The Recorder on April 23, 2026
Troop leaders Mike Bruce, Michael Werling, and Mackie Carpenter, with Cub Scouts Samuel Carpenter, Sam Berg, and Jaxson Will, at the Scouting America meeting at Highland County Public Schools Monday. (Recorder photo by Becky Arcure)
MONTEREY – Monday, the Scouting America Boy Scouts group held a meeting at Highland County Public Schools inviting new girl and boy scouts and troop leaders.
Highland Medical Center charters the Scouting America group. Troop 188 has a group of three troops at this time, and the hope is to grow the family within the community.
Students were excited to hear about all the adventures they could enjoy as a Scout.
Scouting America is open to both boys and girls. The organization needs more adult volunteers to join as troop leaders and show children exciting activities beyond electronics, said troop leader Mike Bruce. “Kids do amazing things as scouts,” he said. “They learn to build things out of wood, learn to cook things out of an orange, go hiking, exploring, and make new friends and new memories.”
Scouting America created a setup of what it would look like going on a camping trip in the school cafeteria. The students were intrigued and full of smiles.
Michael Werling, troop leader, had students laughing with adventures as if they were on a camping trip. They pretended to jump logs, duck under trees and run from bears, and they all sang the Cub Scouts’ song, “Boom Chicka Boom.”
Hand cranked flashlights were given to a few of the students who won them, and other students received a magnifying glass.
Mackie Carpenter, troop leader, said, “Scouting works better when you have supporting parents.” Bruce added, “Scouting America has been doing this for 115 years and 90 percent of adults have never done it before but really anyone can pick it up and do it because we have adult training programs to help the adults learn the skills to be troop leaders and go on exciting adventures and make new memories with the scouts and their children.”
Everyone has a skill they can offer and help the kids, Carpenter stressed.
There is a troop leader of the same gender of the group at all times, Carpenter added.
“We have 150 badges and a stem program. There are so many opportunities for the children, any student can do it and any adult can volunteer,” Werling said.
Carpenter emphasized there are many opportunities for children and any adult can volunteer.
The troops invite anyone interested to join at Camp Shenandoah on Saturday, April 25, for s’mores and other activities.