As a Den Chief for Pack 14 during the Fall 2023 Term, I worked closely with the Webelos 2 scouts, who are in 4th and 5th grade. At the first pack meeting of the term, I encountered an experience I never would have witnessed otherwise. Having never done Cub Scouts, I didn’t know what to expect, but the jolly and welcoming environment of the meeting thoroughly exceeded my expectations.
At this first meeting, I got to help them with the flag ceremony, which was my first interaction with the scouts. One thing I instantly learned about them is that they had a great sense of humor and an urge to succeed. They took feedback well and were able to succeed in their tasks, allowing them to serve as positive role models for the younger scouts, while still having fun, and cracking harmless jokes amongst themselves.
I also got to learn a lot about their creativity during this meeting as at the end, each den was tasked with creating a skit and presenting it after 10 minutes of preparation. Immediately after the activity was announced, suggestions and skit ideas started being shared from all directions! It took a bit of time, but we had our roles assigned, and our skit chosen just in time to present it for the troop. During our performance, I remember not just my den laughing while acting, but the audience laughing as well, which showed how their creativity and humor allowed for a well-rounded, better overall experience.
In addition, I got to learn a lot about their hunger to learn. During one of their den meetings, a guest speaker came to give a speech about electricity, and all of the scouts were captivated. When they weren’t listening to the speaker, they were looking at the diagrams on the slides, asking questions, or even answering some. One thing that motivated them to participate was that there was a marble system which meant for each contribution they gave to the discussion, they would earn a marble. This encouraged all the scouts, even the quieter ones, to participate more, and helped create a more welcoming environment for sharing ideas in the future.
As a Den Chief this term, I got to learn a lot about the personalities of the scouts and how they are some of the most creative, funny, and curious people I’ve ever met. It was a super worthwhile experience as a Den Chief, and it never felt like a responsibility, rather, it was a whole lot of fun.