HIKER, all-round adventurer and member of Mount Eliza’s 1st Ranelagh Scout Group Tristan Latham was one of 116 Venturers from around Victoria to receive their Queen’s Scout Award from the Governor of Victoria, Linda Dessau, on Saturday 1 April.
Only a few Venturers – who are members of the scouting movement aged 15 to 18 – each year attain the Queen’s Scout award, which is the highest award in the Venturer scout section.
Latham spent hundreds of hours on service tasks related to the community, leadership, personal growth and outdoor adventure to achieve the award.
For Latham and other Venturers, highlights included a hiking trip to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, a skiing adventure at Mt Bogong, community service activities and sharing scouting with juniors in their group.
Venturers plan their own Queen’s Scout program, organise friends and family to participate in activities and community service, and exercise exemplary self-discipline to see it through.
Latham said the commitment of combining school and Venturers was testing at times, especially through COVID-19 lockdowns.
“I now feel like I can achieve anything I set out to do in the future,” he said.
The chief commissioner of Scouts Victoria, Rod Byrnes, said the Queen’s Scout award was a marker of future success in life.
“It is an extraordinary effort for these already occupied secondary students in their final years at school to achieve their Queen’s Scout at the same time,” he said.
“We, the entire Victorian scouting community, are extremely proud of these Venturers’ success in achieving their Queen’s Scout Award and we hope they enjoy every moment of the celebrations,” Byrnes said.
Latham’s mother Liz said the family was proud of Tristan’s achievements and dedication to his tasks.
First published in the Mornington News – 18 April 2023
