What if we told you that you’d never have to step on another Lego again? For those who know the agony of taking a stray Lego to the foot, worry no more—you can now walk more confidently across any room, all thanks to this Cub Scout’s brilliant invention.
Webelos Scout Colten B.’s Lego Scoop invention started as a project for his school’s “invention convention” with the STEMIE Coalition, but before he knew it, he was showcasing his ingenious creation on the Steve Show with Steve Harvey, who also happens to be a former Cub Scout.
Photo: The Steve Show
As you know, helping other people is a crucial part of being a Scout, and Colten’s invention is sure to help kids and parents alike.
Speaking of helping, Colten even got to help Harvey recite the Scout Oath! Be sure to check out the video below to see Colten show Harvey how it’s done:
Blake D. of the East Carolina Council had a brilliant—and seemingly impossible—idea for his Eagle Scout service project. But as you know, if anyone can achieve the impossible, it’s a Scout!
Inspired by his twin brother, who has autism and is legally blind, Blake helped to take his school’s special-needs resources to the next level. With the help of his brother’s teacher, Blake developed a plan to build a sensory room for students with autism, complete with special lighting, padded floors and educational toys.
The only issue was the high-cost of building the room—a hefty $10,000. Blake turned to his community to raise money for the project, which he dubbed, “Wings for Autism,” because “I’ve always believed that those with special needs are God’s special angels,” Blake says in a recent Bryan onScouting story.
Thanks to the giving spirit of many people, Blake was able to raise more money than he had initially needed, and was even able to build a second sensory room!
The story of this Scout’s resolve to help others was even highlighted in a recent feature on People.com, which means even more people will be able to see what Scouting is all about.
Abigail C., and her friends experience adventure and learning through BSA’s Venturing program. (Photo credit: Dianne Reber Hart/ Sonoma Index-Tribune)
When Abigail C., 17, of Sonoma Valley, Calif., saw all the things her brother was able to experience with his Boy Scout troop in the Redwood Empire Council, the Sonoma Valley teen decided it was time to seek the thrill of the outdoors herself.
“I wanted an opportunity to join other girls to do crazy stuff we normally don’t have an opportunity to do at home,” Abigail told the Sonoma Index-Tribune.
It was this quest for adventure that lead Abigail to establish a new Venturing crew, where she and other girls could learn new skills, take on new challenges, and develop character.
Venturing, a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America, provides positive experiences to young men and women 13–20 years of age to help them grow into responsible and caring adults.
With the help of community and family members, Abigail began to lay the groundwork for the new crew. Before long, other adventure-seeking girls like Abigail were ready to join the crew.
As plans for the crew moved forward, the girls witnessed the helpfulness of Scouts, firsthand. A local Boy Scout troop and the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley helped get the Venturers off to a strong start by giving them a place to meet and offering to share outdoor equipment.
Thanks to the initiative taken by Abigail and her founding crew members, the girls have been able to experience an array of adventures, including cold-weather camping, star-gazing, and team-building exercises such as completing a ropes course.
The Venturers participating in a ropes course with their crew. (Photo credit: Dianne Reber Hart/ Sonoma Index-Tribune)
The crew has faced obstacles, but by working together, these Venturers have also gained valuable leadership skills. For example, scheduling can be a challenge since girls live in both Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley. The members are also full-time students and participate in extracurricular activities.
According to the Sonoma Index-Review, the girls agree Venturing is worth the effort because of the experiences the program provides.
Abigail, who now serves as the crew president, told the Sonoma Index-Tribune how beneficial the Venturing program has been for her. “It’s amazing how we’ve grown as a group in the first year, and the skills and perspectives we’ve gained.”
Read more about this Venturing crew in the original story by the Sonoma Index-Tribune.
To learn more about the adventures and opportunities Venturing offers to young men and women, check out the video below then head to beascout.org.
A Florida Explorer got more than just a glimpse into the law enforcement profession last Saturday when a vehicle careened into a pond nearby.
Explorer Jacob U. of the Gulf Stream Council got a call from his grandmother that evening, telling him to quickly call 911 because a vehicle had crashed into a retention pond.
Jacob rushed to the scene to discover the crashed vehicle submerged in the pond. The passengers—a man, woman, and 2-year-old girl had also been thrown into the water along with the vehicle.
Explorer Jake U. jumped into a pond to save passengers of a submerged vehicle. (Photo credit: WPBF)
Around the same time, the sheriff’s office where Jacob participates in the Exploring program received the accident report. The deputies immediately rushed to the scene, which happened to be just across the street, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Ready to help, the brave teen used the skills he learned from lifeguard training to rescue the young girl from the water. While he was assisting the toddler, deputies dragged the woman to safety and with the help of local fire rescue responders, pulled the man to shore as well.
The Explorer worked with local authorities to bring the crash victims to shore. (Photo credit: WPBF)
Jacob surely learned what it means to protect and serve while in the frigid water that night. His determination to help others was steadfast even though the water had been as cold as 57 degrees.
“I was just destined to try and get the baby to shore as soon as possible,” Jacob told WPBF News.
BSA’s Exploring program aims to give youth opportunities to experience different career paths so they can get a true sense of what it’s like in a field of interest. Without a doubt, a look into the life of law enforcement is just what this valiant Explorer got!
You can learn more about Jacob’s daring rescue by reading the full stories from WPBF News and WKMG ClickOrlando.
To learn more about discovering real-world career experiences, check out BSA’s Exploring program!
Scout Daniel M. with local supporters at “Get Out, Get Up and Ride” event. (Photo Credit: Valley Breeze/ Charles Lawrence)
How do you get people from around the community to crowd to a school parking lot in scorching July temperatures? Leave it to a Scout to plan an event so awesome, people enthusiastically gathered outdoors in the heat of the summer.
This is exactly what Daniel M. of the of the Narragansett Council accomplished when he combined his passion for skateboarding with his appreciation for the great outdoors to create his Eagle project.
This Scout decided to plan a service project to show youth the benefits of active fun and have a blast doing it! He orchestrated an event encouraging active lifestyles in the form of a one-day skate park.
Planning the details of this fun-filled afternoon was no small task. Daniel coordinated with local business owners to donate the material needed for constructing the park. The project took almost two full days to complete. Not to mention, ramps and bars had to be built under hot conditions!
Local youth enjoy the “Get Out, Get Up and Ride” event. (Photo Credit: Valley Breeze/ Charles Lawrence)
On the day of Daniel’s “Get Out, Get Up and Ride” event, locals flocked to a middle school parking lot for an afternoon to remember. The occasion promised outdoor thrills and adventure and boy, did this Scout deliver.
The park was equipped with about 12 full structures, and Daniel even provided a DJ. The stage was set for an awesome day of extreme sporting.
After completing his project, this Scout-turned-event coordinator reached Scouting’s highest rank at his recent Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. But the rank isn’t the only honor to come from the skating event.
Daniel’s project may have even sparked a new public project. In November, the Woonsocket mayor, Lisa Baldelli-Hunt announced that the city will begin researching plans for a permanent community skate park.
Serving as the catalyst for a major city project is an epic way for a Scout to help his community, but Daniel isn’t stopping there. According to the Woonsocket Patch, Daniel will serve on the committee assembled to review details for building the park.
What began as a one-day event, grew into a potentially huge benefit for his community. This Eagle knows how to shake up a service project and encourage outdoor adventures!
Make sure to check out the stories by the Woonsocket Patch and the Valley Breeze to learn more about how Daniel took his Eagle project to the next level.
Assistant patrol leader Kyle K., left, and patrol leader Sean K. collect donations for Kyle’s Eagle project. (Photo Credit: Times Herald)
A Scout from the Washington Crossing Council is helping local children discover literary adventure with books of their own.
When Boy Scout Kyle K. started planning his Eagle Project, he knew he wanted to do something unique.
Inspired by his grandmother’s efforts with the Family Literacy and America Reads volunteer programs, the aspiring Eagle decided to initiate a children’s book drive.
Kyle’s passion for literacy stemmed from helping his grandmother, Kathy Rose with her own volunteer work, but the service project idea was his own.
“People think I suggested this project to him, but he came up with it on his own. Of course he has helped me carry donated books into and out of libraries in the past,” Rose shared with the Times Herald.
Kyle combined two key elements for the project: he translated a passion into a contribution and he listened to his community’s needs. With the help of Kyle’s fellow Scouts, the project would be more successful than he imagined.
Kyle told the Times Herald, “I didn’t think we’d get more than 300 books, but they kept coming and coming.”
Even as the Scouts collected the three hundredth book, donations were quickly surpassing the seemingly lofty goal. But collecting hundreds of books was only the start—the drive was far from over.
As children’s literature continued to pour in, Kyle and his family were in awe of the kindness of their fellow community members. Before the team knew it, donations climbed to an astounding 2,000 books!
The Scout diligently found avenues through schools, churches, and non-profit organizations to deliver the products of his service.
Kyle used his inherited passion to develop his own way of serving the community. He demonstrated the Scout Law by showing his desire “to help other people at all times” through his Eagle project.
Learn more about Kyle’s Eagle project in the story by the Times Herald and see how these books made a difference in the community!
Great Lakes National Cemetery decorated by Wreaths Across America volunteers. (Photo Credit: Oakland Press)
When the call was made for citizens to honor their country’s servicemen, this Cub Scout pack from the Great Lakes Field Service Council came with helping hearts.
The Scouts and their families, lead by assistant den leader Maria Kramer, trekked from Madison Heights, Mich., to the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Mich., to participate in the Wreaths Across America tradition. When the group arrived at the expansive cemetery, they helped volunteers place more than 12,000 wreaths on the graves of American soldiers.
Respecting those who have served was only one reason for the trip. Thanks to the insight of Kramer, the boys were also able to observe other volunteers and learn that people can display gratitude towards the country’s military in different ways.
Madison Heights Cub Scouts participate in Wreaths Across America. (Photo Credit: Oakland Press/ Aftab Borka)
Also built into the project, was a chance to reflect on the soldiers’ sacrifices, according to Kramer. “I thought to be able to have the boys to see how others respect our fallen soldiers and think about them and how they respect each other and the flag. Those are very poignant things that we also do in Cubs Scouts,” she shared with the Oakland Press.
Wreaths Across America originated more than two decades ago as a simple gesture of respect at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. Similarly, these Cub Scouts used their service project as an opportunity to show appreciation for the troops at their own local cemetery.
The Scouts greatly demonstrated a part of the Scout Oath because in honoring other’s duty to country, the boys exhibited their own.
To learn more about this pack’s kind deed, read the full story by the Oakland Press.
Cub Scouts gather to give scarves for a winter service project. (Photo Credit: Jenna Esarey/The Courier-Journal)
This winter, a Cub Scout pack from the Lincoln Heritage Council wants to make sure everyone is braced for the cold.
For a service project, the pack made scarves for people who may not be able to afford such winter accessories. They even cut tassels on the scarves for a special touch and attached donated hats and gloves.
The Scouts first checked with Mayor Mike Moore of Jeffersonville, Ind., to make sure their plan would be beneficial to the city, and then set out to put the gear in a place where it would be found.
The boys lead a group of family members and Scout leaders who together dispersed more than 150 scarves around Ward Park in Jeffersonville, and Ashland Park in Clarksville, Ind.
The parks are frequently visited by the cities’ homeless populations, and the Scouts wanted to be sure those parks patrons had means to stay warm.
“We’re doing this to help the people who are always cold. It’s just about helping people,” Cub Scout Gage G., 11, told the Courier-Journal.
The Scouts left scarves in parks for anyone who needed to stay warm. (Photo Credit: Jenna Esarey/The Courier-Journal)
The pack secured the scarves to trees, benches, and other places in which they could be easily found by anyone caught in the cold. A note attached to the scarves read, “I am not lost. If you are cold and need me to stay warm, please take me home. All I ask in return is for you to show a kindness to someone else who is in need. Happy Holidays. Stay warm Jeffersonville #scoutingforabetterfuture.”
To learn more about this Cub Scout project, read the article by the Courier-Journal.
Osprey wreckage at Bellows Air Force Station on May 17, 2015. (Photo Credit: KHON/ Jessica Kalena Rafael)
Webelos Scout Kainoa H. and Cubmaster Lisa Peddle Smith of the Aloha Council were recently honored by the Boy Scouts of America for aiding the victims of a fiery accident this summer.
On May 17, 2015, Kainoa’s Pack had just concluded a camp near the Bellows Air Force Base in Waimanolo, Hawaii when an Osprey aircraft experienced a “hard landing” during Marine Corps training.
Kainoa was watching the aircraft when it crashed, and immediately rushed to notify Smith, who is an ICU nurse.
Smith darted toward the scene but first had to climb a barbed wire fence, dodge small munition explosions, and run through an opening littered with fiery aircraft fragments.
“I didn’t think. I wasn’t scared. I didn’t feel brave. I just knew that it was the right thing to do. I knew I could help,” Smith told KHON News.
Smith began helping the Marines from the downed military aircraft, but did not realize just how dangerous the situation was. As Smith was administering CPR to victims, munition explosions continued around the group, causing them to retreat multiple times until help arrived.
Smith was awarded the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms, the highest heroism medal awarded by the Boy Scouts of America, for putting her own safety at risk to save the lives of others.
The Boy Scouts of America also presented Kainoa with the Meritorious Action Award Medal for his quick action and exemplary concern for others.
Watch the video below to learn more about this extraordinary act of Scout courage.
The Connecticut Yankee Council and the South Norwalk Community Center in Norwalk, Conn., teamed up this summer to offer an exciting STEM opportunity to 60 local children.
STEM programming offers science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
The community center invited youth to a STEM day camp where they could expand their creativity and participate in hands-on experiments. The children explored many different facets of scientific study and put what they leaned into practice. They were able to build robots, study forensics, work with circuits, and much more.
There was so much fun to be had that they may not have even realized they were developing a passion for science.
Kelly Robertson, executive director at the community center explained, “they have no idea how much they’re learning or that they’re using math or that they’re using the sciences.” She said she hopes this program will enrich children and encourage those who could go on to be future scientists.
Watch the video below to see how the South Norwalk Community Center and the Connecticut Yankee Council worked in tandem to create a stimulating learning environment.
Does your council participate in STEM activities? Share your scientific adventures with us at communications@scouting.org.
