Here at OLSH, our student body is filled with high schoolers who are able to establish a sense of community and partake in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.

I spoke with Olivia Mulvay, Owen McLaren, and Bernie Komoroski about their experiences within the scouting community. 

In regards to Boy Scouts, Bernie and Owen firmly believe that the program benefits them in many ways. Bernie states, “I like to be a Boy Scout because I’ve learned skills that have been useful in life and that I apply on a weekly or daily basis. There’ve been multiple times where my knot-tying skills or first-aid knowledge has come in handy, and I wouldn’t have known any of that without Scouting!”

Owen definitely agrees, and declares, “Being a Boy Scout is definitely a highlight for anyone in it regardless of age. The skills that I have learned throughout my journey so far will always be with me and will help me throughout my life.”

The boys also seem to conclude that the Boy Scout program is a great way to carry out community service. Bernie describes his Scouting for Food Drive, in which the boys collected food from neighborhoods in Crafton and donated the assembled items. It was particularly successful this year, with a new record of 1,800 items donated! Owen is currently working on his Eagle Scout project, in which he plans to raise awareness for epilepsy by holding a golfing tournament. 

It is clear that Olivia feels the Girl Scout program is a great way for her to exercise leadership skills and take charge. “Being a Girl Scout has always given me a sense of leadership. We are often placed in positions where we must take action, especially now, with the Gold Award Project. Along with this, I always have opportunities to work with others. I work with younger kids as a camp counselor, and contact people older than me to organize events,” says Olivia. She is also moving towards her Gold Award, and plans on working with the Rachel Carson Homestead. “Rachel Carson was an environmentalist, so at the homestead, I hope to plan and plant a water garden. The roots of the plants in this garden will suck up the water, preventing the ground from becoming too swampy,” describes Olivia. 

These three students also concurred that joining the scouts is a great idea for anyone interested. Bernie points out, “We’ve had kids come in at the age of 16 and only miss their Eagle because of their age. Even then, the merit badges are useful to you as they are applied to real life, most notably being our three Citizenship badges; Community, Nation, and World.” He also lists some of the other activities Boy Scouts offers, such as Camporees, The National Jamboree, and National Youth Leadership Training. Owen also adds that Boy Scouts is a great way to meet new friends and mentions, “I would definitely recommend joining! Boy Scouts is a great opportunity to learn skills you may not learn elsewhere.” 

After interviewing these scouts, it is clear that the scouting program is a great way for high schoolers to better themselves and their neighborhoods. It provides a way to do community service, and brings light to the issues these students are passionate about.