Meet Josh Bruza, our Teen Cover Kid Winner: Learning Leadership through Scouting - MetroFamily Magazine
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Meet Josh Bruza, our Teen Cover Kid Winner: Learning Leadership through Scouting

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Scouting has been a life-changing experience to 14-year-old Josh Bruza, the teen winner in MetroFamily’s 2013 Cover Kids Search. While being a Boy Scout has benefitted him significantly over the past three years, his initial experience with scouting wasn’t all that great. “I was in Cub Scouts when I was younger and ended up earning my Arrow of Light,” he explains. “But I didn’t really like Cub Scouts. I was kind of an outsider.”

Fortunately, he went on to join Boy Scout Troop 177 when he was 11 years old. “I started just going to meetings and it was a lot of fun for me,” he says. “I got more and more involved and learned from the older Scouts.” Over the next three years, the troop continued to grow and expand, providing Josh with ample opportunities for leadership and increased responsibility. “I was elected as one of the troop’s senior patrol leaders,” he says. “I progressed through the ranks and earned my star ranking.” Josh is now just one merit badge short of earning the life ranking, with his ultimate goal being to become an Eagle Scout.

For Josh, Scouting is more than just meetings and merit badges. “Scouting teaches you so much,” he explains. “Especially when it comes to leadership. It truly prepares you for anything you might face. I used to be really shy and was scared to go in front of the classroom in school. Now, I can speak in front of large groups. It has taught me how to face my fears and come out better.”

Now an 8th grade year at Cimarron Middle School in Edmond, Josh says that the adventures that Scouting has made possible for him are an added bonus. “One of my favorite things that I have done as a Scout was to take a zip line across the forest at the 2013 National Jamboree in West Virginia. The zip line was 800 ft long and 300 feet off the ground, and I went about 50 miles per hour. It felt amazing. In Scouting, you get to do exciting things that you wouldn’t get to do normally. There are a bunch of high adventure opportunities—sailing ships, hiking, scuba diving and more.”

For more information about Boy Scouts of America, visit www.scouting.org. For local scouting info, call 405-848-2426 or visit www.lastfrontiercouncil.org.

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