On My Honor- My life as a Scout: The History Behind it All

"On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."

My APO Jersey (c).

That is the Scout Oath that all scouts aim to live and learn by. It is also one of the founding cornerstones of the International Service Fraternity of Alpha Phi Omega. Founded by Frank Reed Horton, Alpha Phi Omega was an organization through which men might better the conditions for other men, as well as themselves by holding up a "standard of manhood". Through his experience in WW2 and serving with scouts, Horton found that the Scout Oath and Law were what he was looking for in a "standard of manhood". In 1925 while at Lafayette College, Horton created Alpha Phi Omega an organization for college men who cooperated with all youth movements, especially scouting. As scouting is worldwide, so is Alpha Phi Omega, reaching out to universities and people all over the globe.

My Dad, my boyfriend and myself on Scout Sunday at RPC (c).

These are the things I love about APO. Founded on the Cardinal Principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service, APO is an organization where anyone can get involved and better themselves by helping others. My Father is an Eagle Scout which is the highest Boy Scout Rank one can reach. He raised my sisters and I with a strong sense of doing good in the world through community service. One of the first traditions I can remember my family making is our choice to volunteer on Thanksgiving Day for the annual YMCA Turkey Trot Race. While shivering in the cold, a love for service grew. I never had any interest in being a Girl Scout and doing what I considered "girly" activities like selling cookies and learning how to knit. I wanted to go outside and get dirty and be like my Dad. So it was fortunate when I found a way to be the Boy Scout I always wanted to- through Venturing.

Venturing Crew 707 at the White River Canoe Race 2011 (c).

Venturing is a division of Boy Scouts of America geared toward young men and women ages 14-21. In the program, the groups can do pretty much anything a normal Boy Scout Troop would do. We go camping, hiking, fishing, shooting, canoeing and any other activity you can think of. Like in Boy Scouts, in Venturing there are awards a youth can achieve through completing certain requirements. With my Venturing Crew (Crew 707 in Fort Worth, Texas) I have gone to the high adventure base of Philmont in Cimarron, New Mexico, participated in the National White River Canoe Race and am going to one of the other high adventure bases, Seabase in the Florida Keys Summer 2012. It is such a great experience being able to do all these fun things and live my life on such high principles.