Hello and I welcome all to the Scoutingmaniac Blog. My passion and lifelong activity will and always has been anything to do with scouting. I have been involved in or attempted pretty much every division of the Boy Scouts of America that I can participate in as a youth member. I am currently sixteen years old and have had my Eagle for almost a year and a half. I have been involved with scouting now for 11 years. The primary purpose of this blog is going to be to share ideas of what I think is important in the scouting program. I know right now everyone is think that a sixteen year old kid can not make a reasonable and educational blog but I am here to tell you that if you ask any experience scoutmaster they will say that one of the primary ways that they use to continue to develop their leadership and scouting abilities is looking to their youth members. These are the type of people who have learned to get past the stereotypes which are totally untrue. These stereotypes are the types of things that cause the world the most grief and problems. Stereotyping will not be supported here. Yes there are certain teens who could not make reasonable conclusions on ideas and methods of the scouting program. These teens who are not able to make these reasonable conclusions are usually the people who either (A) dislike the scouting program or (B) have not had the opportunity to be put in a leadership position. I would also have to say that when I look at the new scouts of the Troop there is so much potential there.
OK now that I have established what I believe about sterotypes lets move on to discuss more of my scouting background. I started in Pack 456 in Littleton Colorado where I went all the way through Cub Scouts. Then I move on to Troop 456 in Littleton Colorado were I earned my Tenderfoot and Second Class. After living in Littleton for a while I moved to Castle Rock, Colorado where I earned the Ranks of First Class through Eagle with a Bronze Palm with Troop 780. I would have to say that I definitely learned the most about scouting and leadership in Troop 780. In Troop 780 I earned the Boy Scout and Venturing Catholic Religious Emblems, earn several Formation Oriented Religious Awards including the Saint Tarcisius, Rosary patches (all four), International Catholic Scouting Awareness Award, and have been involved in Religious Emblems promotion for my faith and the rest of the faiths that have a Religious Emblems Program.
While in Troop 780 My Troop elected me to go through the Ordeal process for the Order of the Arrow. I went through my ordeal when I was involved in Troop 1616 in Soldotna Alaska. I am a current member of Nanuk Lodge of the Great Alaska Council.
I have also become a trained chaplain Aide through the Denver Area Council course. I have also gone through Troop level Junior Leader Training twice. Have served as a instructor for a Troop Junior Leader Training Course. Attended the Trainer Development Conference Training.
If there are any more questions about my background please feel free to respond to this post.
Yours in Scouting
Mark West
