“Troop 60 was created two years ago to support children and families in the community with bilingual Scouting experiences. It's the only bilingual Hispanic unit in the Mid-South. A lot of people from Mexico or other Spanish-speaking countries feel like outsiders when they come here, like they don’t belong, and Scouting has become a way for them to connect with each other and with the larger culture. Ronaldo's story is typical of so many boys in our troop. His mother talks about how out-of-place her son felt when the family first moved here. The language was different, the culture was strange to him, and he didn’t know how to fit in, but once he got involved in Scouting, he found friends and developed self-confidence. It’s like he finally found his place in the United States. Now he wears his uniform and carries himself with pride. The program's core values have closed the gap between the two cultures, and now he feels at home. In fact, the whole family has become involved in the troop. Scouting is fun for all of them.” [NOTE: Chickasaw Council Troop 60 meets at St. Michael’s Catholic School.]
Troop 60 (with family members) on a recent outing (photos courtesy of Ayleem):
Ayleem is an Upper Spanish Teacher with Shelby County Schools and Hispanic Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 60.
For more information about Troop 60, message Thunderbird District BSA Memphis on FB at
https://www.facebook.com/Thunderbird-District-BSA-Memphis-154437557904433/
Chickasaw Council: http://chickasaw.org
For more information about Troop 60, message Thunderbird District BSA Memphis on FB at
https://www.facebook.com/Thunderbird-District-BSA-Memphis-154437557904433/
Chickasaw Council: http://chickasaw.org