How Scouting Can Make History Hi-Tech

I can’t say enough about how important it is for young people get training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or “STEM.” That’s why this Eagle Scout project caught my eye to share with you.

17-year-old Alex Monseau of Troop 43 in Princeton, NJ, came up with a brilliant Eagle project that ties hi-tech to history, while benefiting his community in the same breath.

QR codes? Podcasts? Macbook Pro? Smartphones? Not your typical ingredients for an Eagle project.

Alex tied all this technology together to produce short podcasts to educate visitors to Battlefield State Park about the history of the Battle of Princeton, a bloody engagement in which General George Washington’s revolutionary forces defeated British soldiers near Princeton on January 3, 1777.

George Washington rallies his troops at the Battle of Princeton // Image courtesy of Wikipedia

These recordings, accessible by Smartphone (with a QR reader app) at various stops along the park route, tell soldiers’ stories from personal letters obtained from the battlefield curator. Scouts in his troop auditioned to provide the voices to tell these battlefield accounts with period music and commentary.

According to an article from his local paper, Alex wanted his Eagle project to provide something lasting for his community, “something that was new; something that involved technology and involved history.”

I’m fascinated about how young people like Alex can find ways to keep American history in front of all of us by using modern technologies. It’s a terrific way to remind us of a time when our country was fighting for its freedom, and how precious that freedom remains to this day – and do it in a new and relevant way.

What a wonderful gift to the Princeton history buffs!  Hats off to Troop 43 and Scout Executive Ian Lilien of the Central New Jersey Council for encouraging STEM in their programs! How are you encouraging young people to take their hi-tech knowledge to benefit their communities? Let us know and tell your stories here!

Thanks,

Wayne