Way of the Scout - Crozet, VA 2025

Just once every two years, instructors from all over the country and even some from overseas come to Virginia to collaborate on our Way of the Scout camp. Why come so far? Because this is one powerful camp! Way of the Scout is a long-time tradition for LES that holds ancient roots from many different cultures. In traditional, land-based cultures all over the world, communities often had the role of Scouts. Scouts are humble protectors of their people. They often lived on the edges, bridging the gap between the community and the outside world. Looking out for resources, for dangers, for patterns. They constantly honed their skills of awareness and of physical and mental agility. Scouts knew what plants and trees were their allies as medicine and food for their people. They were comfortable in the dark, traveling like shadows to gain knowledge of their surroundings without being detected. They knew when the land was healthy, and where it needed to be tended. The essence of the Scout—an alert protector, a peaceful warrior, and a steward of the earth and its people—is much needed today. Our young people want to be of use to their communities. They want to stand for the good. They want to be challenged and to feel a part of something bigger. This camp seeks to instill the time-honored values of the Scout in our young people so they can bring them back into their lives at school, in their families, and throughout their lives.