Impacting Youth Through STEM Initiatives, Ethics and Leadership, Character Building, and Strong Outdoor Education

I participated in camping at Goshen Scout Reservation as a youth.  I joined the staff in my teens and learned much about teamwork, ethics, initiative, leadership and elbow grease.  The skills I learned at Goshen transferred into my academic career and my professional life.  

Walk us through a “typical” day in your shoes. How are you making an impact through your work?

The most typical part of my process is that I approach every day with an open mind.  I’m trusted to serve a vast realm of responsibility; the projects are different every day.  Most of my work involves preparing for the upcoming camping season—hiring staff members, purchasing supplies and equipment, and making facilities upgrades.  Additionally, I serve as the staff adviser to our local chapter of Scouting’s honor society.  In this role, I help to empower youth to participate in projects that better our entire community.

What do you find most rewarding about your job at the end of the day?

I find it extremely rewarding to watch as young people mature into conscientious, community-minded adults.  There is no way to describe the feeling when a young person you’ve mentored greets you with a great poise and a firm handshake after a time of absence.  It’s extremely gratifying to know that I’ve had some impact on the next generation of leaders.

If you had a list of ‘best-kept secrets’ or advice you’d give to anyone with a similar position, what would it be and why?

The Boy Scout Handbook has a lot of great information inside!  It is designed to help Scouts (and others) in taking care of themselves and then later, others.  Additionally, I was turned onto the book Gung Ho by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.  It really solidified my earlier teamwork experiences in Scouting and has helped me in my current leadership responsibilities.

Our thanks to Gary Carroll, Camping Director for Boy Scouts of America, for sharing his time and expertise with us!  To learn more about the impact Gary and his organization are making, visit their website and connect with them at www.ncacbsa.org and www.gotogoshen.org.  Click here to support their work with a donation.

The primary goal for any nonprofit is to get people to support that nonprofit’s cause so they can make an impact. But, behind each of those causes are hard-working individuals, actively involved in making that impact happen. Through our Making Impact Blog Series, we’re going behind the scenes with America’s Charities member organizations to learn how they’re making impact happen and share insights and advice from the staff and volunteers supporting these initiatives.