Antarctic scout program

[Lisabob 13]

BrentAllen mentioned in another thread that he recently attended an event where the main speaker was an Eagle scout from Brent's council, who had spent several months working in the antarctic as part of a research team through a scout program. That thread was in the Issues & Politics forum, which I'm sure many people don't read, and the mention of this particular program was somewhat incidental to the thread. So I thought it might be worth cross-mentioning it in a more widely read part of the board.

 

I just want to say that programs like this one are a big part of the reason my son loves scouts. What a really cool experience and a way to blend serious skill and growth opportunities with a potential life-long career path. BrentAllen, your whole council must be very proud of this young man.

 

Lisa'bob

[hendrickms24 20]

Lisa'bob,

 

I would have loved to attend an event like that when I was a scout. From what I have read this programs been around for years. I wish BSA would make this program better know by the boys.

 

Mark M.

[packsaddle 753]

This is a great opportunity. I wish it was possible to send more boys for experiences like this. From what I read it is the summer period from October through January. Brent mentioned an 8-month stay, I think. Perhaps the AAC boy had an extended experience. Any clarification?

[ericjude 10]

 

The national website has inforamtion about the program (http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/antarctic/program.html), but like most of the information on the national website, it's not easy to find!

[BrentAllen 10]

I've been covered up between work and Scouting (imagine that!) and didn't realize Lisabob had spun this thread off.

We had BR (not sure if I can mention his name, even though it is posted all over the BSA Antarctic page, so I'll just call him BR) as the guest speaker at our District Banquet (Hightower Trail, AAC).

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-900/journals/brange/index.html

BR did a great job describing his experience, along with some very cool photos. The photos are all digital, and he said he could get about 5 or 6 shots out of his batteries before he had to put them inside his coat to warm them back up. He also gave an interesting description about breathing the -25 F. air in through your nose, and sneezing ice crystals. Yuck!

I could type pages with the information he gave us in a 10 - 15 minute presentation - it was fascinating! And BR has great presentation skills, especially for a college student. We haven't had our B&G yet, so we are trying to get him to be our guest speaker - the kids will eat it up! And what better way to show the possiblities of Scouting! He explained how his Scouting skills really helped on this expedition.

BR's expedition ran 8 months - 6 months on the ice and 2 months on a research ship. I'm not sure if they are all that long.

A fraternity brother (Beta Theta Pi, Georgia Tech) of mine was the 1978 Antarctic Scout (also from Atlanta).

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-900/journals/brange/history/leinmiller.html

It turns out my wife's family has a history of Antarctic exploration. She is named after her great-grandmother, Ingrid Christensen (wife of Lars Christensen) who was the first woman to fly over the South Pole. I'm not really a cold-weather person, so I don't know if I could handle the weather down there. We have been to Norway, and crossed the Arctic Circle and visited the North Cape - in the summer. Luckily, they were having their worst heat wave in 50 years! I could handle that.