Scouting: Prepared. For Life.

Scouting has been a part of my life since I was eight years old and joined a Wolf Den while attending the Peoria (Illinois) Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shortly after, my family started attending church in Morton, Illinois, and I joined Pack 229, which then led me to Troop 229. I earned my Eagle, the highest rank possible in the Boy Scouts of America, in 2001, right before my 18th birthday. This was a huge challenge for me and required me to leap over several hurdles, including not learning how to swim until I was 16, coordinating a blood drive for the American Red Cross, and taking on leadership roles in my Troop. After earning my Eagle and graduating from high school, I didn't do anything else with the Boy Scouts of America again until September 2010, when I began serving as Webelos Den Leader, which I did for three years.

As a Webelos Den Leader, I had primary responsibility for making sure my boys were ready to cross over into Boy Scouts. We went on hikes, learned about the community, performed service, made videos, and guided the boys in exploring personal interests. During this time I was also the unofficial Assistant Cubmaster, helping two different Cubmaster plan pack meetings and filling in for him when he was unable to attend. The first Cubmaster was my very good friend Noah, who served in the position for slightly more than two years. The second Cubmaster was another friend of mine, Joseph, who only served for a year before given a new responsibility within our church, which is the chartered organisation for our unit. (For those who may not be aware, within the LDS church, ecclesiastical leaders select BSA leaders as a church assignment.)

On July 31, 2013, I took on a new role as the Cubmaster of Pack 111. This put me in charger of six Den Leaders and about two dozen Cub Scouts. For the first two years, I did not have a very reliable Committee Chair, so I essentially fulfilled that role, as well. (I have an amazing Chair now who has made my life so much easier!) As Cubmaster, I learned to navigate interpersonal conflicts, provide a program that appeals to boys between the ages of 8 and 10, took on parent criticism and adapted as needed, and learned the ins and outs of running a quality unit. I have also learned how important it is to delegate responsibilities to others, including my Den Leaders, Committee members, parents, and a good friend who has become my Assistant Cubmaster in charge of the annual Pinewood Derby.

A memory that will always stay with me when I first started as Cubmaster was when I completed our recharter application for 2014 and submitted--two months late. I went to the Scout Office and apologised profusely for our tardiness. The response I received was like a knife to the heart. Linda looked at me, shrugged, and said, "It's okay; we are used to the LDS units being late." I made a promise to myself right there and then that I would never hear those words again and made it a personal goal to do all I could to make our LDS units exemplars in the community.

While continuing to serve in as Cubmaster, I also took on the role of a Unit Commissioner in January, 2015 and joined the District Committee of the Prairie Fire District, finally getting more involved with the Scouting community at large. As a Unit Commissioner, I keep an eye on a local Cub Scout unit, Pack 147, and make sure their leaders are aware of resources and training in the area. I also provide advice and counsel as needed.  As a member of the District Committee, I help coordinate the district-wide program and offer insights and ask questions to guide our leadership. 

A year later I was asked to take on a new role within the district committee: Vice Chair - LDS. This gave me primary responsibility with coordinating the Scouting program for the different LDS units in our district. This has made it possible for me to share information with our church leaders about the Scouting program and direct them to resources that will help us improve the quality of our program. This was something that I was already doing through informal conversations with fellow Scouters, but this role gave me the authority of the BSA Council when encouraging changes that could strengthen our units and improve the Scouting experience for the boys and young men.

As of today, I have one more hat to wear as Scout leader: Assistant District Commissioner. I will be helping our District Commissioner supervise the unit commissioners in our district, especially those assigned to the LDS units (one pack, three troops, a varsity team, and a venturing crew). I will also work with her more generally to identify and recruit new leaders for units throughout the district.

I am proud to be a leader in the Boy Scouts of America. I believe in the mission of Scouting. I personally have benefited from Scouting and internalising the Scout Oath, Law, and Motto. As the BSA has printed on all of their materials, the Boy Scouts of America gives opportunities for boys, families, and leaders to be prepared. For life.