On Friday, November 22, 2019, 32 Scouts from Troop 542 along with four Scouts from Troop 541 and two Arrow of Light Cub Scouts departed Supplee Presbyterian Church for a weekend of STEM challenges and cabin camping. They arrived at Rodney Scout Reservation, located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in North East, MD, later that evening, set up camp, and got some much-needed shuteye.
On Saturday morning, first-year Scouts worked on rank advancement activities, such as chopping firewood for cabin stoves. Older Scouts played football and ultimate Frisbee. After a break for lunch, the Scouts split up into their respective patrols to compete in the STEM Olympics. Each patrol took a turn at nine stations, each of which featured a specific STEM challenge. The Cheat Death station challenged Scouts to identify edible plants, the Nature Challenge station sent Scouts on a scavenger hunt, and the Da Vinci Bridge station required Scouts to build a self-supporting bridge model. The remaining stations tested the Scouts with activities related to aviation, electricity, calorie counting, chemistry, camouflage, and gears. Patrols received a score at each station to determine a ranking. The combined patrol of Cougars and Ravens won the competition by earning the highest number of first-place finishes. The day concluded with skits, songs, and cheers around a campfire.
On Sunday morning, the Scouts woke early, made breakfast, and ended the camping adventure with an inter-faith service. Then, everyone packed up and headed home.
Categories: Troop Trips