Fifteen Boy Scouts from Juneau recently returned from the National Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia. The Juneau Scouts accompanied 23 other Scouts from around Alaska and spent 16 days touring the East Coast and attending the national event.
The jamboree is held every four years and Scouts from around the country and world gather to celebrate Scouting. This year’s jamboree attracted roughly 35,000 Scouts. Before arriving at the jamboree, the Alaska contingent spent three days in Washington, D.C. touring the monuments, visiting the U.S. Capitol and exploring the Smithsonian museums. They then spent two days at West Virginia University, where they were able to go spelunking in the Laurel Caverns and white water rafting on the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania.
At the jamboree itself, Scouts were able to choose from a variety of high adventure events to participate in. These included extensive zip lines, shooting sports, leadership challenges and confidence courses. The most popular events were the water sports, which included obstacle courses, SCUBA and paddle boarding. Several Scouts also took advantage of the professional skate parks and BMX tracks to hone their skills. All five branches of the military were present and offered multiple challenge courses for Scouts to participate in.
During the 10-day jamboree, four evening concerts were held that included performances by the Plain White T’s and the X Ambassadors. A highlight of the jamboree was the arrival of the President of the United States, who addressed the Scouts for about 35 minutes. The Alaska contingent was fortunate enough to have front row seats for his appearance.
If you are interested in Scouting and have questions, contact the district office at 713-7445.
MattDobson is the Scoutmaster for Troop 6.
