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Boy Scouts hosts youth summer camp
The CNMI Boy Scouts of America will host another summer camp for boys ages 12 to 18 years old.
The camp, which will run from 2pm today until Saturday afternoon, will be held at the open field next to the Kan Pacific Pool across Mariana Resort and Spa in Marpi.
Chair Wayne Gillespie of the CNMI Boy Scouts of America said yesterday that they are hoping to have 50 young boys join this year’s summer camp.
“Scouts will march in the July 4th parade, then assemble at camp,” he told Saipan Tribune.
Derek Cepeda, district executive-Chamorro of the Aloha Council Boy Scouts of America, said in a separate interview that he flew to Saipan on Monday to serve as this year’s camp director.
The Aloha Council covers the CNMI and other insular jurisdictions such as Guam and Palau.
Cepeda said the summer camp will involve scouts under different categories: cub scouts who are first to fifth graders; and boy scouts from sixth grade up to 18 years old.
Cepeda, who also helped out in the summer camp for the Guam Boy Scouts of America last June 18 to 23, said the participants will learn about “everything” during the camp.
“That’s the magic of scouting,” he said after the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting yesterday. “Over summer, they will learn the merit badge system, which is composed of 120 merit badges. They will learn about hobbies and professions and get them exposed to skills they can use throughout their lifetime.”
According to Cepeda, the merit badge system is one way to expose children to different career paths such as entrepreneurship and sales as well as survival skills.
He said the recently concluded weeklong Guam summer camp featured a wide range of lessons-from nuclear science and electronics to communications and public speaking.
“We could be offering the same on Saipan if we can get volunteers from the community to help us out. We are trying to rebuild the volunteer base here because scouting is a form of re-investment in our youth,” explained Cepeda.
Both Cepeda and Gillespie encouraged boys to sign up for the camp. For more information, call 483-0885.
By Clarissa V. David
Reporter
