SCOUTING TRADITION

Bill and Sarah Dieterich cultivated Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts at Lipscomb Elementary

When Bill Dieterich’s 13-year-old son, Ben, entered Lipscomb Elementary eight years ago, they went to Cub Scouts join-up night.

“It was just me, my son and one other boy,” he says.

ButDieterich,whowas a Boy Scout while growing up in Irving, wantedhissonstogrowupin scouting. So he took the lead and formed a Cub Scout pack, which eventually grew to six boys the first year. They mostly tagged along with the Cub Scouts at Mount Auburn Elementary School that year.

But now, with Dieterich’s 11-yearold son, Jackson, going into sixth grade, Pack 42 includes almost 50 boys and 20 adult volunteers. Plus, Dieterich and his wife, Sarah, have started a Junior Girl Scouts troop. And their meetings are creative.

Recently,theyhad a nightof HarryPotter-themedactivities, including a “sortinghat”rigged with a two-way radio inside, a game of the fictional sport quidditch, and a potions class in which the kids got to mix and make chemical reactions.

“It was the talk of the school the next day,” Bill Dieterich says. “And that just brings in more Cub Scouts the next year.”

Scoutingteacheskidstofollowdirections,workas a team, serve the community, and think for themselves, he says.

“I wanted to keep my kids out of trouble,” he says. “I’ve never heard of a gang member that used to be a Boy Scout.”

AndtheScoutgroupsencourageparentstobeinvolvedas well,LipscombprincipalYolanda Gonzalez says.

TheDeiterichswon’thaveany more kids at Lipscomb next year. When school starts back in August, it will be the first time in 25 years

CREATE: a short video (between 30 seconds and 3 minutes) that showcases the uniqueness of our neighborhood in the theme: “All local, all the time”.

Deadline: Videos must be submitted by YouTube/ web link or on DVD to our offices no later than 5 p.m. July 11, 2010; late entries will not be eligible to win a prize.