RE: [Philmont]: Congressional Award

> Sorry I could not access web site, what about a Girl Scout that is the
> process of her "Gold Award" equal to Eagle Award in Boy Scouts? Sorry I
> can not research myself due to my computer will not access
> aforementioned web site. Thanks in advance for your greatly appreciated
> time and assistance! Yours in Scouting (more boy than girl scouting)
> Jerry Bailey, Pack 722, Cub master
>

If you can't access the web page, send an e-mail to Mitchell Wunsh
<wunsh@congressionalaward.com> and ask him mail information on the program
to you by snail-mail.

I will attest that The Congressional Award is an excellent program for young
people as I've served as an advisor for about 13 years. A Philmont trek
may be used to complete the expedition/exploration portion of the
requirements for an award.

To begin working in the program, the young person has to set goals having
to do with personal development, physical fitness, voluntary community
service plus an expedition or exploration outside the young person's
normal environment. Then, activities to meet the goals must be completed,
tracked and reported. Sort of like an Eagle Scout Leadership Service
Project but more complicated and bureaucratic, especially when the young
person is working on a Gold Medal (only 108 of those were earned in 2002).

Young people may begin working in the program when they are age 13 1/2 and
 continue until age 23. Earning an Eagle Award in the BSA or the Gold
Award in the GSUSA does not automatically earn a Congressional Award but
many BSA and GSUSA activities may count toward a Congressional Award IF
the young person plans ahead and incorporates Scouting into his/her
Congressional Award goals.

As a comparison, our troop has had 104 Eagle Scouts, and 13 of those have
earned a Bronze Medal. Of the 13 Bronze recipients, 3 have earned a
Silver
Medal and 2 a Gold Medal. I've advised two Girl Scouts (both earned the
GSUSA Gold Award) who have earned Bronze Medals, and one of these has also
earned her Silver Medal and is working on her Gold Medal.

Don't expect "immediate recognition" though as this program doesn't work
that way except for the Certificates (Bronze, Silver & Gold) as it will
usually be several months before a young person who earns one of the medals
is recognized by the Congressman. This is probably the major negative
aspect of the program as it may take 6-9 months or more before the young
person receives his/her medal.

In past years, the Gold Medals were presented during a four day event in
Washington D.C. This year, due to lack of funding by sponsors, the 150 or
so eligible young people been told they can show up at a 10 a.m. reception
on Wednesday, June 25, at the Russell Senate Caucus Room and receive their
Gold Medals. That's it! Nothing else! No seminars, no sightseeing
trips, no awards dinner and none of the other special activities that took
place during past years. Maybe this will change in 2004.

YiS,

--
Calvin H. Gray
Scoutmaster, Troop 405
Associate Advisor, Venturing Crew 405
Georgetown, Texas
I used to be an Owl (WM-62-2-98 @ Philmont)
http://www.troop405.org/
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