The value of Scout Camp

I was a Scout as a Youth and am a dedicated Scouter as an adult. I am who I am today in large part due to my experiences in Scouting. BP himself said “A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room” but in my experience it is worth even more.

My oldest Son suffers from ADHD and Anxiety with pretty heavy germ phobia, and bridged to the Troop at the start of the pandemic. Getting him to Scout Camp last week was dicey, with having to bring bottled water and prepackaged food to get him to go at all, but he went and I went as an ASM. Keeping him there was a challenge, and only happened due to an amazingly dedicated and supportive Camp Staff. He overcame so many challenges in one week in the Camp environment, including getting past water anxiety and passing his swim test and even ate the camp food. Seeing the growth and bonding between the Scouts, and all the new friends was absolutely priceless.

Submitted by: Jason Costarakis of San Diego