March: Leadership, Mentorship, and Adventure
March is a month of learning, leadership, and preparation for Troop 5. Our Scouts will lead discussions about work, careers, and entrepreneurship while mentoring younger members of the troop and sharing their real-world experiences. At the same time, we take our first backpacking trip of the year, beginning a new season of outdoor adventure.
Whether in meetings or on the trail, Scouts continue building the skills, confidence, and mindset that will serve them throughout their lives
February Adventures
February was full of winter adventure for Troop 5. Scouts embraced the cold, enjoyed time outdoors, and continued building the skills and friendships that make Scouting special.
Winter outings remind us that adventure doesn’t stop when the temperature drops. With preparation, teamwork, and a great attitude, Scouts are ready for every season.
March Program Nights
March 5 – Teen Employment
Led by Niam and Kristof
Several of our older Scouts now hold part-time jobs, and they will share their experiences with younger Scouts — from finding opportunities to building responsibility and the skills that come with a first job.
March 12 – Shark Tank
Led by Kristof
One of Troop 5’s favorite traditions returns as Scouts pitch creative ideas in a fun Shark Tank–style challenge. Kristof will incorporate what he is learning in his Entrepreneurship class at Columbia High School, guiding Scouts as they develop and present their ideas.
March 19 – Blue Collar Careers Night
Led by James and Callum
Scouts will explore skilled trades and hands-on careers that build, repair, and power our communities.
March 26 – White Collar Careers Night
Led by Kristof and Conrad
The month concludes with a look at professional career paths and the many opportunities available through education, leadership, and service.
Throughout the month, younger Scouts will see firsthand how experience, responsibility, and leadership grow over time.
Our First Backpacking Trip of the Year
On March 21–22, Troop 5 will head to the historic Ten Mile River Scout Reservations for our first backpacking trip of the year.
This outing will give Scouts a chance to experience a Philmont-style trek, practicing many of the same skills used on high-adventure backpacking expeditions — just a little closer to home and a lot less hot than New Mexico.
Scouts will practice:
• Packing and carrying all of their gear
• Lightweight trail cooking
• Hiking as a crew
• Setting up efficient backcountry camps
• Working together to manage the challenges of the trail
For the Scouts heading to Philmont in the future, this trip will be excellent preparation. For others, it’s a great introduction to the adventure and independence that come with backpacking.
Every great high-adventure trek begins with preparation, and this trip is where our crews begin building the rhythm of the trail.
Ten Mile River History
The Ten Mile River Scout Reservations have been part of Scouting in the Northeast for more than a century. Generations of Scouts have hiked its trails, camped in its forests, and learned the outdoor skills that define the Scouting experience.
Ten Mile River also has a personal connection for Troop 5. Mr. Vogelmann experienced the reservation as a Scout growing up, part of the long tradition of Scouts who have explored these same forests and trails.
With its rugged terrain, quiet woods, and miles of trails, Ten Mile River is an ideal place for Scouts to practice the fundamentals of backpacking and teamwork.
Trips like this remind us that Scouting is more than just individual adventures — it is a tradition passed from one generation of Scouts to the next.
Scoutmaster’s Corner
Control What You Can Control
It doesn’t take long these days to notice that the world can feel unpredictable. News cycles move quickly, events unfold beyond our control, and sometimes it can feel like everything around us is shifting.
More than two thousand years ago, Stoic philosophers like Epictetus offered a simple but powerful idea: some things are within our control, and some things are not.
We cannot control the broader world.
We cannot control every event that happens around us.
But we can control our character.
We can control our actions.
And we can be prepared.
That idea should sound familiar to Scouts.
Preparation—mental, physical, and moral—is one of the most powerful tools we have. When Scouts learn skills, pack carefully for a trip, help their patrol, or step forward to lead, they are practicing exactly that mindset.
Scouting doesn’t promise that the trail will always be easy. What it does promise is that prepared Scouts can face whatever the trail brings.
In a world we cannot always control, preparation, character, and leadership are the things that will always guide our Scouts forward.
Scoutmaster