John Andersen and Rowan MacDonald are Whitehorse’s two latest scouts to earn the Chief Scout Award
The 1st Whitehorse Scouting group has announced that two of its youth have succeeded in achieving their Chief Scout Award. The Chief Scout Award is the top Section award in the 11-to-14-year-old category on the Canadian Path.
To achieve the Chief Scout award, scouts must complete a minimum of 18 Outdoor Adventure Skill stages for their age and time they were involved in Scouting. The demonstrable skills can include climbing, sailing, scout craft, camping, hiking trails, winter skills, canoeing, aquatic and emergency skills, according to Scouter Dale Bort.
John Andersen and Rowan MacDonald are the Yukon’s two latest scouts to earn the Chief Scout Award. The two achieved all-seasons camping, fire making, cooking, climbing, rope making and knots, as well as participating in many hikes and ice-fishing expeditions. Additionally, they both have their First Aid certifications.
“I thank my family, peers and Scouters who were there to encourage me,” says Andersen.
Andersen and MacDonald have also joined Scout groups from across the country that came camping to the Yukon, plus participated in a week-long tour and camping adventure in the territory during Summer of 2022. They will both be attending the Scout Jamboree this summer on Vancouver Island.
“We participated in many outdoor adventures that were great,” comments MacDonald. “We had fun and we joined other groups from Victoria and Vancouver, Regina, Calgary and Quebec that came to explore our Yukon outdoors.”
Along with the skills they have shown, the Scouts needed to complete 30 hours of community service. This included helping clear paths of fallen trees, helping an elderly couple move and picking up garbage in the city.
“Scouting should be a journey, an adventure that brings life values, makes friendships, builds teamwork and character,” says Bort. “To be a Chief Scout should say you are respectful, have courage in times of difficulty, and [are] committed to the Scout Promise: to be helpful and trustworthy, to be kind and cheerful, to be considerate and clean. John and Rowan were selected by their peers and Scouters to receive this award and it was approved by our Scout Commissioner.”
Andersen and MacDonald received accreditation towards their schooling for attaining their Chief Scout award. The award ceremony was held in May, with their certificates presented by Commissioner Adeline Webber.
“It warms my heart to have had the privilege to know John and Rowan and to see them mature over the years they were involved in Scouts,” says Bort. “We had tough times during Covid, making their community service difficult, but they hung in. To see them accomplish this award has made me proud of them. I hope Scouting has had a positive influence in their life.
Also, we are pleased to announce that there are two youths From Faro—Monica Kazda and Olive Passmore—receiving their Chief Scout award this year … Congratulations! ”To learn more about scouting in the Yukon and to get involved, visit scouts.ca
