High School Seniors:
College
Can Be More Than Study (and Parties)
You
Don't Have To Leave Leadership, Friendship, And Service
At Home with Your Scout Troop
Maybe you're an Eagle Scout. Maybe you
wear the Girl Scout Gold Award. Maybe you've earned the Explorer Gold Award. At any rate,
you are about to leave your Troop and head off to college.
You've been a great example for the
younger Scouts. You've worked hard, played hard, and accomplished much in your Scouting
career. If you stop and think about it, your community is a better place because you live
there.
You've Scouted for food for the local
food cupboard. You've cleaned up litter in your local parks and along the roads. As a Cub
Scout or Brownie, you entertained with your friends at the local nursing home. As a Scout, you helped paint
the library, build a path through the park, or made benches so people could enjoy visiting
along the tree-lined streets of your hometown - so many projects you can't remember them
all.
However, you DO remember that special
feeling you always got while doing those good turns. No one ever had to thank you - the
light in their eyes and the smile on their faces was thanks enough. How great it was to
work beside your peers! You did much work - but you had much fun at the same time. You're
a little sad to think you have to leave it all behind.
Actually, you don't have to stop these
kinds of activities. You can join an organization in college that practices those Scouting
ideals that you love so much.
Alpha Phi
Omega is a national, co-educational, service fraternity that "sets the standard
for campus-based volunteerism." Based on the principles of Leadership, Friendship,
and Service, it was designed to help you continue to develop your leadership
skills, make new and lasting friendships, and perform worthwhile service to others.
APO started 75 years ago on December
16, 1925. To date, almost 300,000 students have joined. Currently, the membership has
17,000 college students in 350 schools, who believe service is a lifetime commitment.
Alpha Phi Omega and
Scouting
APO web site says it is based on Scouting
principles but, "the Boy Scouts of America does not govern, control or finance Alpha
Phi Omega in any way."
You don't have to have been a Scout to
join. Membership is open to any college student.
Alpha Phi Omega: A
Unique Fraternity
APO is a Service fraternity. It has no
frat house. Meetings are held in campus meeting rooms. Students who belong to social
fraternities and sororities, those in dorms, and those who commute to college are all
welcome to join APO.
The APO motto is:
BE A LEADER. BE A FRIEND. BE OF SERVICE.
* * *
The Alpha Phi Omega web site gives the following
contact information:
National Executive Director Patrick
Burke
Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity
14901 E. 42nd Street
Independence, MO, 64055
(816) 373-8667 (phone)
(816) 373-5975 (fax)
executive.director@apo.org
You can read more online about Scouting and Alpha Phi Omega or
access a copy of the APO Questions and Answers booklet which was published by the National Fraternity
in the spring of 1995. For obvious reasons, the Roster of Chapters printed in that booklet
has been left out as has the National Board of Directors listing.
One example of APO in action can be
found on the web site of the Beta Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity
at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. They host Scouting University each year
to allow area Boy and Girl Scouts a chance to earn merit badges including an opportunity
to experience lab facilities.
* * *
* *
If
you are a member of APO and would like to share your experiences,
please contact MaryAnn.
Previous
Columns |
