As a mom of three boys who grew up in Scouts, I’ve come to see Scouting as a lifelong experience. It has shaped our boys in ways that reach far beyond camping trips and merit badges. Along the way, they formed lifelong friendships and learned commitment, resilience, and leadership.
Our boys are committed athletes, and through Scouting they learned how to balance their passions—sometimes one was on the front burner and the other on the back burner, rather than choosing all or nothing.
Our oldest, Jack, had a strong athletic career in Piedmont and now runs for Pomona College, earning two-time All-American honors in cross country. He recently returned home to break his own course record at the Piedmont Turkey Trot. It’s amazing to think he once felt overwhelmed setting up a tent on his first Yosemite trip and now leads college friends on backpacking trips to Joshua Tree and the Lost Coast.
Our middle son, George, balanced Scouting with water polo throughout high school and discovered something just as powerful as competition: community. He built friendships across age groups while camping and participating in high adventure trips to Sea Base and Northern Tier. Now playing club water polo at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he continues to enjoy the outdoors along the Central Coast. His journey to team captain began with teaching younger Scouts how to tie knots—skills he later perfected in pursuit of catching the next big fish on trips to Kirby Cove and Dillon Beach.
Henry, our youngest, is currently a Life Scout in Troop 11 and a dedicated water polo player. After years of learning alongside his older brothers, he is finishing his Eagle requirements and final merit badges—building confidence, perseverance, and the readiness to step forward and guide others when it counts.
Because Scouting is Scout-led, older Scouts teach and guide younger ones—sometimes it’s messy, but that’s where real growth happens. The leadership, resilience, and accountability practiced in Scouts now guide our boys in school, athletics, friendships, and the fields they are pursuing. Just as importantly, they learned how to balance multiple commitments—sports, academics, and service—without giving up one passion for another. The impact reaches far beyond camping trips—it helps shape capable, confident young adults.
By Julie Stein
Published in the Piedmont Post February 25, 2026