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The Crew completed its first (and first in this Council) Introduction to Leadership Skills – Crews course…the ILSC. We had beta-tested the curriculum last year when it was known as Crew Leadership Training, but we nailed it this time. We were joined by some youth and adult visitors from Bellevue Crew 898 and Burien Crew 391.
It was cold, wet, and dark when we kicked off on Friday night at Banting Lodge on Camp Parsons. We got through Module 1, Unit Organization, that night and Chef Bob treated us to dutch oven dump cakes, fresh off the coals. The cherry one disappeared within moments, while some of the apple version made it to breakfast the next morning. No one made it into their sleeping bag until after midnight and we were all up and feeding at 8 the next morning. The overnight low was 36F and we slept in the Adirondack shelters in the Quilcene camp area behind Banting Lodge. Yes, it took a while to warm up after such a short, cold, wet night…it was a serious tribute to the Venturers for even getting up the next morning!
 Module 2 was Tools of the Trade, which covered the core skills sets to help Venturers lead, including communicating, planning, and teaching. In all three Modules, each learning point was followed with a “reinforcing exercise” or game that drove home the points to be learned. As we completed the Module, the rains stopped and the sun peeked out. We abandoned the confines of Banting and headed out to Mystery Beach and a quick hike and tour of the Camp via the Swim Beach (no, we didn’t go in), the Met Jr chapel, boat shed, out on to the pier, up to the newly rebuilt Silver Marmot Grill, and back to Banting for lunch.
After lunch, we dove into Module 3, Leadership and Teamwork. Now the magic started as the pieces of the first two modules came together. While brainstorming a Vision for the Crew, we all listed every possible idea about what we each wanted our Crew to be, to do, and to represent. Conner and Zack lead this difficult session. After filling up the whole board with ideas, the group combined all the similar items and were left with 7 basic, descriptive phrases that best described the whole group’s Vision of our Crew.  Those phrases turned out to be – wait for it – the same ones in the Venturing Oath. Duty, service, helping others, improving ourselves, seeking adventure, growing in leadership!
As ILSC graduates, yesterday’s participants are now eligible to move on to National Youth Leadership Training and a Kodiak Leadership Trek in their Venturing leadership continuum. Both are scheduled for this summer. We want to particularly single out and congratulate Zack and Conner for their outstanding presentations and facilitator skills for Modules 2 and 3. There’s nothing greater a Venturer can do than demonstrate servant leadership by teaching others. Bravo to them!
So ask yourself: What happens when you turn in your balloon? Why is it necessary for a team to storm? How does a Crew act like a yurt? Better yet, where’s the EDGE in a Crew for a leader? |
Congratulations to both Conner and Samantha, who earned their Venturing Outdoor Bronze Awards and had them presented by Sharon Moulds, the Chief Seattle Council's Scout Executive. To qualify for the Outdoor Bronze, a Venturer must complete four of the eight Core requirements and two of the eighteen elective requirements toward the Ranger Award.
Backpacking, and Shooting Sports. Conner's a senior at North Kitsap High, a two-time veteran of expeditions at Philmont Scout Ranch, and is presently the Crew's Vice President of Program.
Members of Venturing Crew 1042 of Kitsap County provided support to the recent BSA Orca District Merit Badge Clinic, hosted this year by Boy Scout Troop 1555. The clinic was held over a period of three consecutive
Saturdays in January and February and was attended by 336 boys. The Scouts chose from 18 different merit badges and signed up for a total merit badge count of 861. Since many of our Crew were once Boy Scouts, this was a chance to pay back to the Scouting program. Crew members staffed the merit badge midway and also assisted with classes for the Communications, Chemistry, First Aid, and Citizenship in the Nation. This event provided a great opportunity for Crew members to help scouts earn merit badges and advance in ranks and it was great fun for all who attended! This was the first exposure for many Scouts to Venturing and there was a very positive buzz. We will see some of these young fellows again when they get older and come looking for a high octane Crew.