The Boy Scouts of Patrick Henry District, Blue Ridge Mountains Council were treated to a unique experience on the weekend of February 26-18. Their annual Winter Camporee was put on by the Ferrum College Forensics Department.
Events included: crime scene analysis, fingerprinting, drug/poison analysis, testing hair for forensic usage, blood typing, and karyotyping (chromosome) matching.
Many people think of Scouts as just going camping and hiking. That’s true most of the time and was also true for the camporee weekend as they were camping, cooking and using other outdoor skills. While the Scouts might normally compete in events such as knots, lashing, first aid, etc., leaders were happy to be able to provide the Scouts with something different, exciting and educational.
In recent years, Boy Scouts have been incorporating more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) education into their program. This camporee was a great way to blend the new with the traditional.
The Patrick Henry District encompasses the counties of Franklin, Henry and Patrick, the City of Martinsville and the towns of Rocky Mount and Stuart. All of those involved in Scouting in this area, both youth and adults, want to thank the Ferrum College Forensics Department for all of their hard work in bringing this event together and providing a fantastic time for all that attended.
They are grateful to Dr. David Nicholson for coordinating this weekend of learning. Along with Dr. Nicholson, they also thank the following forensic science students: Britt Conde, Eric Whitlock, Rachel Meek, Ashley Wiles, Devon Mosteller and Emily Hargrove. All of these people did a fantastic job to provide the Scouts with a great learning experience. They delayed their Spring Break to stay and share their knowledge with others.
Anyone who is interested in finding out more about Scouting should contact the district director, Dan Cross at (276) 229-9830, patrickhenryde@bsa-brmc.org or go to beascout.org for more information.
