Scouts who attended 1997 National Jamboree 

Youth Leaders                                                                                 

SPL - Robby Thompson

ASPL - Eric Meeker

QM - James Tanabe

Scribe - Jason Meeker

 Wild Cards (1)

Wolverines (2)                       

 Martian Beavers (3)    

Doug Reynonds, SM (Dismissed on last day of Jamboree)

Kevin Rudesill, 1^st ASM

Christopher Fuson, 3^rd ASM

Sidebar: Chief Seattle package was $1995 & included New York, Philadelphia, WA DC & Wiliamsburg; Kings Dominion Theme Park, Water Country USA, Busch Gardens Theme Park

Selecting the SPL:  Selection of SPL can go a long way towards making or breaking the trip. A good SPL runs the troop, and a boy-run troop is the thing to strive for. Whoever you choose should be dependable, mature, and admired by the other boys. Ideally, he should also have had JLT. Don't expect perfect conditions at Jamboree. More likely, however, you will arrive exhausted after days of strenuous travel, and it will be pouring down rain. Nevertheless, you'll be expected to organize your gear, set up camp, and prepare your next meal. The question is, can you do it without the whole group turning into a griping, whining mob? Again, planning is the key. Pre-jamboree meetings help. (author unknown)

Perspectives from Mr. Bob Amick (a scouter  from the United States)

1). Why go to National Jamboree instead of going to some other scouting activity?

It is somewhat unfair to compare the jamboree with other camping experiences. I can say that 99.99 percent of Scouts attending the jamboree consider it an experience they remember and cherish all of their life. A grandfather of one of my Scouts (and father to one of the ASM's) cannot say enough of his experience at the 1937 event. I've met Steven Spielberg, Green Bar Bill (William Hillcourt), Colin Powell and I've been on the NBC Today Show!

Let's add up some of the facts:

It's expensive: the cost is composed of the actual jamboree fee plus travel expenses, plus equipment costs. Many councils have camperships to defray the cost.

It's in Virginia. That's fine for me, only a 5 hour car trip, but many folks have to cross the US (or more) to get here.

It's hot. Virginia in August is usually in the 90's both in temperature and humidity. We usually also have at least one major rainstorm.

It's not camping in the woods, or hiking the trails of Philmont, or scuba diving in Florida. If that's what you like, go for it. Although those things can be done almost any year, while Jamboree is only every four years. Even so you can camp amongst the trees of Fort A. P. Hill, hike for miles, and scuba dive and snorkel at the jamboree.

It's so much fun. If you spent every waking hour trying to visit everything at the jamboree, you'd run out of time before you did it all. Why not see if somebody in your council has the souvenir videos from the 1989 or 1993 events.

It makes a good show for your Scouts and adults. Over 5,000 adults and Scouts will put on the best Camporee in the US for you and your Scouts. The good will and enjoyment are visible on everybody's face.

But - you have to like large events. 35,000 people camping together, eating mass-produced food (you cook it). The show, with Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless the USA", and the best fireworks I've ever seen, brings a large lump to my throat. I still re-read the daily newspapers (I'm prejudiced, I worked on them).

Talk to a Scout or Scouter who has attended, and ask them to tell you all that they did and how they enjoyed it. Some folks do not go for this type of event. If you can only do one thing - jambo or camping trip, you and your Scouts need to ask what type of experience you want to have. Usually a Scout has only one chance to attend a jamboree.

If this all sounds like I'm high on the jamboree, you're right. I've gone twice in 1989 and 1993, and I fully intend to go again in 1997. I hope to see you there (Mike Schatzberg)

2). A jamboree, either national or world, is a radically different experience from a wilderness expedition (obviously, duh!) and comparing the two is like comparing the proverbial apples and oranges. A jamboree broadens one's perspective by providing the opportunity to meet a broad spectrum of people from around the world. Contingents attend the US national jamboree from many other nations, one of our council troops included a patrol from Haiti in 1993. That troop, basically white middle class, didn't know what to expect (voodoo, savages???) and were thrilled when at the first unit campfire the boys from Haiti joined in a common US scout song in French. Those boys came back with a radically different view of the world.

It is hard to describe the feelings of unity and brotherhood one feels when 30,000+ scouts and scouters light their candles for the closing arena show.

Without being there, it is impossible to understand the change in perspective that is generated by sharing the jamboree experience with 30,000+ other scouts from around the world.

A wilderness canoe trip, yes, do it sometime. A jamboree opportunity comes to most boys only once in their scouting career. You don't have to choose between them. Do both. Just have the boys work harder to raise the money themselves to do them in two different years (Jim Miller)

3). Why attend the '97 Jamboree rather than a high adventure trip?

The two experiences are plenty neat but very different. The Jamboree (with a capital J) is a great chance to participate in MANY of the activities that boys enjoy in Scouting. It does not offer solitude, true. Off the top of my head I'll try to remember a few of the high points from our trip in '93 to give an idea of what is likely to be offered.

Water related sports:

Canoeing, rafting, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and fishing.

Dry land related sports:

Rapelling, BMX biking, mountain biking, skiing, black powder and air rifle shooting, bull whip cracking, orienteering and many more than I can remember just now.

Advancement related:

Just about every merit badge that can be earned in 10 days is offered.

Collecting of scouting paraphernalia: Name it and you can swap for it or buy it at the trading post. Patch swapping is a BIG activity. Pins and all kind of "friendship gifts" are exchanged. The trading post has almost every item in the catalog. Most Scouting relates stamps are available too. Remember POGs? As far as I can tell they first came to the mainland USA at the '93 jambo.

 Everywhere you turn you get patches, pins and other really neat goodies. Most of which are specifically produced for the Scouts at the jambo.

Meeting new friends:

Did you ever want to talk to or have dinner with somebody from Hawaii? Alaska? How 'bout guys from Europe, Asia or South America? I didn't see much of it at the '93 jambo but I know of fellows who traded for Scout uniforms from all over the world. Everybody is friendly, wants to shake hands and say, "Hello".

Shows:

Most of the military services and lots of other organizations have bands, singing groups and and such that perform for the scouts several times a day. Speaking of shows, there were 2 of the best stage shows I ever saw one of which included somebody from just about every patrol at the jambo. A flyover by a couple of F-14 Tomcats, parachute team demos and one of the best fireworks displays you'll ever see are just a few of the highlights.

Military hardware:

Ever want to climb in a Bradly fighting vehicle, M-60 tank or Cobra attack helicopter? Those and just about every other piece of military gear is likely to be on display for Scouts to see and touch.

Media:

If you want to be a reporter for a daily newspaper with circulation of over 35,000, file a story with your byline in your home town paper or be a news photographer (perhaps hitch a helicopter ride to shoot an aerial photo of your camp?) you have the chance at Jamboree. Maybe you would like to do a TV or radio news clip for the station back home. Every troop has an opening for these activities.

There was much more but I only had 10 days and couldn't see it all. Neither can you. There is simply too much cool stuff happening. It's kind of like Disney World for Scouts.

Pass this along and see if it gets your boys' attention. (Dan O’Canna)

In my home troop I've taken to thinking about Philmont, Sea Base, the Jamboree, etc. as lifetime-of-memories events. We try to schedule one of these each summer. That way, with typical summer schedule conflicts (summer school, camp staff, Brownsea, etc.) a Scout can probably fit in 1 or 2 of these super activities during his tenure as a Scout.

Each of these events offer a singular set of experiences, challenges, low points, thrills, and tingle-in-the-spine memories.

For me, the Jamboree means brotherhood. I've watched it develop in both of our last two trips there. When we gather at the airport to start our trip, many of the Scouts are self conscious in their uniforms, and cluster together for security. When we change planes in Chicago, we usually spot at least one other troop, and "Hey, those guys must be going to the Jamboree, too!" When we tour Washington, DC, Scouting is everywhere, and we start noticing different Councils and countries. By the middle of the Jamboree our Scouting community is complete - we accept each other and look to each other across all sorts of borders, cultures, and backgrounds.

I love Philmont, too, and often use the same theme when explaining why a Philmont trek is something more and different than a 50 miler in the Sierra Nevadas.

These experiences are precious, and the fulfillment of providing them for our guys is unbeatable (Doug Gentry)

In my experience of serving on Jamboree committees, and trying to promote and recruit Scouts to attend, I often find that the youth members are not the problem...sometimes they would love to attend, and could do so if given the opportunity. However, we have had unit leaders and committee members who "made the decision for them," citing reasons such as "it's just too expensive.." or "we can do a lot better by going on a cheaper high adventure trip.." etc. What these individuals do not seem to realize, is that the Jamboree experience cannot be competitively compared to other Scouting experiences. It is possible that for financial reasons a Scout may have to defer participation in one activity to attend the other; however, since Jamborees occur only every four years, it is probably easier to defer or reschedule a high adventure trip to a different year.

Each has a mission and a place. High adventure and camping are the mainstays of Scouting. They cannot be replaced by a Jamboree experience; Conversely, a Jamboree experience (world or national) cannot be replaced by any other Scouting adventures. In an ideal situation, a Scout should have an opportunity to attend either a World or a National Jamboree during his brief tenure as a youth member.

Obviously this will never happen for the vast majority of Scouts; but if there is an opportunity, then nothing and no one should stand in the way of that Scout and his parents in achieving that goal! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard "I wish I could have.." from former Scouts who did not attend a Jamboree when they had the opportunity. A Jamboree is for Scouts! It is not the same to attend as an adult (but it is still a "hoot") The lifelong memories created by the jamboree experience for Scouts is unparalleled and irreplaceable.

I would not want to be the person responsible for "making a decision" which resulted in a Scout not having the opportunity to attend the Jamboree...especially if the "decision" was not based on good or realistic values and information!

There are unfortunately no alternatives to attending with the Contingent if the Scouts want to participate officially. That is not to say that Scouts cannot attend as visitors. However, if being able to fully experience the jamboree is important to Scouts, it is perhaps a good idea to look for ways to help the Scouts creatively raise funds to go. It is not beyond the reach of most Scouts if they start early to raise almost the entire cost of the jamboree. One Scout I knew raised the entire cost of his trip to the Australian World Jamboree ($3000+) by selling reclaimed aluminum pop cans over a two year period. He did not have to do that because his parents could have afforded to send him, but it was important to him to raise the entire cost, and this is as it should be!

The Exploring Leader's Guide has some good fundraiser ideas in it and we duplicate it and pass out copies to prospective jamboree Scouts and their Parents when we do jamboree recruiting presentations. We are also trying to set up a "second" popcorn sales campaign just for Jamboree Scouts, and to help and advise parents and Scouts on creative ways to fund their trip. If you have a good troop committee, and the need is presented, it is amazing what resources can be brought to bear to help Scouts achieve their goal of a Jamboree experience...sometimes all you have to do is ask! Most Jamboree committees do everything they can to minimize costs, and "cut corners." If you look at the actual experiences and touring provided to the Scouts, the "per day" cost of the trip is competitive with family vacations, and the value of the experience to the Scout is incalculable!

The participation cost may seem high, but if you talk to Scouts who have attended the Jamborees, they will tell you that the experience was worth every penny...and besides, they learned something about raising and managing their money that they might not have otherwise been able to do, so perhaps it is in their best interests to do that as well. Such empowerment of Scouts is a wonderful aid to the development of leadership skills that they can use for the rest of their lives (Bob Amick)