By Katlin Swisher, Ph.D.
In July, Glen Jean, WV, played host to the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, which allowed scouts from across the globe to experience everything wild and wonderful about the Mountain State.
More than 43,000 Scouts and their leaders descended upon the Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, WV, this July for the 24th World Scout Jamboree. This event is notable for two reasons: it was the largest World Scout Jamboree to date, and it was the first time the event was held in West Virginia.
“The size and location of the jamboree made for a lot of different programming needs,” says Marty Walsh, executive director of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. “The Scouts had a lot more to choose from at this World Scout Jamboree than any other. It kept them pretty busy, which was good.”
The Summit Bechtel Reserve offered a unique venue for the World Organization of the Scouting Movement, the overarching organization that plans the world jamboree.
“For most world Scout jamborees, the actual location where the jamboree takes place is usually an open field or part of a park that someone is planning to develop,” says Walsh. “It’s usually a flat area with tents for participants and tents for programs, and a lot of time is spent laying utility lines prior to the jamboree. The big difference with this world jamboree was the summit because it was already a developed camp with a lot of adventure areas.”
Because of the limited space at most jamboree sites, the World Scout Jamboree typically emphasizes social programming focused on leadership development and team building. The summit changed the game with its built-in adventure areas—zip lining, rock climbing, mountain biking, shooting sports like archery and riflery, skateboarding and paddle sports like whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding.
“Our task was trying to balance what a traditional world Scout jamboree would offer with all of the adventure elements the summit offers,” he says. “When we were planning it, we thought the adventure elements would be a draw. We just didn’t know how well. We found that the kids were drawn to the field sports, especially the shooting sports and the aerial sports.”
For many Scouts, the jamboree was their first time experiencing these types of sports.
“The leaders told us that their Scouts, especially those from European countries, would not normally be allowed to shoot a rifle,” says Walsh. “What the Scouts got out of the shooting sports was not just the chance to shoot a firearm but to learn how to safely use it and how to use it as sport
for target shooting.”
All of the adventure activities were coordinated by West Virginia University (WVU) and operated by volunteer students and staff. With the theme Science Behind the Sport, the Scouts not only had the chance to try new activities but learn how they work as well.
Science Behind the Sport was the second largest check-in at the entire jamboree, according to Greg Corio, WVU’s assistant dean of the Mountaineer Adventure Program. About half of the Scouts also went whitewater rafting down the New River.
“It’s something they may not have in their home country and culture, especially with the New River surrounded by the mountains and everything it has to offer,” says Walsh. “That was the only time the Scouts got to leave the site.”
Representing scouting organizations from 145 countries, the jamboree transcended cultural and political barriers.
“The second full day of the jamboree, a troop from Africa arrived in the morning,” says Corio. “It was already hot, and they were looking around, lost. I watched as some Scouts came over from a campsite a few yards away, and all of a sudden, all of these Scouts surrounded them, greeting them. They helped them set up their tents and gave them directions to the bathroom. No adult told them to do it. They were just thriving on these cultural interactions and loving it.”
On Friday, July 26, all activities at the summit were closed for a day-long cultural celebration. The Scouts were encouraged to share elements from home—food, music, dance, costumes, stories and games—with each other.
“The cultural day was the most popular activity according to our survey of the Scouts,” says Walsh. “That is what they enjoyed more than anything else—being able to interact with fellow Scouts from around the world, taste their food, see their dances and clothing and learn about and experience their cultures.”
The cultural day culminated with a stadium show featuring a parade of nations singing native songs and displaying the flags of their home countries.
“There was a huge group from Mexico hiking, and a Scout in front was playing a guitar. They were singing ‘Country Roads’ in Spanish. Just seeing them love West Virginia was incredibly beautiful,” says Corio. “Every time they hear ‘Country Roads’ back in their home countries, they are going to think of West Virginia and their experience at the world jamboree.”
The Scouts stayed connected at the jamboree and beyond with Novus, pre-programmed, Bluetooth-enabled wristbands that clicked together, allowing the Scouts to exchange emails and social media handles.
“We had competitions about who could trade the most contacts,” says Walsh. “They were also used to check in at various activities. At the stadium shows, we would light wristbands up by country. They turned out to be not only pretty popular but more durable than we expected.”
The more than 10,000 adult volunteers and unit leaders also got the chance to experience West Virginia beyond the summit. This world jamboree was the first to offer experiences for unit leaders on their days off, from golfing and shopping to hiking and whitewater rafting in Raleigh and Fayette counties.
“This was the first time we were able to offer bus tours out into the local community for the leaders on their days off. It was very popular,” says Walsh. “They would leave in the morning and come back in the late afternoon. We got the adults out of the camp and helped support the local communities around the summit.”
The last time a world Scout jamboree was held in the U.S. was in 1967 at Farragut State Park in Idaho. For the 2019 event, units traveled to West Virginia from points all over the world. Many came as part of a month-long or two-month-long trip with the jamboree as just one stop on their journey, making sightseeing a key part of their travel plans. Some units visited New York, Washington, D.C. and national parks. WVU even hosted groups in its residence halls, offering campus tours and activities at its Outdoor Education Center.
“They took advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the U.S.,” says Corio.
Approximately 85-90 percent of participants were visiting West Virginia for the first time, according to Kenn Miller, the Summit Bechtel Reserve’s director of programs and operations.
“The world jamboree gave me faith in humanity,” says Corio. “These Scouts are hopefully future leaders of countries that are interacting and understanding that it doesn’t matter what country we’re from—that we are all human beings, and we can interact and get along.”
