By PATRICK BUCHNOWSKI
PENN RUN — Scouting is helping 11-year old Shawn Roth reach the stars.
The sixth-grade Richland Elementary School pupil said he is taking his lead from former Scouts who went into space exploration.
“Since the first 26 astronauts were Eagle Scouts, I’m thinking maybe I’ll study space exploration,” he said. “I’ve always been interested in studying the stars.”
Shawn was one of 20 Boy Scouts from Johnstown-area Troop 100 who spent a week at Camp Seph Mack at Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana County.
In all, about 200 people representing 12 troops spent the week shooting rifles, sailing, rappelling, building campfires and earning merit badges.
More than 1,000 Scouts are expected to attend the seven-week summer camp.
Shawn is making himself at home.
“Rifle shooting is one of my priorities,” he said. “They’ve got new .22s this year. Just today we learned how to clean them.”
The group spent a few days constructing a fence and a jungle gym as part of a pioneering project, said Mike Fisher, 12.
“We decided to build a fence, but two people sat on it and it broke. So we built this,” he said while hanging from a rope.
Greg Watt, committee chairman for Troop 100 based out of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Richland Township, said the outdoor experience helps the young men mature.
“It’s really amazing because when they’re here by themselves and away from mom and dad, they seem to bloom,” he said.
A drizzling rain curtailed some activities at the lake. The trails became muddy, but no one seemed to mind. The Scouts feasted on tacos for lunch at the dining hall, and some later tossed a Frisbee.
Watt keeps a close eye on the Scouts as he explains the importance of summer camp.
Much of the time is spent earning merit badges.
“There are simple ones like wood carving and basket weaving,” he said. “Then there are the more involved things like first aid or lifesaving or emergency preparedness.
There are more than 100 merit badges.
Roth pointed out that merit badges can be earned in astronomy and space exploration.
The hard work and skills learned when earning the badges is part of the experience.
Camp Director Richard Canton tries to bring perspective to the camping experience.
“A lot of people base the success of camp on merit badges earned or rank advancement,” he said.
“Success of the camp is when I can sit here in my office or on the back porch and watch the kids playing football or basketball in the evening when things are winding down.
“I don’t think any of the kids have left here this summer without having fun,” he said.
