Building Life Skills. Building Confidence.
The Cub Scouts from Pack 16 are like every other scout; they love to be with their friends, explore and learn new things. But they might not be what you expect when you envision the typical Boy Scout.
Each scout in Pack 16 faces the challenges of visual impairment. The Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, knowing these students deserve the same opportunities as other young adults, offers Pack 16 Cub Scouts as an extracurricular activity to help their students further develop the life skills they need to be successful. But it’s doing so much more.
Everything this pack does is a typical Cub Scout activity, yet it is made accessible for these children so they can realize they truly are just as capable as everyone else. “I think it is building their confidence,” said Liz Cheever, cubmaster of Pack 16. “It is teaching them the value of and ability to work together, cooperate and tolerate each other.”
Once Pack 16 scouts are armed with their newfound skills and are fully prepared, they crossover into a troop where they work on traditional Boy Scout skills through merit badges. And, the older Boy Scouts continue to return to the Cub Scout pack meetings to give back to their former unit.
“We have a thriving Cub Scout pack, a thriving troop and even Girl Scouts has grown because what we have done with the Boy Scouts program,” Cheever said. “I think we are giving them the core values they need, and a love of scouting so they want to stick with it when they grow up.”
Because of United Way, Boy Scouts of America and you, scouting has expanded into many forms, including the Pack 16 unit. Because of you, these young learners are more prepared than ever to take on the future and be the next generation of leaders in our community.
Note: United Way works to improve the lives of all Central Indiana residents by focusing our work in four key areas – Education, Income, Health and Basic Needs. Crossroads of America Council, Boy Scouts of America is a United Way-funded agency addressing one or more of these priorities by preparing young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.