun, exciting, unique, or helpful events your Crews are participating in, so let us know and get your story featured in our newsletter! Western Region Area 4
@wra4venturing
/wra4venturing
area4-vpcomms@wrventuring.org
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aug-Sept 2017
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter
Lien Ket Labor Day
Written By Johnathan Ho, Crew 980 Trai Lien Ket. Trai means “camp” in Vietnamese and “Lien Ket” means “connect”. For Vietnamese Scouts like me, these 3 words mean more than 2 full days of excitement and competition with Scouts from Southern California. Lien Ket only comes around every other year, just like the National Vietnamese Venturing Jamboree, which just so happens to fall on the same year. These types of events are some of the only times where each of the Vietnamese Crews get to spend time with all other ones in the same place. Otherwise, we’d have to plan our own InterCrew events with just a few Crews together, something my Crew and a few others love to do. From September 1-4, 2017, Lien Ket 16 was held at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, CA. The high temperature was above 100° Fahrenheit with constant humidity and periodic bouts of rain. Nighttime was little better, but still warm and sticky. Unfortunately, the camp was planned over 18 months in advance, so rescheduling was not an option. Nevertheless, the company couldn’t have been better. In total, 11 different Vietnamese multiunit groups attended, all of which were made up of Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, Cub
Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers. The Venturing Crews were separate from the rest of the units in our own subcamp on top of a hill. The Crews ranged in size from about 15 members to an upwards of 70, with an average of about 25 per Crew. The camp program was packed with nonstop activities, with some time at night to socialize with our friends in different Crews. The games ranged from an icebreaker Bingo, traditional skills, photo scavenger hunt, and face-off minigames. Each of those had prizes, which ranged from simple bragging rights, limited edition patches, goodie bags, and prize ribbons. There were no pity prizes, but a decent range of different Crews all won prizes, so there were plenty to go around. In the Scouting tradition, we had a Cracker Barrel on Sunday night. There was food, drinks, an open mic session, and an acoustic jam session. The acoustic jam session is a favorite of many of the Venturers ever since we started doing it at Trai Khai Pha 3, the Jamboree mentioned above. Even though most of our voices were gone, it was a good way to end the long weekend. The next time all the Vietnamese units get to camp together is next Summer, at the International Vietnamese Scouting Jamboree in Virginia from June 28 to July 4th.
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Scholarships Administrations Corner
Dozens of universities, BSA local councils, and religious, civic, and military organizations offer college scholarships to Venturing Summit Award Recipients. Some scholarships are needs-based; others are meritbased. Some go to every Summit Award Recipient who applies; others are highly competitive. We have compiled a list of scholarships available to Summit Award Recipients and will update our list, as necessary. If you find any errors or are aware of other scholarships, please email NationalVenturing.VicePresident@scouting.org. These scholarships are offered by independent organizations and may not be endorsed or maintained by the Boy Scouts of America. COMMUNITY PADI DIVE TO ADVENTURE SCHOLARSHIP
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) offers a multilevel scholarship program to introduce Venturers and Sea Scouts to the exciting underwater world. PADI recognizes that adventure is one of the key elements of the Scouting program. Scuba diving is an exciting avocation or vocation that can be enjoyed in just about every part of the country. For more information, click here! TRAILS-END POPCORN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Earn money for College by participating in the Trails-End Popcorn Scholarship Program. You must sell $2,500 or more during one sales period to qualify. Any sales in the future of any amount may be applied to your scholarship money. For more information, click here! VFW SCOUT OF THE YEAR SCHOLARSHIP
The VFW Scout of the Year Scholarship program provides a $5,000 award to an outstanding scout who is the recipient of the Boy Scout Eagle Award, Venturing Summit/Silver Award, or Sea Scout Quartermaster Award. For more information, click here! Deadline: March 1 RELIGIOUS
EMMETT J. DOERR MEMORIAL DISTINGUISHED SCOUT SCHOLARSHIP Each year, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting awards $2,000 scholarships to five outstanding Catholic young men or women who are high school seniors and currently registered and active in Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, or Venturing. The applicant must have earned the Eagle Scout Award or the Summit Award; have earned the Ad Altare Dei or Pope Pius XII religious emblem; have held a Scouting leadership position; and have served in his or her home parish. For more information, click here!
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INSTITUTION SPECIFIC
ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY VENTURING AND SCOUTING LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP This annually renewable award ranges from $1,000 to $5,000 per student and is available to incoming freshmen who are Eagle Scouts, Venturing Summit/Silver Awardees, Sea Scouting Quartermaster Awardees, GSUSA Gold Awardees, or the American Heritage Girls Stars and Stripes Awardees. For more information, click here or contact the ACU Office of Venturing and Scouting Relationships! Deadline: March 1 LINDENWOLD UNIVERSITY
Lindenwood has awarded the Boy Scouts of America over $250,000 in scholarships for the upcoming school year to recognize outstanding youth who have volunteered with, been members of, or worked for the Boy Scouts of America. The three levels of scholarships range from $5,000 to $12,000 per year, or $20,000 to $48,000 over a four-year period. Contact Lindenwood University for more information. LIPS COMB UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN has a $10,000 scholarship for incoming freshmen who have received the Eagle Scout Award, Venturing Summit/Silver Award, Sea Scouting Quartermaster Award, Girls Scouts of America's Gold Award, or the American Heritage Girls' Stars and Stripes award. For more information, click here! UNIVERSITY OF EVANSVILLE SCOUTING SCHOLARSHIP
The University of Evansville has teamed up with America’s Scouting organizations to create the UE Scouting Scholarship – a $56,000, four-year award for recipients of the Eagle Scout Award, Quartermaster Award, or the Summit/Silver Award. Candidates also must visit the UE campus and have a high school GPA of at least 3.5 and score 1530 or higher on the SAT or 23 or higher on the ACT. For more information, click here!
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Aug-sept 2017
Learning to Lead the Adventure
Western Region Area 4 Venturing Orientation To become a better leader we must all start somewhere, and that’s why many Venturers gathered together during the Western Region Area 4 Venturing Orientation the weekend of September 16. After a late night of the Western Region Area 4 Venturing Officers Association and special guests Jessica Kent, Quan Phung, and Timothy Simpson preparing for Saturday, participants started to arrive. Council-level Venturing Advisors, Committees, Staff Advisors, Officers, and others all made their ways to Trask Scout Reservation by 8:00 AM. We kicked the morning off by playing a quick game to learn everybody’s names, then jumped right into the action with our Area Venturing President, Natalie MacEwan, going over the Western
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter Region Area 4 VOA’s goals and expectations for the rest of the year as well as what a council Venturing Officers Association should be working on. Each participant then got a chance to talk to the respective Area officers of their positions to learn specific tips on how they can support Crews, what to pay attention to in the upcoming slideshows, and ask any questions they might have. This was followed by presentations from the rest of Natalie’s Vice Presidents on Venturing Basics, Communications, Administrations, and Programs. With a brief break for lunch and a professional photo-shoot, we wrapped things up. Deciding to change the scenery to the lovely outdoors, we listened to a Personal Safety Awareness talk. Councils then got a chance to directly apply what they just learned to a planning meeting of their own, which lead straight into an adult break-out to help them to understand better how to support their youth leaders. Before we brought the scheduled learning to an end, everyone got to hear more about the National Venturing Officers Association from Jessica Kent. Those who stayed the night then got to spend time bonding with their peers, because if you are going to lead something you should have fun while doing so. This also gave attendees resources outside of their own council. Especially after this training to prepare them, we are all excited to see what the Western Region Area 4 councils have in store for us!
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Aug-sept 2017
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter
Common Questions What is Venturing?
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Venturing is a co-ed branch of Boy Scouts that focuses on being youth-lead and high-adventure based. It follows the ALPS Model (Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, Service) and allows young adults to explore their interests and grow in a safer environment. Anyone who is 14 years of age or who has completed the 8th grade is eligible to join until they reach the age of 21.
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What do you do as a Venturer?
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Different Crews hold different activities based upon what the Crew members are interested in. This could be anything from shooting firearms to camping to playing board games. Venturers often do community service, too. However, there are a few rules about what is not allowed, which you can check out in the Guide to Safe Scouting. This includes activities such as Indoor Skydiving, which may seem fun but in fact can be very dangerous.
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Can you earn the Eagle Scout Rank as a Venturer?
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Venturers who have earned their First Class rank with the Boy Scouting program can continue advancing towards their Eagle Award through Venturing until they turn 18 years of age. There is also a Venturing equivalent of the Eagle Award, called the Summit Award, which may be earned until the scout ages out of Venturing. What is the difference between Venturing and Boy Scouts?
While Venturing incorporates many of the same morals as Boy Scouts, it focuses more on being entirely youth-run. Scouts are often the ones doing most of the planning and advertising from the Crew to the National level. They are also allowed a chance to participate in more high-adventure activities due to the older age range. For example, Venturers are allowed to shoot Black Powder Rifles as well as Handguns, whereas Boy Scouts are not.
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What are the Uniform Regulations?
The Venturing Program allows each Crew to decide what their uniform regulations are. Some may decide on wearing a specialized shirt while others decide on wearing the full uniform plus accessories, it depends on the Crew. However, if the green Venturing shirt is worn the correct patch placement should be followed and charcoal grey pants should be worn. To learn 12 more, check out this link: http://www.venturing.org/uniform-guide.html
Aug-sept 2017
WR Area 4 Venturing Newsletter
Duke of Edinburgh's Award in the USA Programs Corner
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an internationally recognized program for young people to build their skills and equip them for life and work. The Award has been around for 60+ years, has reached 140 countries, and has been awarded to 5 million youth and more. The Award has recently launched its US branch and Scouters across the country are taking the first step in becoming Advisors and Mentors for this Award. But for those of us without a background in International Scouting, this may be the first time we are hearing about an award like this. The Award was started in 1956 by His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Award has four sections to it: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation, and Adventurous Journey. Depending on the amount of time that is put into these four Skills, you can earn one of the three tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. If you’re really up for a challenge and want to go for the Gold, there is an additional project required called the Residential Project. The Residential Project requires individuals to spend around one week in another community or with people from other communities and build confidence living in new environments. All around, the Duke of Edinburgh Award enables individuals to become independent and be prepared for their future. To take on this challenge in your own community (your Venturing Crew) here are some tips! First, you might have noticed that there is some similarity between the skills required for the Duke of Edinburgh and the ALPS model we use in Venturing. By following ALPS Model, which stands for Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth and Service, you and your Venturing Crew can make plans to meet the requirements of the Award. For example, Venturers are required to do a certain number of service hours to earn the Awards on the Trail to Summit. In the Duke of Edinburgh Award, individuals are required to do a set number of service hours in their community. The tier II and tier III outings that Venturing Crews go on can also count towards the Adventurous Journey skill set for the Award. Already we can see how your Crew’s Annual Program can align with this award. Second, there is already an extensive network of youth and adults that can help you with achieving your award. Award Leaders across the country can mentor you in earning that award. If you’re having a difficult time finding a Leader, Award Mentors can help you connect with them as well.
If you and your Crew would like more resources for the Duke of Edinburgh Award, you can visit the Duke of Edinburgh Award USA website at usaward.org.
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eht
Interviewing INSIDERS Learning a bit more about the Western Region Area 4 VOA with each edition GETTING TO KNOW
Why did you want to join the Western Region Area 4 VOA? Tyler: Personally, I wanted to join the Western Region Area 4 VOA to help support the councils of Area 4 and continue my career in Venturing and the VOA. My good friend, Natalie M., had inspired me to keep going on my journey with the program and see how much I could give back to Venturing and scouting as a whole. Mr. Henderson: I don’t seem to recall; world peace comes to mind. Best guess - it may have been to do something different in scouting. What do you do outside of Venturing?
Vice President of Administration Tyler Grey
Associate Advisor of Administrations Michael Henderson
Tyler: Outside of the Venturing program, I am very involved in other branches of scouting. In my Boy Scout troop, I am a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. I earn merit badges and Eagle Palms. Currently, I have 103 merit badges and 16 Eagle Palms. I am also involved with the Order of the Arrow and my local lodge. My lodge is Malibu Lodge #566, and I have been serving as the 2017 Malibu Lodge Chief. I am also involved with the OA Western Region Communications Team and the OA National Communications Team where I write and edit content for their respective websites. At school, I am currently a senior taking 4 AP courses, which eats up a lot of my free time. I am also involved with my school’s National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation clubs. In my leftover time, I like to hang out with my friends, go hiking, and play video games. 14
How do you plan on helping councils this year?
SREDISNI gniweivretnI
Mr. Henderson: Outside of venturing, I spend my time performing councillevel scouting, attending my wife’s singing performances, and doing stuff with scouter friends.
Tyler: This year, I plan on helping out the councils by working on and managing an online hub that they can use as a place to find all the resources they need. I would also like to improve file management and internal communication with an application called Slack. Additionally, I want to get every council to submit a CSVE form and have a score of at least 175. Mr. Henderson: Providing guidance on BSA national and council-level organizational and administrative matters How do you feel about pineapple on pizza?
the
Tyler: In my honest opinion, pineapple does not belong anywhere near pizza. Fruits should be eaten cold, not warm. If anything, fruits should especially not be warm and covered with hot cheese and maybe even pepperoni.
Tyler after he was Mr. Henderson: Yea; with extra onions and olives! awarded "Best Overall Lodge" at the Why do you like being in charge of Area Conclave administrations? Tyler: I enjoy this job because it involves a lot of behind the scenes work and paperwork, which I am good with. I am excited to be planning the end of year awards banquet which is something new for me, but still involves familiar skills of working behind the scenes and doing paperwork. I became involved with administrations because a good friend of mine got me involved with the council VOA and suggested that I follow in his footprints of being the Vice President of Administration. Mr. Henderson: Being in charge of administrative operations comes naturally for me and is something I’ve done professionally. Basically, I enjoy translating strategic vision into operational organization.
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Save the Date! Western Region Area 4 VEnturing Presents
passport to venturing
February sat 10 to Sun 11, 2018
lost valley scout reservation
Western Region Area 4 Venturing
Western Region Area 4 Shooting Sports Every third Sunday 9am-12pm and 1pm- 4pm $20 for 100 rounds Contact Jerry Clark to sign up 714-264-5335 Coates-clark@att.net
VenturingFest 2018 is a special Scouting event at the Summit Bechtel Reserve open to registered Venturers, Venturing-age Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Explorers and adult leaders. This six day high-adventure experience invites participants to explore the best that the Summit has to offer. As if the adrenaline pumping activities weren’t enough, VenturingFest attendees will also get to jam out to concerts and meet new friends.
WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?!
ACTIVITIES
FAST FACTS
AQUATICS
WHEN IS IT?
Paddleboarding, Kayaking, Water Obstacle Course and White Water Rafting*!
July 1st - 6th, 2018
COPE & CLIMBING
Summit Bechtel Reserve Mt. Hope, West Virginia
Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Canopy Zip-Line Tours Team-Building, and Challenge Courses!
OUTDOOR SKILLS
WHERE IS IT? WHAT DOES IT COST? Youth Registration Fee: After April 30th, 2018:
$500 $600
Leave No Trace, Nature, Service & Conservation Projects!
Adult Registration Fee: After April 30th, 2018:
$400 $500
SHOOTING SPORTS
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?**
Geocaching, Wilderness Survival, Orienteering & Pioneering!
SUSTAINABILITY & ECOLOGY
Rifle, Shotgun, & Pistol Shooting, Laser Shooting Range, Static Archery, Crossbow & Sporting Arrows!
WHEELED SPORTS Mountain Biking, BMX, Skateboarding, and more!
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES CELEBRATIONS & SPECIAL EVENTS Live Music, DJ/Dance Night, 20th Anniversary Celebration and much more!
Registered Venturers, Venturing-Age Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Explorers and adult leaders! Register as Crews, individuals or council/area contingents.
CONTACT US venturingfest@scouting.org www.summitbsa.org/venturingfest *Additional $65 fee per person **Must complete Summit Waiver and parts A, B & C of the BSA Annual Health & Medical Record (meeting height/weight requirements for Summit High Adventure).
Aug-sept 2017
WR AREA 4 Venturing Newsletter
World Jamboree A century ago, a Chief Scout of the Greek Scouting Association suggested to Lord Baden Powell the idea of an international event that, like the Olympics, would be held every four years and would aim to unite scouts all over the world. Thrilled by the idea, the first World Jamboree was help in Olympia Park, England in 1920 and had 8,000 scouts from 34 different countries attend. Ninety-seven years later, North America is getting ready to host the World Jamboree for the second time in scouting history and with the Summit set as the stage, the Boy Scouts of America are getting ready to put on a Jamboree to remember. With the BSA expecting to send 7,200 participants and 2,700 members of the International Contingent Team, how can you get involved be one of the Scouts that attends this once in a lifetime opportunity? Well, there are three ways an individual can get involved. Participant: To attend the World Jamboree as a participant, you must be between the age of 14 and 18. International Service Team: If you are above the age of 18, you can apply to a part of the International Service Team where you will staff the program areas of the Summit and your co-workers are from all over the world. Adult Leader: If you are above the age of 18, you can also apply to be an Adult Leader where you could lead a group of youth to attend the National Jamboree. As of right now, the price and registration have not been postes for the World Jamboree, however we can expect to see the price of the World Jamboree for the US Contingent to be around the price of a National Jamboree. To help keep costs down, contingents will not participate in Pre- or Post-Jamboree Tours. This fee will also vary depending on the distance of the contingent from the Jamboree Site. If you would like to remain updated on the information on the World Jamboree, you can sign-up for the mailing list at 2019wsj.us and view the World Jamboree site at www.2019wsj.org/. Fun Facts: This Jamboree, The Boy Scouts of America, Scouts Canada, and Asociacion de Scouts Mexico is coming together to host the jamboree with each host country contributing different things to run the Jamboree. Due to our North American bid, the Jamboree won’t only be using only one language for its paperwork and operation, but three! English, Spanish, and French. The last time the World Jamboree came to North America was in 1967 when it was hosted in Farragut State Park, Idaho.
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The Patrol Challenge Join other Southern Californian Scouts in this fun competition! See if you and your scout friends can rack up the most points by participating in the designated Photo Safari, Scavenger Hunt, and Unique Activities!
When?
October 13th - 15th
Where?
Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County
Who?
Independent groups of 3-8 Scouts (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Cub Scouts)
For more information or to sign up, visit patrolchallenge.com
WR Area 4 Venturing Newsletter
AuG-SEpt 2017
lOOKING fORWARD
Even Further:
October
Feb. 10-11: Area 4 Event May 12: Area 4 Banquet 8
2 1 A4 Council Officer Call
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5 WLACC 6 Monthly Meeting
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17 OCC 18 Venturing Forum
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2 WLACC 3 Monthly Meeting
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22 23 A4 Venturing Shooting Sports 30 29
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November 5 6 A4 Council Officer Call
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14 OCC 15 Venturing Forum
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19 20 A4 Venturing Shooting Sports 26 27
18 GLAAC Pumpkin Smash 25
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