My Impact Story
The Crew has been special to me. My mother and I were the founders of Crew 369, and seeing it still alive and kicking today make me smile. Harrison
I helped found this Crew because I wanted to do more in Scouting. Being the eldest boy in my Troop with the rank of Eagle by the age of 14, I felt like I accomplished all that I wanted in a Troop. I became the guide for the other youth and that was it, but I wanted to do more than my Troop was offering at the time. So, with my mom, we created our Crew. I was the first Crew President and ran a tight ship. Working with people my age though, I had to alter my way of leadership. Working with those younger than you, they tend to follow you and listen to you better, but with people your age or older, they will butt heads with the leadership. My way was less democratic, but I was the only one in the young Crew at the time that has held higher positions in a Troop. I had to lead fellow Scouts of various ranks, some non-scouters, and a few old Girl Scouts. With my leadership, knowledge, and the help of the other Scouts in the Crew, we were able to teach the young Crew everything they had to know about Scouting and the skills associated with the program.
8 years later, I do not regret a thing. This Crew created memories that will never be forgotten, friendships not only within my Crew but with others from around the world were formed. Through these 8 years, what has Venturing done for me?
I have learned more about leadership and responsibility than I would have learned in a standard Boy Scout Troop. The training and classes I have taken are applicable in my college career- some of my courses cover what I have already learned about from my training. I have changed my way of leadership to evolve with the lessons I've learned, and I learned how to be a mentor for those around my age.
Venturing, my Crew, in particular, has shaped me and I have shaped it. I only wish I can make an even bigger impact on the Scouting community as I make my way through life, and apply my lessons learned through my Crew.
My Impact Story
My biggest gain from my time in venture crew is leadership skills. Shane
My biggest gain from my time in venture crew is leadership skills. When I first started, I was not very confident in my own decisions and I never really spoke up. It was hard for me to transition from being told what to do to leading others. I didn't feel like I was capable. Venture crew started me on a path to build up my self-image and assert myself. Within a couple of months of joining, I became Vice President of Administration and then a year later I became Crew President. I've been on many exciting campouts since I joined. That includes caving and walking the skybridge in Tennessee. This year I am looking forward to going to Venturing Fest in Virginia.
My Impact Story
I joined crew following my older sister who was one of the founding members of Crew 369. To my family, camping comes naturally. I’ve been camping since I was a baby, and I was a girl scout for five years. When my Girl Scout Troop folded in middle school, I thought that was the end of my scouting career because there were no other options. Fortunately, my sister joined the Venturing program where she went caving, kayaking, and shooting bow and arrows, and I couldn’t wait to join. Megan
One of the most memorable trips I went on was the summer after I first joined Crew. It was a 5-day leadership course called Kodiak. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Each day presented a new challenge, and each day I grew in confidence in my leadership abilities. This experience equipped me with the skills to become president of Crew 369 for the next 3 years. Even 5 years after the Kodiak challenge and I have stepped down from President, I have used the communication and leadership skills I learned from Kodiak and Crew as a sophomore in college.
The crew is more than camping. It is the embodiment of adventure, leadership, and camaraderie. It was a big part of my high school career, and even as I move on to bigger adventures in life, I am confident in my abilities to lead my own adventure thanks to the Venturing program, my advisors, and my scouting friends.
