Scouting Around - Issue 4 - Mar 2016

“See things from the boy’s point of view” - Robert Baden Powell

The Jungle Book Did you know that Cub Scouting was based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless story, “The Jungle Book”?

Thanks to Disney, the story is brought back to life in an all-new live-action epic adventure movie about Mowgli, a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves.

Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan, who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery (a key element of Scouting), guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera and the free-spirited bear Baloo .Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests

Mar 19 — ADC Training Mar 28 — Deadline for submission

at heart, including Kaa, a python whose voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smoothtalking King Louie, who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

of YOUTH award nominees

Mar 30 — Cuboree Registration Deadline

Apr 1-3 — New Leader Certification

Mowgli is raised by the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and the wolf pack’s alpha male Akela (whose name is still used to refer to Cub Scout leaders to this day ).

Scouting’s founder, Sir Robert Baden-Powell asked his friend Rudyard Kipling for the use of his Jungle Book story and universe as a motivational frame in cub scouting and in 1917, junior members became known as Wolf Cubs.

By analogy, a young boy not old enough to be a wolf or true Scout could be a baby wolf or Wolf Cub.

Residential Training (Vessigny)

Apr 2 — Cub Scout Leaders’ Meeting (Point Fortin District)

3rd Trinidad Sea Scout Band

ScoutsTT Celebrates

Founder’s Day The Association celebrated the occasion of Founder’s Day on Sunday February 21, 2016 with the launch of their new website and Quality Scouting Assessment programme.

Yvan Mendoza, Marketing & Communications Advisor

These initiatives are just two of the new developments being undertaken at the national level as it relates to their strategic priorities of Communication, Rebranding and Leadership Excellence.

The Quality Scouting Assessment programme is ScoutsTT’s performance recognition programme designed to reward success. It measures the performance of groups, districts, zones and national operations to ensure that each of their programmes achieves its intended outcomes. It is meant to encourage excellence in providing a quality programme at all levels of the Movement that fulfills its mission and delivers on its promise to our youths and communities.

In theatres April, 2016

Upcoming Activities

Couva District Cub Scouts Parading

Every year Scouts around the world celebrate the

birthday of Scouting’s founder, Lord Robert Baden Powell on the 22nd of February, using the opportunity to reflect on the ideals upon which the movement was founded. This year’s theme was “Lessons in Character” and districts around the country celebrated with investiture ceremonies, church services and parades.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Chief Scout, His Excellency Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, in his message noted that, “The socially conscious lessons embedded in the character of each scout in the scouting fraternity must be diffused into our society in its entirety. If this is done successfully, it has the potential to bring about revolutionary and transformational change in this Republic and help us, at the end of the day, to be better human beings.”

Carmona’s full address can be found on ScoutsTT’s new website www.scouts.tt as well as information on the programme and how you can join the adventure or get involved as a volunteer or donor.

Pioneering with 3rd Trinidad

PHOTO of the Month Send your photos to programme@scouts.tt to be highlighted here!

Produced through the kind support of

By: Alexander Girvan—Environmental Economist Waste is no joke! Last week Trinidad and Tobago was named as the #1 producer of trash per-capita in the world. That means according to Worldatlas, the average Trinbagonian produces more waste per year than the average citizen of all other countries in the world. But that waste isn’t really a problem, is it?

As scouts we know this isn’t correct, it does matter! Plastic bottles, Styrofoam containers and snack wrappers are clogging our drains, collecting on our beaches and choking our forests. This evidence of our waste production isn’t just ugly, it’s hurting our future. Clogged drains lead to floods and mosquitos, dirty beaches tangle mother sea turtles preventing them from laying eggs, and fires in our dumps cause respiratory diseases.

The Scout motto is ‘Be prepared’. This doesn’t just mean prepare for the worst, it also means working

to prevent the worst from happening. As a scout you have a responsibility to prevent the destruction of our environment by taking a few small steps.

First, never leave behind waste or litter on the trail, campsite, road or beach. Second, always take your garbage with you even if you can’t find a bin or a recycling station. Third, when you can, recycle or find creative ways to re-use waste! Finally, help those around you by respectfully telling them that littering hurts us all, and that by carrying that bottle out of the forest, you could one day prevent a flood, and save a life.

4th Laventille Scouts

On December 13th 2016, a crew of venturers of the 3rd Trinidad Scout Group embarked on a rowing expedition to raise funds for their group.

They departed at 7:35am from the scout den at King’s Wharf in San Fernando heading to their destination of Vessigny Beach. After a grueling nine hours of solid rowing, the crew arrived sore and blistered with some lessons learned along the way: never underestimate the sea; practice or train before any expedition; and carry more water.

The journey was much longer than their estimated three to four hours and was a test of their willpower and determination. The venturers felt a great sense of accomplishment on completing the journey and look ahead to future scouting adventures.

Congrats to Anthony Jaikaran, Jamaal Guy, Makesi Williams, Dillan Ahee and Miguel Pascall, Josh Sinanan, Kyle Doman, Kwasi Clouden, Josh Neemar, Isaac Thomas, Keegan Julien and Alario Mendoza for successfully navigating the Gulf of Paria.

Trinidad’s beaches are globally important nesting sites for critically endangered leatherback sea turtles. Every year, as part of their tourism and conservation initiative, conservation group, Nature Seekers cleans the Matura Beach.

During the rainy season large quantities of debris and drift wood flow down the rivers and gather along the shoreline. Recognizing that the nesting process is hampered by debris on the beach, sometimes resulting in the turtles returning to sea without depositing their eggs, Nature Seekers has been championing the clean-up of a portion of the beach used as a nesting habitat, to eliminate this problem.

This project involves the collection and removal of glass, plastic, metal and degradable materials

Activities: 

Design your own rain gauge

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Make a lava lamp

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Make a hot air balloon

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Do an exhibit on a major technology breakthrough of the last decade

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Visit the National Science Centre

Vincent Frank Rowley

A clean and healthy environment means that we can enjoy boating, camping and hiking in the natural beauty that Trinidad and Tobago is blessed with!

Matura Beach Cleanup

ACTIVITY

From Sea to Shining Sea

CORNER

Trash is a Terrible Thing to Waste

3rd Trinidad Sea Scouts Venture

Remembered

from the 8 km shoreline, to facilitate successful nesting.

It also provides a safe environment for the seasonal turtle viewing program while supporting a sustainable community enterprise of repurposing litter into crafts. The waste glass collected on the beach will be converted into crafts by community members.

For over twenty years Nature Seekers Annual Beach Cleanup has created an opportunity for citizens of Trinidad & Tobago to assist in conservation efforts, to protect endangered sea turtles.

This year, scouts from three districts took part in the cleanup: 4th Laventille, 1st QRC, 1st Trinidad, and cubs from Toco/Sangre Grande district.

The cleanup ended with the popular Sand Turtle Competition where groups with more than ten volunteers registered in their teams. The sand

turtle building activity is done in twenty minutes at which time volunteers are asked to make a leatherback turtle in the sand. The competition is full of fun and excitement but most importantly it is done to raise awareness of our endangered species – the leatherback turtles.

Mr. Vincent Frank Rowley devoted much of his time and energy, some even say his whole life, to Scouting.

It was through this Movement that Mr. Rowley saw that a positive impact could be made in the lives of young people.

He became a Queen’s Scout in 1954, completed his Advanced Practical Training course in Pax Vale in 1970 and was awarded with his two Wood Badge Beads in 1972.

Thereafter he was assigned as a Training Assistant with the specific responsibility of Adult Leader Training in Tobago. He readily accepted this responsibility and could always be relied on to assist in any training programme.

In 2003, Mr. Rowley was appointed as an Assistant Leader Trainer and awarded with three Wood Badge Beads.

For meritorious service, he was

awarded the medal of merit in 1982 and in 2003, the Silver Ibis for specially distinguished service to the Scout Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

Scouting has lost a great and dedicated leader whose teaching, training and exemplary life has touched so many persons. The Scout Association of Trinidad and Tobago extends sincerest condolences to the family of our brother, Vincent Rowley, and shares the wish, like many others, that he rests in peace.