Angus Scout of the year 2010

I am Angus , 13 year old, from the 1^st Yinnar Scout Group, I attend school at the Mirboo North Secondary College, and live in the middle of scouts and school, in Boolarra
Besides scouts in the last few years I enjoyed:

·        playing foot ball for the Boolarra Demons under 16.

·        in the under 13 team of the Boolarra Jeeralang Panthers cricket club

·         Dancing German Volk dance at the German Club in Morwell

·        Playing trumpet

·        and driving my paddock bomb on our farm.

I am very proud to have won the Hazelwood rotary Club’s Scout of the Year 2010 award last Friday.

My journey as a scout started in cubs as I was 7 ½ years old just after Easter.

As Soon as I linked into scouts after Easter (at 10 ½), I worked very hard at the award scheme. At one stage my leader even threatened to lock my record book in the cupboard, because I was getting to much signed of and was catching up to older scouts.

I was very lucky that Yinnar had good patrol leaders in the last few years, and scouts that worked hard on the award scheme and taught me good scouting skills.

I enjoyed many activities like

·        Jamboree a 10 day camp which is held all 3 years in Australia, with Scouts from Australia and some other countries. In 2010 it was near Sydney.

·        Stradbroke is a 4 day competition camp held every year Easter at Gillwelle Park near Gembrook. The judgement is about camping standards, and we have some fun activities there as well. I went to this event the last three years.

·        Cohen shield is held at the Strzelecki district every Year in October It is a scouting skills and team work competition.

·        Hiking I did 400km so far.
 As I was younger I had problems to keep up with the older scouts and I had sometimes help form them, now I am older myself and I am proud not to be the one who struggles anymore,  I can help the younger scouts.

·        Scout hike a state wide competition hike which is held every year.

In 2008 our papers went back with the bus to Melbourne, and we had 1 hr delay to start the hike in the morning before replacement papers came. Scott Marriott the Hazelwood Roatary Clubs Scout of the Year 2007 was our Patrol Leader and helped push us to our limits, we managed to go to 26 of the 27 checkpoints, Scott was carrying my pack a good bit as well as his own. At the end, at the announcement we came second with 75 point behind the winner. As the patrol leader checked the points it was discovered there was 100 points missing from our score and must of got lost with the paperwork. The organisers went white in the face as this was discovered, because the other patrol was on the bus with the trophy already at this point. In the end the other patrol was given 25 bonus points so we got a draw.
The last 3 years I went to scout hike, in the last 2 years I had my birthday at the scout hike, and it will be the same this year, this is a little inconvenience.

·        Camping, I participated in many patrol camps in all weather conditions, and organised some for my patrol as well

·        Abseiling, I had quite a few opportunities at abseiling and I like it.

I just need to do a few finishing touches to be awarded with the scout medallion, the highest award which I am able to achieve in the scout section.

Then I would like to work on the world Environment badge before.

Next year after Easter I am planning to go up to join the Venturers and I am planning to complete the venturer award scheme.

To me, being a scout mean, to be able to have fun in doing so many different activities.

I am very proud to have gotten to this point, and to be able to add the scout of the year to my list of achievements

A big Thank you to all who have helped me to get here, especially

·        The Hazelwood Rotary Club for supporting the Scouts in such a way.

·        The Leaders from 1^st Yinnar

·        Parents

·        District Leaders

Thanks again to all.!.