Although we have to tell Austin multiple times a day/week
to clean up his room/shoes/wet towels, take out the trash,
bring in the trash cans, etc., etc., etc.....
He really is a great kid!
And he makes us so proud!
But I wish he wouldn't run from the dang camera all the dang time!
Oh well....
This past school year (7th grade! yikes!),
he joined the National Junior Honor Society,
was on the A/B Honor Roll all year,
and received the President's Award for Academic Achievement.
He's such a slacker! Ha!
He said he 'forgot' to tell me about awards day,
but I think it was on purpose cus he didn't want me taking pictures.
So, that's why there are no pictures of awards day. :)
Anyway.
Not only is he a good student,
he's always making us proud with his Boy Scout advancements/achievements.
He has been the Patrol Leader for his patrol for 3 of 5 "terms" since he has bridged up.
His leaders have told me on many occasions that Austin is one of the first
(if not the first)
to step up when they need something.
It gets kinda hard for me to hold back the smiles sometimes...
Within weeks of Austin bridging up to the troop,
the Scout Master told me that he knew Austin would be
Senior Patrol Leader one day - and probably one of the younger ones.
Because of the leaderships qualities that Austin presents,
SM Kevin recommended that he attend
National Youth Leadership Training this year
since it was being held in our district.
(He only recommended 5 of the 50-something scouts, but only 3 went.)
So, the first week of summer break, Austin spent 8 days
at Camp Hood to attend NYLT.
I have to admit, tho - Austin was not extremely excited about going.
It might have had something to do with tent camping in 100 degree weather with
crazy Mississippi summer bugs.
I'm not sure....
Big Dog (Daddy) rode down with me for the closing ceremony.
When I introduced myself to Austin's leader for the week,
he told me that Austin "is a great scout".
Again, holding back the smiles...
We had to walk into the woods....
next to a pond....
under old pine trees....
for the ceremony.
The wind was blowing.
The pine trees were swaying.
And cracking.
Then it started to rain.
Not fun.
But it was another proud moment,
so I would gladly do it a hundred more times!
Because of the rain,
I didn't get many pictures -
but was able to manage a few at the end.
It's tradition at the end of NYLT courses to invite each participant to toss an evergreen sprig into the campfire as a sign of rededication to the guidance of the Scout Oath and Law.
Austin didn't come home with us after the closing of NYLT.
As I mentioned several months ago,
Austin was up for OA election.
OA (Order of the Arrow) is kind of an Honor Society
within Boy Scouts.
You have to go on so many camp outs, show Scout Spirit, have overall good attendance,
among other requirements to be eligible for election.
Once you've met all requirements,
you have to survive the "tap out" camp out.
Austin said it wasn't as a big a deal as the leaders make it sound.
On the last night of the camp out,
the candidates are secretly told if they've made it or not.
Austin made it.
So...
After 6 days of NYLT,
Austin stayed at Camp Hood for two more days of camping for the
OA Ordeal.
This is the final step in the induction process.
He said they worked HARD for two days and ate next to nothing...
until the last night when they ate like kings!
I don't have any pictures of the closing for OA,
because we were not invited to the closing.
This is a very secretive, non-secret organization.
If you're not a member of the OA,
you can't be around for any part of their meetings.
Oh well, maybe I can sneak a picture of him in his sash.
Now, to go pack him for a week of camping in Arkansas......
to clean up his room/shoes/wet towels, take out the trash,
bring in the trash cans, etc., etc., etc.....
He really is a great kid!
And he makes us so proud!
But I wish he wouldn't run from the dang camera all the dang time!
Oh well....
This past school year (7th grade! yikes!),
he joined the National Junior Honor Society,
was on the A/B Honor Roll all year,
and received the President's Award for Academic Achievement.
He's such a slacker! Ha!
He said he 'forgot' to tell me about awards day,
but I think it was on purpose cus he didn't want me taking pictures.
So, that's why there are no pictures of awards day. :)
Anyway.
Not only is he a good student,
he's always making us proud with his Boy Scout advancements/achievements.
He has been the Patrol Leader for his patrol for 3 of 5 "terms" since he has bridged up.
His leaders have told me on many occasions that Austin is one of the first
(if not the first)
to step up when they need something.
It gets kinda hard for me to hold back the smiles sometimes...
Within weeks of Austin bridging up to the troop,
the Scout Master told me that he knew Austin would be
Senior Patrol Leader one day - and probably one of the younger ones.
Because of the leaderships qualities that Austin presents,
SM Kevin recommended that he attend
National Youth Leadership Training this year
since it was being held in our district.
(He only recommended 5 of the 50-something scouts, but only 3 went.)
So, the first week of summer break, Austin spent 8 days
at Camp Hood to attend NYLT.
I have to admit, tho - Austin was not extremely excited about going.
It might have had something to do with tent camping in 100 degree weather with
crazy Mississippi summer bugs.
I'm not sure....
Big Dog (Daddy) rode down with me for the closing ceremony.
When I introduced myself to Austin's leader for the week,
he told me that Austin "is a great scout".
Again, holding back the smiles...
We had to walk into the woods....
next to a pond....
under old pine trees....
for the ceremony.
The wind was blowing.
The pine trees were swaying.
And cracking.
Then it started to rain.
Not fun.
But it was another proud moment,
so I would gladly do it a hundred more times!
Because of the rain,
I didn't get many pictures -
but was able to manage a few at the end.
It's tradition at the end of NYLT courses to invite each participant to toss an evergreen sprig into the campfire as a sign of rededication to the guidance of the Scout Oath and Law.
Austin didn't come home with us after the closing of NYLT.
As I mentioned several months ago,
Austin was up for OA election.
OA (Order of the Arrow) is kind of an Honor Society
within Boy Scouts.
You have to go on so many camp outs, show Scout Spirit, have overall good attendance,
among other requirements to be eligible for election.
Once you've met all requirements,
you have to survive the "tap out" camp out.
Austin said it wasn't as a big a deal as the leaders make it sound.
On the last night of the camp out,
the candidates are secretly told if they've made it or not.
Austin made it.
So...
After 6 days of NYLT,
Austin stayed at Camp Hood for two more days of camping for the
OA Ordeal.
This is the final step in the induction process.
He said they worked HARD for two days and ate next to nothing...
until the last night when they ate like kings!
I don't have any pictures of the closing for OA,
because we were not invited to the closing.
This is a very secretive, non-secret organization.
If you're not a member of the OA,
you can't be around for any part of their meetings.
Oh well, maybe I can sneak a picture of him in his sash.
Now, to go pack him for a week of camping in Arkansas......
(and i promise not to be so long between posts for now on.)
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