I joined Rathfarnham 31st Scouts when I was in Form 1, and I can safely say it is one of the best decisions I ever made. It quickly became my absolute favorite extracurricular activity, both in and outside of school. Scouts is a great place to learn skills, both practical and personal. As a Scout progresses through the 'ranks,' they are entrusted with increasing levels of responsibility until they become Patrol Leaders. This is an excellent way to develop leadership and personal responsibility, and it has undoubtedly been a valuable character-building experience for me and my friends who learned these skills alongside me.
Being in Scouts is also incredibly fun for everyone involved. 31st Rathfarnham Scouts go on annual
summer camps to countries across Europe, which are exciting adventures at any age. During my time in Scouts, I camped in Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Each camp taught me new things about scouting, the world, and the people I traveled with. These camps are great exercises in developing personal independence as you grow older. They also allow you to bond and make friends with others in the troop—a very natural and enjoyable process! I deeply value the friendships I made in Scouts and the friendships that were reinforced through it. Being part of a troop like 31st Rathfarnham and sharing these experiences creates a sense of community and camaraderie unlike any other. I would encourage anyone interested to join our troop.
31st Rathfarnham Scouts meet in the Rathfarnham War Memorial Hall on Friday evenings at 7:30 pm. Male pupils from Forms 1 to 4 are all eligible for membership and are welcome to come along to see what being part of our troop is all about!
Leo Shorten
