By Eleanor Wilson
Celebrations were ample at the 1st Narre Warren North Scout Hall on Sunday 26 March, as Scout Chelsea Batty received her Australian Scout Award.
The peak award for Scouts aged between 11 and 15, the Australian Scout Award is presented to Scouts who achieve a series of leadership and outdoor activity tasks.
Scout leader for 1st Narre Warren North Scout Unit, Andrew Nyilas said Chelsea completed the requirements for the award very quickly.
“Chelsea managed to achieve this in an extremely short amount of time. Majority of Scouts don’t actually get the peak award and even those who do take three years or so to do so, so that was a really really outstanding achievement,” he said.
To receive the peak award, Chelsea was required to complete a series of special interest areas, outdoor adventure skills and a leadership or personal development course.
This included community work with Narre Warren charity Bk 2 Basics, organising a four night 90km hike with fellow Scouts at Wilsons Promontory, cooking a three-course meal and making a bird box.
Chelsea joined the 1st Narre Warren North Scout unit in April 2021, following in her older sibling’s footsteps.
Scouts is now an even bigger part of the Batty family’s life, with Chelsea’s two younger siblings joining the Cub Scouts, while her father Matt is a Scout leader and mum Penny is on the committee.
Penny said she has enjoyed seeing her daughter’s confidence build throughout her time in Scouts.
“It’s been absolutely brilliant. And all of the opportunities that have come with it, the first aid course, leadership courses, everything,” she said.
“And it’s been a reflection back on school actually, because [Chelsea] has just been voted in as a Year 9 student voice captain.”
Penny added Scouts matures kids.
Celebrating her 15th birthday just weeks ago, Chelsea will now move up to the Venturer Scouts, for those aged 15 to 18, where she hopes to achieve the peak award for that category.
She said the opportunities, memories and lifelong friendships she has made through Scouts are what makes it so enjoyable.
