| 970 scouts at the 2007 OA Awards Banquet |
Boy Scouts of America
TROOP 970
TROOP 970
| Sponsored by Sterling United Methodist Church in Sterling, Virginia |
Boy Scouts of America
TROOP 970
TROOP 970
2007 the largest class of OA candidates ever in troop history were elected by the
Troop: Schaefer S., Geoffrey C., JJ C., Tyler D., Brian H., Michael K., Ben L., Ryan
M., Wayne M., Nathan O., Charlie S., Kyle S. Also selected by the Troop Committee
were two adult Scouters: Mr. Snoich and Mr Moody.
During each Ordeal event, Ordeal Members have the opportunity to complete their
membership in OA and become Brotherhood Members. Through out the past year,
Troop 970 dedicated effort to help last year’s Ordeal members complete their
Brotherhood membership. Scouts who are now full members of the Order are: Chris
P., Brad L., Chris M., Brendan Y., David D., and adults Mr Cebulski and Mr Morris.
Troop 970 also provides leadership in the Goose Creek OA Chapter and National
Capital Area Council throughout the past scouting year. Eagle Scout Scott Y served
as Virginia West Area Chief and Eagle Scout Andrew C served a second term as
Eastern Loudoun Vice Chief. Life Scout Brendan Y was elected as the new Goose
Creek Ceremonies Vice Chief.
Troop: Schaefer S., Geoffrey C., JJ C., Tyler D., Brian H., Michael K., Ben L., Ryan
M., Wayne M., Nathan O., Charlie S., Kyle S. Also selected by the Troop Committee
were two adult Scouters: Mr. Snoich and Mr Moody.
During each Ordeal event, Ordeal Members have the opportunity to complete their
membership in OA and become Brotherhood Members. Through out the past year,
Troop 970 dedicated effort to help last year’s Ordeal members complete their
Brotherhood membership. Scouts who are now full members of the Order are: Chris
P., Brad L., Chris M., Brendan Y., David D., and adults Mr Cebulski and Mr Morris.
Troop 970 also provides leadership in the Goose Creek OA Chapter and National
Capital Area Council throughout the past scouting year. Eagle Scout Scott Y served
as Virginia West Area Chief and Eagle Scout Andrew C served a second term as
Eastern Loudoun Vice Chief. Life Scout Brendan Y was elected as the new Goose
Creek Ceremonies Vice Chief.
| Scott Y (left) receives 3 National Ceremonies Awards |
| Andrew’s Vigil Honor award presentation |
| 970 OA Contingent New Ordeal, new Brotherhood, old Brotherhood, Ordeal, and Vigil adults |
Order of the Arrow
Scoutings Honor Society where members are elected by their fellow scouts.
Scoutings Honor Society where members are elected by their fellow scouts.
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The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the Boy Scouts of America’s National Camping Honor Society.
Each year Troop 970 Scouts elect members of the troop for this recognition. Those elected go
through a weekend of challenges called 'the Ordeal' before attaining their first level of
Each year Troop 970 Scouts elect members of the troop for this recognition. Those elected go
through a weekend of challenges called 'the Ordeal' before attaining their first level of
Starting Thursday 3/6/2008 and continuing through Saturday evening 3/8/2008,
Scouting and achieved much honor for Goose Creek Chapter Order of the Arrow:
On Thursday night, the 6th Annual Goose Creek District Order of the Arrow
Celebration for the Arrow of Light was held at Smarts Mill Middle School in Leesburg--
the largest EVER with 118 Webelos Scouts, including many Scouts who will be joining
970.
Three of the six ceremonial team members assembled from Arrowmen across
Loudoun county troops are 970 Scouts--Ben L., Schaefer B., and BJ Y. presented the
ceremony, dressed authentically as 1600’s-era local Powhatan tribesman.
We are especially proud of Ben and Schaefer who performed this ceremony in public
for the first time and did a GREAT job! Thanks also to Mrs Yarbrough, the overall
facilitator and coordinator of this important crossover activity for the sixth time--and it
was another great event!
At this weekend’s annual NCAC Order of the Arrow Youth Fellowship encampment
held at Camp Snyder again this year, Ben and BJ participated in three different
Goose Creek OA ceremonies teams in the NCAC-wide ceremonies competition
against 15 other District’s OA ceremonies teams. (not all 28 Districts send teams to
compete). OA Ceremonies competition is similar to District/State band or sports
competitions, and they perform the equivalent of one-act plays, that must be
completely memorized and properly acted and interpreted, and are awarded medals
for top performances. The purpose of the competition is to hone the skills of OA
ceremonies Scouts so they make meaningful ceremonies for Scouts newly-elected for
Order of the Arrow. Judging teams are composed of other youth Arrowmen from
across NCAC, and always make constructive and insightful comments to help the
teams improve. Ben and another new ceremonialist from a Leesburg troop gained the
respect of the head judges as two of the most talented new, first-time ceremonialists.
Good job Ben!!! The Goose Creek Brotherhood ceremonies team, with BJ playing
one of the key characters, placed SECOND overall in NCAC, losing by only a few
points to the nationally-ranked Old Dominion District’s Brotherhood team composed
of much older Scouts.
Our Scouts practiced all their ceremonies nearly weekly for the past six months under
BJ’s leadership as Goose Creek’s Ceremonies Chief, and their collective efforts with
their brethren in four other troops involved in the ceremonies showed! This was
particularly a hard year for all Goose Creek’s ceremonialists—never before has the
District Arrow of Light ceremony directly coincided with the NCAC competitions, and it
was a challenge for the Scouts to keep as many as three different ceremonies
memorized at the same time and perform them over a very short period. They will all
perform again 25-27 April at the OA Ordeal and Brotherhood conversion weekend at
Izaak Walton League near Hamilton VA.
The OA is always looking for new ceremonialists to join the team and add their talent,
or to support the team in staging, practices, props, and other activities and service.
Troop 970 OA members just need to contact BJ to find out more.
Scouting and achieved much honor for Goose Creek Chapter Order of the Arrow:
On Thursday night, the 6th Annual Goose Creek District Order of the Arrow
Celebration for the Arrow of Light was held at Smarts Mill Middle School in Leesburg--
the largest EVER with 118 Webelos Scouts, including many Scouts who will be joining
970.
Three of the six ceremonial team members assembled from Arrowmen across
Loudoun county troops are 970 Scouts--Ben L., Schaefer B., and BJ Y. presented the
ceremony, dressed authentically as 1600’s-era local Powhatan tribesman.
We are especially proud of Ben and Schaefer who performed this ceremony in public
for the first time and did a GREAT job! Thanks also to Mrs Yarbrough, the overall
facilitator and coordinator of this important crossover activity for the sixth time--and it
was another great event!
At this weekend’s annual NCAC Order of the Arrow Youth Fellowship encampment
held at Camp Snyder again this year, Ben and BJ participated in three different
Goose Creek OA ceremonies teams in the NCAC-wide ceremonies competition
against 15 other District’s OA ceremonies teams. (not all 28 Districts send teams to
compete). OA Ceremonies competition is similar to District/State band or sports
competitions, and they perform the equivalent of one-act plays, that must be
completely memorized and properly acted and interpreted, and are awarded medals
for top performances. The purpose of the competition is to hone the skills of OA
ceremonies Scouts so they make meaningful ceremonies for Scouts newly-elected for
Order of the Arrow. Judging teams are composed of other youth Arrowmen from
across NCAC, and always make constructive and insightful comments to help the
teams improve. Ben and another new ceremonialist from a Leesburg troop gained the
respect of the head judges as two of the most talented new, first-time ceremonialists.
Good job Ben!!! The Goose Creek Brotherhood ceremonies team, with BJ playing
one of the key characters, placed SECOND overall in NCAC, losing by only a few
points to the nationally-ranked Old Dominion District’s Brotherhood team composed
of much older Scouts.
Our Scouts practiced all their ceremonies nearly weekly for the past six months under
BJ’s leadership as Goose Creek’s Ceremonies Chief, and their collective efforts with
their brethren in four other troops involved in the ceremonies showed! This was
particularly a hard year for all Goose Creek’s ceremonialists—never before has the
District Arrow of Light ceremony directly coincided with the NCAC competitions, and it
was a challenge for the Scouts to keep as many as three different ceremonies
memorized at the same time and perform them over a very short period. They will all
perform again 25-27 April at the OA Ordeal and Brotherhood conversion weekend at
Izaak Walton League near Hamilton VA.
The OA is always looking for new ceremonialists to join the team and add their talent,
or to support the team in staging, practices, props, and other activities and service.
Troop 970 OA members just need to contact BJ to find out more.