– Bryan On Scouting

In Beaverton, Ore., Troop 618 was “just kind of jarred.” In Columbia, S.C., volunteers with Troop 900 were “really angry.” And in Louisville, Ky., Troop 72’s leaders called what happened “really disappointing.” As far as we can tell, the Scouts and Scouters in these three troops have never met. But they share a similarly heartbreaking…

To participate in Scouting events, campouts and high-adventure trips, Scouts and Scouters must complete the Annual Health and Medical Record. Now is the time to make sure your and your Scout’s records are up-to-date and complete, especially if your unit has summer activities scheduled. The Annual Health and Medical Record has three different parts: Part…

Spencer Buddington, Eagle Scout and University of Virginia student. Photo courtesy of Dan Addison, University of Virginia Communications. Spencer Buddington and his friends Tanner Humbert, Clayton Ball and Bryce Vandergriff were shopping for college room decor in January when a general store owner approached them, pleading for help. The store owner’s friend, James Ward, who…

Jaime Latorre and his mom, Esther, stand with Jaime’s Eagle project. Jaime says his mom “inspires me every day to keep fighting to preserve our precious planet.” (All photos courtesy of the Latorre family) This gives a whole new meaning to the term “creature comforts.” For his Eagle Scout service project, Jaime Latorre of Troop…

Slade Caltrider came home from a summer canoeing trip with his troop with his legs covered in mosquito bites. Over the next five months, the itching and discomfort never went away. It was definitely odd. What the 16-year-old didn’t know was that he had mediastinal b-cell lymphoma, a cancer that was attacking his lymphatic system.…

Troop 219 cleans up trash at Shacktown Falls (All images courtesy of Troop 219) The first thing Milana Nostrand noticed about Shacktown Falls was its natural beauty. Water cascades down in wide stairsteps before settling into a peaceful pool 10 feet below. The second thing she noticed was all the litter. “It would be a…

This is the 35th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here. COVID-19 note: Some of these Eagle projects were completed before the pandemic, meaning the photos may not necessarily depict coronavirus-related health and safety protocols. To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout…

Every year since 2000, a group of kayakers paddle from Miami to Key West, Fla., to raise money in the fight against cancer. Over the years, the group, called Castaways Against Cancer, has raised more than $1.3 million, and this year’s trek might be its most successful. Two of the Castaways are BSA executives and…

Marina (left) and Grant Mitchell hold the programs custom-designed by their mom, Elaine. (All photos courtesy of the Mitchell family) The trail to the Eagle Scout Award has been conquered more than 2 million times, and yet no two Eagle Scouts are the same. Elaine Mitchell had that in mind when planning the Eagle Scout…

The New River Gorge Bridge (BSA photo by Randy Piland) The New River Gorge in West Virginia, a wild and wonderful adventure playground conveniently located in the Summit Bechtel Reserve’s backyard, has officially become our country’s 63rd national park. That’s great news for the Summit, which already takes full advantage of its proximity to this…