Scouting
“Sploosh!”
Taking care not to fall off the raft myself, I turned toward the noise as cold water sprayed my face. The space my scoutmate had occupied was now empty. My heart raced as I wondered if I would suffer the same fate. I looked upriver for signs of my friend. He soon surfaced, gasping and shuddering, and assumed the floating position we had been taught as he sped down the river. On his back, feet first, planking. At the end of the rapid he swam back to the raft, laughing as we pulled him back in.
I’ve been part of Scouts almost all of my life. At first, it was about fun and friends. Hiking, snow camping, and yes, whitewater rafting. However, as time passed it became about other things, too.
I came to enjoy and appreciate community service. The satisfaction that comes from cleaning grimy brown leaves out of gutters at the church, or selling dark evergreen wreaths at Christmas time for charity. Or the pride of leaving a cleaner environment after my Troop’s coastal cleanup overnight camping trip.
Scouting gave me the opportunity to develop leadership skills. I was anxious when I agreed to lead my first big event, the Troop’s Dessert Cook-Off. I instructed each Troop Patrol to plan what dessert they would bring and who would bring equipment and ingredients. The creative scouts made cobblers, pies, even used heavy cast iron dutch ovens. They seemed to have fun, though to me the event felt chaotic, hectic, and overlong.
But the Dessert Cook Off taught me valuable lessons for future leadership positions. Had I done a better job coordinating and delegating, I might have shortened the event and avoided lonely time cleaning up afterwards. Now when I plan an event such as a hike I make sure to delegate tasks as needed (e.g. coordination of car pools, routes, meeting points, planned stops, snacks) and communicate essential details to all participants.
Scouting is scout-led, forcing participants to take responsibility early. Much of the leadership and skills training I’ve received has been taught by my peers. As a Scout Guide I now pass these skills on to younger scouts, helping them meet requirements to rank up. I must consistently check my emails, coordinate with my assigned scouts, and attend meetings to assist them with advancement. Organization and time management are needed to find time for these things while also keeping up in classes, studying for and taking the SAT, filling out college applications, and doing chores at home.
The highest award one can earn in Scouts is the rank of Eagle Scout. Despite delays caused by the quarantine, the skills and values I have learned in scouting have kept me on track to complete my Eagle Project. I expect to build and transport handicap accessible planter boxes to the MVHS Special Education Department and earn this rank in the coming months.
I believe these same skills and values will help me succeed in the study of Film Editing. Movies can be a means to serve the community by moving and informing the audience. Completing a complex project like a film requires leadership. While the director may be in charge, on any large project there are opportunities for team members to step up and lead to ensure important tasks get done. Personal responsibility is also important to ensure project deadlines are met.
And few endeavors require as much collaboration and teamwork as a film project. Writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, film editors, and many others must work together toward a common vision. The value of teamwork that I learned in the scouts is part of what attracts me both to the study of film and to the collaborative culture of Dodge College. After all, everyone needs help getting back on the raft (metaphorically) at times.