Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) January 31, 2014
The National Capital Area Council (NCAC), Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has named Jeffrey Berger the new Deputy Scout Executive. In his new role, Berger is the second highest ranking scouting professional in the council. He reports to Chief Scout Executive Les Baron, where his responsibilities include membership growth, volunteer and staff services, and coordinating the efforts of district executives.
“Since joining our team in the fall, Jeff has demonstrated a tireless commitment to serving the youth of nation’s capital and helping to lead the 75,000+ Scouts, adult volunteers and scouting professionals,” said NCAC Scout Executive and CEO Les Baron. “I am excited to be working with Jeff on growing our organization and continuing to deliver the premier youth leadership development program in the metro DC area.”
Jeffrey grew up in the Scouting program in the St. Louis, Missouri area, earning his Eagle Scout Award and serving as a youth Lodge officer, and has also received the Vigil Honor. He was recruited to the profession when he was a member of the camp staff. After attending Missouri Valley College and graduating with a double major, Human Service Agency Management and Recreation Administration, he began his professional Scouting career in Miami, Florida in April of 1994. The highlight of his career in South Florida was the Migrant Farm Family Scouting programs that grew to serve over 400 youth a year through neighborhood centers and locally-trained leadership. In 2001, he joined the Nevada Area Council in Reno, Nevada serving as Program Director, then as Assistant Scout Executive. In 2007, he rejoined the South Florida Council in Miami, Florida to assist with extensive rebuilding after Hurricane Wilma and Katrina. In 2010, he was selected to serve as the Scout Executive for the Rocky Mountain Council based in Pueblo, Colorado.
“Scouting has always been an integral part of my life,” Berger said. “I’m honored by this unique opportunity to help lead one of the nation’s largest, most respected and treasured Council’s.”
Also named to NCAC’s scouting professional ranks is Alisha Stewart as Marketing Coordinator. Currently, Alisha is pursuing her Masters in Corporate Communications at Georgetown University while working for the Council. As a lifelong Girl Scout and Howard University graduate with a B.A. in Public Relations, she’s developing social media strategies across a number of platforms, increasing the Council’s social networking presence and following.
While 2013 was a challenging year for the Boy Scouts of America, NCAC recorded several milestones worth noting. Among the highlights:
-NCAC merged with the U.S. Virgin Islands Council to provide better service and new opportunities to the young people of that community;
-Maintained a 77% youth retention rate – well above the national average! That means more than three out of every four Scouts choose to remain in the program year after year;
-Collected and donated 908,539 pounds of food to help nourish metropolitan Washington’s most hungry citizens;
-NCAC Scouts performed more than 313,887 service hours, including 158,380 by Eagle Scout projects, worth almost $7 million to the nation’s capital metro area communities; and,
-Every $1 donated to Friends of Scouting annual campaign returned $5.75 in value of service hours to the community.
In 2014 the Council’s primary focus is on helping Scouts be Prepared. For Learning while working together to deliver the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
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About Boy Scouts of America & National Capital Area Council
Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be Prepared. For Life.™ The Scouting organization is composed of 2.6 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and more than a million volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more, please visit http://www.Scouting.org.
National Capital Area Council was organized in 1911 and today stands as one of the oldest and largest councils in America. The Council territory includes the District of Columbia; Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland; the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford and Culpeper as well as the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg in Virginia; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, please visit http://www.NCACBSA.org.