Virgin Islands Scouts Attend National Jamboree – Local News Feature

2 The Virgin istands: Bally News: . _VIRGIN ISLANDS fea’ ITS, p's i Monday, July 29, 2013 - Scouts aera at national Jamboree By JOY BLACKBURN. =. 2 Daily News Staff, <.--* Seas fresh from the National Scout Jamboree, arrived at St. Croix’s Rohlsen Airport Friday afternoon. “Our scouts, they participated. They made friends. We had-a good time,” said Chris Brooks, the scoutmaster for the contingent that » went to the jamboree. “Where there were chal-°* { H 5 lenges to. be bean we met. them head-on.” _ Q i d ial Sco} Jamboree, sich p Am pa ‘typically “holds. § tenis Of thousands of © was'th “f aniboreé was held 3, — ej National Scout Reserve ‘in West Virginia’s New River - Gorge area, which will now be the permanent - home for the national jamboree. The réserve a encompasses 10,600 acres... * _. “Mostly it was: good,” Philip Edwards, 16, ~ the senior patrol leader for the Virgin Islands _ Brot said’of the experience. ‘Said'a number ofstorms,and some ning cancelled a few activities, including ‘some zip line adventures the group had sched- ‘uled — but he described it as a “great trip” that “scouts enjoyed anyway. | think they’ learned how to deal with disap- ointment,” he said. » Marcus Nena 14 and a patro! leader, said NAlaAsth Aras CaAhararda WIGLUEW LUVVaI Us Scout Jamboree i in West Virginia. it was his fistuational aaltbineee, “1 think it was a-very productive jamboree. It was a wonderful experience,” he said. “It was a historical experience.” ' Norkaitis said it was historical because it was the first national jamboree at the new reserve. For years, the national jamboree liad been heid at Fort A.P. Hill in Vurginia. The group also learned to work together, he said. “It was really cool because we all leamed VI. Boy! Seouts arrive Fada at Rohisen Airport on St. ‘Croix after spending 10 days at the National teamwork,” Norkaitis said. “We had some probiems at first, but then we got more com- fortable worlaing together, working as a team.” The 25 scouts from the territory included boys from 11 to 17 years old from both island districts. They joined up with 10 scouts from the District of Columbia for the jamboree, “! Brooks said. The Virgin Islands District is part of the National Capitol Area Council in D.C.; *Brooks said. Among the challenges the scouts faced was ‘“ tt was really cool because we all leamed teamwork. We had some problems at first, but then we got more comfortable working together, working as a team. — Marcus Norkaitis, 14, patrol leader getting up on time aaily, gettmg tneir meals prepared, and cleaning up. The hot, humid weather in West Virginia was also a chailenge, as was thesize of the new site for the jamboree, . according to Brooks. The new reserve is so large, the group some- times had to walk for more than an hour to get to an activity, he-said. Because the 35 scouts who were part of the group included scouts from St. Thomas, St. . Croix and Washington, D.C., who did not neces- sarily know each other, one of the challenges was getting them to work together, Brooks said. Making the scouts from different areas into a cohesive group that worked well together was one of the major challenges, according to Brooks. “In doing that, they made friends for life,” he said. “All in all, our scouts came back with a sense of accomplishment, a sense of friendship, and.a.sense of being able.to safely do whatever task they were asked to do.” ~ anhiaviac Caautti nn la Hiv QAvuIInGvGcso OLOUUTIY oO lege rank c t By Joy BLACKBURN ‘ _ Daily Rows Staff ‘ST. CROIX — Local Boy Scout ~. Matthew Edwards recently eamed the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offer, becoming an je Scout. “We're delighted. We are very _- proud of him;” said Dale Edwards, . Matthew’s father, on Friday. as he and _ Matthew’s mother, Lori Edwards, 4 waited for other sons to return from _ the National Scout Jamboree. “He _ worked very hard for it.” » Only4 percent of all Boy Scouts become Eagle Scouts, according to a ‘which are specifically required, and successfully complete a community: related service project, the press release said. Matthew’s project involved a major cleanup at Buck Island Reef National Monument. “I worked with the National Park Service and I coordinated and then helped them carry out a coastline/trail cleanup on Buck Island,” Matthew said. The cleanup occurred as Buck Island Reef National Monument was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Matthew, who has a brother who is already an Eagle Scout and two other brothers who are working toward interest for awhile when he got into high school. But when he became a senior, he decided to complete what he started and earn the rank of Eagle, he said. “I wanted to know the accomplish- ment of finishing it,’ he said, adding that he also felt like it was a family expectation. Sohe plunged back into it. “T think it definitely gave me a lot of perseverance and pushing through,” he said. “A lot of it was a lot of paperwpde and Matthew said that becoming au Eagle Scout required diligence and dedication — but it was worth it. “To be willing to put yourself out there, do something you’re not comfortable - doing, it’s fulfilling.” : Matthew is eamecchicsted and his immediate plan after graduation is to participate in a five-month discipleship training school with a focus on worship and music, through Youth With a Mission, according. to’ the ci ” release. He will be recognized as an Eagle Scout in a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Howard M. Wall Scout Camp: ; \ Matthew Edwards is the 11th scout to become an Eagle Scout in Troop 227, which was chartered by Country ipress release about Matthew attaining attaining the Eagle rank, saidhe has - = His advice for others who wouldlike © Day School.’ the Eagle rank- been involved in sgouting sincehe was __ to become Eagle Scouts? — Contact reporter Joy Blackburn ‘To become an Eagle irate acandi- _ little, and he assurned he would become “Just not to give up because it’s at 714-9145 or email has to eam 21 merit badges, 11 of “an Eagle Scout — although he lost worth it once you’ve done it,” hesaid. jblackburn@dailynews.vi. N 2159-2019 ‘Ghe Virgin Islands Advertising News ews Pubishing 14° § “DAIL aN ws Contact us St. Thomas-St. John St. Thomas-St. John Baperincomet: 6 © | YY’ E ; ‘744-9141 or 714-9147 714-9106 imes-Shamrock x Publisher ’ “fonmuications . Pate ice in Jasen Ratibing Fax: 774-6886 Fax: 776-0740 ‘pubishas The Virgin ©) se © 2013 Daily Nels "Publishing Co. 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