SCOUTING AT PARIS POST 1
Supporting Boys and Girls Scouts activities is natural for Legionnaires, who bring their service-learned skills and experiences as veterans to bear to help build character and positive traits in "Young America." Few other Post activities generate more goodwill from the community.
AMERICAN STUDENTS IN FRANCE
Many may not realize, but the 1st American English school was started in Pershing Hall after World War I to help the children and orphans of American veterans who lived in Paris.
In 1964, the Pershing Hall School opened (in Pershing Hall), and it flourished and helped invigorate programs like the Sons of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts and other activities for youth.
Eventually the Pershing Hall school moved out of Pershing Hall, and they changed their name to the International School of Paris. ISP is now one of the largest international schools in Paris.
SCOUTING IN FRANCE
Scouting has been in France for decades, there are several Scout troops for all kids of all ages in Paris. It is special to be able to participate in scouting events in France with the beautiful and scenic landscapes which are perfect for camping, hiking and outdoors activities.
Another major area of Scout work is volunteering in the community. Paris Post 1 was honored to have many projects throughout the past year with Scouts who were earning badges and their Eagle Scout certification.
DEPARTMENT OF FRANCE 2021-2022
Congratulations to Carlotta Barone-MacDonald
Paris Post 1 is honored to have Carlotta Barone-MacDonald as our winner for this year's Girl Scout of the Year from Girl Scout Troop 1 in Paris, France. In honor of Carlotta's award, she has written an article on her experiences supporting the community, and how she hopes she can encourage more girls to join scouting through her own Girl Scouts participation and winning of this years Gold Award.
Thank you Carlotta for all of your hard work, and helping save our environment!
THE GIRL SCOUT CORE VALUES INCLUDE:
"Courage, Confidence, Leadership, Character and Entrepreneurship"
Written by Girl Scout Carlotta Barone-MacDonald
The Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girl scouts teaches all of these strengths and acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. Identifying a problem in the world and choosing to address it takes courage, designing a sustainable solution to it teaches entrepreneurship, seeing it through, executing a minimum of 80 hours in the process requires leadership skills and presenting the project to a jury, editing it and improving it throughout, builds character. Finally, seeing the fruit of ones work, the project you’ve started go on beyond your involvement and being granted the “Gold” gives confidence.
My Gold Award Project addressed clothing and textile waste as the result of a non-sustainable fashion industry. I led an information campaign, raising awareness for the environmental consequences of fast fashion by proposing accessible alternatives, such as basic sewing and customization techniques. The project was supported by a social media campaign and regular workshops. I created the @transform_project Instagram account, with posts ranging from facts on the environmental consequence of fast fashion to basic mending techniques or even ideas for customization and upcycling and hosted 4 workshops, during which I thought a group about fast fashion (definition, origin, environmental consequences, and alternatives) and some sewing techniques (how to mend everyday items and how to customize your clothes).
I began my scouting journey when I was just 4 years old, as a member of Troop 1. My amazing troop leaders and scouting neighborhood encouraged me to pursue my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award and guided us towards organizing community events such as camp out or camp in.
Growing up in Paris, I’ve had the privilege of taking part in important memorial events such as lighting the flame of the unknown soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, commemorating the 100 years of the end of WW1 at the American cemetery of Suresnes, and much more. I also have personal ties to both organizations as my great grandfather was an American Legion service officer in Iowa city and his wife, my great grandmother, was a girl scout leader who took her troop on a European tour. The close access that Girl Scouts in Paris have to their American heritage is an immense honor, and I hope that this award will lead the way for more collaboration between the American Girl Scouts and the American legion!
I am very grateful for the opportunity given to me by the American Girl Scouts and by the American Legion.
Thank you for granting me this honor!
Carlotta Barone-MacDonald
EAGLE SCOUTS AT PARIS POST 1
Paris Post 1 Legionnaire Curtis Bartosik was honored to be invited to BSA Troop 112's annual ceremony to present Scout Achievement certificates and Eagle Scout certificates for this past school year.
The extraordinary hard work of these youth has made a tremendous impact on all of us living in France, thank you so much for your dedication to your community!
Achieving Eagle Scout is a once in a lifetime opportunity that many youth will be able to add to their professional curriculum vitae (CV).
The important skills learned in Scouting remain with our youth throughout their lives. Congratulations on all of your hard work!
For Memorial Day, Scout Thomas Ravel organized our local Scouts to clean and plant flowers at the Paris Post 1 mausoleum for our annual ceremonies.
Thanks to Thomas' leadership, new flowers and ground cover were planted, and a new coat of paint was applied to The American Legion emblems which adorn the mausoleum.
Congratulations to Thomas on earning his Eagle Scout this year, thank you for all of your hard work for our community!
The Scouts are active and volunteering throughout Europe!
After a 50 mile hike in Ypes, Belgium, the Scouts volunteered 8 hours of service work at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, and Flanders fields historical trail including Scouts Philippe from BSA Troop 112 and Sam from BSA Troop 802 (photoed above).
During the Scout's trip to Belgium, they paid their respects and laid a wreath of poppies at the Menin Gate. This was a combination with Scouts from BSA troops in France and Belgium.
During the covid pandemic, Alex Ravel (brother of Thomas) organized local Scouts to stay active helping Paris Post 1 digitally archive their membership records. In paper form since Paris Post 1 was chartered in 1919, these important records were digitized for the first time.
We are very thankful for all of the hard work that our local Scouts put in for our community in France. It is an honor for Paris Post 1 veterans and auxiliary to participate in these activities, and help our Scouts with their badges and Eagle Scout projects!
Our scouts and youth are a tremendous help for our ceremonies. Throughout the year, Paris Post 1 attends ceremonies in the Paris region, and we always extend an invitation to our scouts to help us as flag-bearers.
In France, the flag-bearer is called the porte-drapeau. Highly symbolic, the mission of the porte-drapeau is to pay tribute, in the name of the French and U.S. nations, to their veterans and their Missing In Action (MIAs) combatants.
This past year for our 9/11 remembrance ceremony, the scouts were able to meet Maire Francis Szpiner of the 16eme Arrondissement (pictured above). Thank you to all of our youth who join us at our ceremonies, and help us ensure we never forget!
