Rowan District holds Junior Leader Training
On Dec. 5, the Rowan District held its first Junior Leader Training led by Henry Trexler Jr., scoutmaster of Troop 443, and assisted by Donny Raymer, scoutmaster of Troop 315; Henry Fairley IV, assistant scoutmaster, Troop 401; Mark Lottes, assistant scoutmaster, Troop 443; Robert Ogden, assistant scoutmaster, Troop 443; and Tim Steinman, assistant scoutmaster, Troop 443.
Junior Leader Training’s purpose is to reinforce the patrol method and to allow members of the patrol leaders council to set goals for themselves, their patrols and their troop. It also takes young men through the skills to become a great leader and to develop the ability to make responsible decisions.
The skills covered are leadership, cooperation, problem solving and team building. The Scouts who participated were placed in patrols and elected their own patrol leaders. From there, as a newly formed Troop, the Scouts elected a senior patrol leader.
The senior patrol leader was responsible for working with the adults in running the training events. Each training session featured a video covering a specific Scout skill, followed by a group activity. The leaders then led the Scouts in a group discussion. Once the training was over, all the Scouts were recognized as newly trained leaders.
Each Scout received a certificate and a trained patch. The trained patch is a ticket for which the Scout can trade a special Junior Leader Training Patch. Fairley designed the special patch.
Following the recognition ceremony and a campfire, Steinman led the group in a flag retirement ceremony.
The newly trained youth leaders are Troy Beaver, Lake Billings, Christopher Cook, Cameron Crowell, Zane Grey, Cody Hodges, Brandon Lottes, Paul McNeely, Michael Ogden, Jake Pritchard, Joshua Robar, Taylor Rodenhuis, Gabe Steinman, Zach Tucker, Wyatt Zander, all of Troop 443; Josh Schenk, Alden Roseman, Alex Osterweil, Troop 315; Chris Fleming and Kevin Mitchell, Troop 317.