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Scouts incorporates “firsts”
By: Kendall Holly, rising Tenderfoot
On the weekend of September 12 and 13 ten kids and teens from Westwood sharpened axes and saws, climbed boulders, shot BB guns, and slept under the stars. All of these adventurous opportunities happened at the Greater Blue Hills Adventure Weekend at Scouting America’s New England Base camp in Milton, where Westwood Troop 3 Scouts and a couple troops from neighboring towns were in attendance. This event was organized to give Scouts opportunities to try new, creative, and adventurous things, while keeping things safe.
Being a Scout, I really appreciate opportunities like this. I’ve found myself at other non-scout related camps and programs in the past where I wasn’t allowed to do things that didn’t even scare me whatsoever. But at Scouts, I’m encouraged to do things that push me out of my comfort zone – even when I am a little scared.
This event was the first time that I got to do rock climbing on natural rocks, and it was so amazing knowing that I could climb any way I wanted to get to the top because I could fall as many times as I needed, try again until I got it right, and just keep going. I loved that no one tried to stop me or limit me because I was less experienced - all they tried to do was teach me so that I built that experience. I even got to belay somebody twice my size for the first time. I was a bit confused and unsure at first because I was never trusted to do that anywhere else, but I learned that the belayer is only one of many backup safety measures, and size doesn’t matter to safely belay any other sized person.
This event, like so many Scouts events, is a way to give kids an out-of-the-ordinary experience that they most likely wouldn’t get otherwise, and it is structured in a way that pushes them to take risks safely. It also is a way for kids to feel a bit more independent in their actions and not be limited because they are kids or because they have never done something before. Trying new things is a major part of being a kid and if adults and organizations don’t want you to do something that you have never done before on their watch, you miss an opportunity to learn and grow.
It is really special that Scouts incorporates “firsts”, and in fact they encourage them within the safety and guidance from the Scout leaders. I especially love that most Scout activities, like this one, take place outside in nature. The GBH Adventure Weekend was a really great experience shared with really great people, and I can’t wait until the next Scouts event!
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