Boy Scouts attend weeklong merit badge camp

Josh described the camp, situated around the lake and surrounded by mountains, as picturesque.

‘‘It was definitely worth waking up at 5 a.m. to see the sunrise over the lake,” said James Bryan, Josh’s father and one of the adult leaders who accompanied the troop, in a troop press release.

The troop stayed at Camp Olmstead, one of four camps at the reservation and the only one with a mess hall. Josh said this allowed the boys to concentrate on their merit badges because they did not have to spend time cooking their own food. He also said an advantage of going to a merit badge camp was that Scouts could pursue their badges in a structured environment, where camp counselors could explain the requirements of each badge.

‘‘With a merit badge camp, it’s a lot easier to earn merit badges,” he said. ‘‘The staff is great.”

The boys attending the camp from Troop 268 ranged in age from 11 to 15 years old, and while the older boys could choose which badges they wanted to pursue, the younger boys had to participate in a program called Trailshead, which teaches first-year Scouts basic Scouting skills and helps them through merit badges appropriate to their age and skill level. ‘‘The merit badges are picked out by the staff based on what would be a good skill at that age,” Josh said.

The older, more experienced Scouts pursued advanced badges such as first aid, lifesaving motor boating, small boat sailing and shooting sports, such as archery and rifle shooting. In their free time, the boys were able to kayak and swim in the lake, Josh said.

Dean’s list honors

Congratulations to the Virginia Tech students named to the university’s spring 2008 dean’s list. To qualify, students had at least 12 credit hours and earned a 3.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the semester.

Mount Airy students on the list are Benjamin J. Bechtel, a freshman majoring in architecture in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies; Joshua T. Bladen, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering; TJ R. Chucoski, a first year student majoring in agricultural technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Ryan P. Fowler, a sophomore majoring in finance in the Pamplin College of Business; Genine K. Lipkey, a junior majoring in biological sciences in the College of Science; Matt V. Malagari, a sophomore majoring in finance in the Pamplin College of Business; and Curtis E. Rhoderick, a sophomore majoring in dairy science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Pomp and Circumstance

Congratulations to Doug Denison, who recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English literature and a minor in history.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude, with department honors. After being admitted to the University of Pittsburgh Honors College in 2004, he attained the dean’s honor list all four undergraduate years.

Denison served on the Pitt News for four years as photographer, staff writer and reporter, and held the position of news editor his senior year. He also served as photo editor of the 2007 University of Pittsburgh yearbook. Upon graduation, Denison was awarded a paid internship with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, funded by the Heinz Endowments. He currently resides in Pittsburgh.

Denison, a 2004 South Carroll High School graduate, is the son of Dave and Donna Denison of Winfield.

Congratulations also to Nicholas Reed, a Mount Airy resident and Glenelg High School graduate, who graduated in May from Lycoming College in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in French. Reed is a member of Alpha Gamma, the college’s chapter of Gamma Sigma Alpha, the national Greek academic honor society. He was member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and was eligible for membership based on his GPA and active membership in his Greek fraternity.

Got the Beat

Congratulations to Mount Airy resident Lindsay Williams, who was selected for membership in the prestigious Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps of Camden County and Wildwood, N.J.

Williams is a freshman studying molecular genetics at the University of Vermont. She is touring with the group this summer as a part of the Drum Corps International Summer Tour and will participate in a series of performances throughout the northeastern United States, culminating in August at the 2008 DCI World Championships at Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Williams was one of 150 students selected from more than 400 musicians and performers, aged 14 to 21, who auditioned last fall for positions in the brass, percussion and color guard sections.

The Jersey Surf, which celebrates its 18th anniversary this summer, is a nonprofit youth organization and member of Drum Corps International, an organization involved in producing and promoting competitive stadium events for student musicians and performers.

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