Nick Potter Troop 161 March 13, 2010
What Scouting Means to Me
Scouting means a lot to me. I'm fourteen years old and I started scouting when I was eleven. During the past three years I have made friends, had a lot of fun, found great role models, been a leader, helped others, felt a sense of accomplishment and become a better person.
Through scouting, I have made friends that I never would have met if I hadn't been in scouting. It was a friend who first introduced me to Troop 161 and because of the friendliness of the patrol that I visited my first day, I decided to join the troop. Since joining, I have met many people and befriended them. I now look forward to scouting not only to have fun but to have fun with my friends.
I've had a lot of fun with the troop. I've had fun going to Lyle. I've had fun going to the hockey games. I've had fun cleaning up at the St. Rita's festival. It's true! I've had tons of fun on every campout that the troop has gone on. Outside of scouting, I don't do a lot of camping so camping with the troop is very special to me. One of my best memories is of my first campout, hiking the bluffs at Devil's Lake. I also remember having fun screaming my lungs out at the Christmas Campout auction. Scouts is probably the most enjoyable thing that I do.
I have found role models in scouts who I can look up to and who provide an example of what I can accomplish in the future. I have seen them calm down a room full of energy, cheer up homesick campers, and get some of the most disobedient people to obey in ways I would not have thought. They are always there, giving me helpful hints and pushing me in the right direction. They are close enough to help but far enough away to let me do my own thing. To be able to have wisdom and guidance so close at hand is very comforting. I am happy that I have met so many great role models through scouting.
Scouting has given me a chance to lead. I have led as a patrol leader for six months through thick and thin. Also, I have helped lead my patrol even when I'm not the patrol leader by trying to wear my full uniform, trying to keep a clean tongue, being obedient, and being a good listener. I try to set a good example through the scout oath and law. While leading, I learned that I need to be more flexible and try to see things from different people's perspectives. I will continue to work on this. I look forward to leadership positions later in my life and hope that I will continue learning new skills and things I need to improve on while I'm in scouts.
A scout is helpful. I try to remember this, so I always try to be helpful even when I am not enthusiastic about it. Scouting has encouraged me to volunteer more. I have volunteered at my church's vacation Bible school, a week-long mission trip to an Indian reservation, scouting for food, several animal rescues, the local YWCA, an assisted living home, a state park and at Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta. Overall, I think I have helped a lot of people and I hope I can continue to help people in the future.
I have a great sense of self-accomplishment from being in scouts. I progressed through the ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and, most recently, Life. Earning each rank was special in its own way. I've also earned the God and Church award which was important to me because it helped me learn more about my faith, which means a lot to
me. I've earned several merit badges. Some were more difficult than others to earn which makes wearing them even more special. So far, my favorite merit badge is the first one I started, which is the Sports badge. That one is special just because it was first and it was a lot of work. I had to participate in two separate sports to earn it. I was in a golf league and I played on a basketball team. Another special award I earned was the Freeze Out Patch. I can't say it was fun sleeping in temperatures under 32 degrees but I had a blast at that campout. It was really "cool" to see our tents completely covered with frost in the morning which made them look a little like Petri dishes in a science class growing frost.
Scouts has helped me to become a better person. I feel that the young, 11-year-old boy who joined scouts three years ago, searching for something to do, has found it in the form of scouting! I have learned many things in unique ways that I would not have been able to learn outside of scouts. The scout oath and law have helped guide me through my life, reminding me that a scout helps other people at all times, keeps himself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. I remember a scoutmaster minute that Mr. F gave where the scout was a golf ball and the tee and the club were the scout oath and law. The idea was that the ball would fly farther and higher with the tee and the club than it would if it were just thrown. I feel that with the scouting program, I am flying farther and higher than I could have without it and am accomplishing more than many boys who are not in scouting. I feel like I'm soaring like an eagle.
Overall, scouting means so much to me that I can't image my life without it. I'm extremely grateful to everyone involved in Troop 161 for making this difference in my life. I'm looking forward to scouting well into the future.
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