Scouting, Volume 99, Number 4, September-October 2011 Page: 18
64 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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# WHAT I'VE LEARNED
Kellauna Mack-Jackson
What a female Scouter knows about developing successful young men.
FactSheet
Kellauna Mack-
Jackson
scouter since: 2000
current city: Gary, Ind.
current position:
Scoutmaster,
Troop 53; District
Commissioner, Prairie
Dunes District of the
Calumet Council
day job: Church office
manager
favorite camp:
Ransburg Scout
Reservation,
Crossroads of
America Council
proudest moment in
scouting: There are
so many, but it always
touches me when a
Scout goes out of his
way to do something
that he ordinarily
wouldn't do.
BOY SCOUT TROOP 53 has a proud
history at St. Timothy Community
Church in Gary, Ind., but that future
was threatened in 2006. The church's
pastor and Scoutmaster, Dr. Robert
Lowery, became seriously ill and had
to step down from leading the
troop, which had dwindled to
just a few members.
Webelos Den Leader
Kellauna Mack-Jackson
worried that her eight
Webelos Scouts (including
her son, Kenneth Whisenton)
would have no troop to join.
Then, Dr. Lowery approached
her with a surprising request.
"You're doing a great job
with the Webelos," he said,
"but I need you to be the
Scoutmaster. Don't let my
troop die."
Mack-Jackson couldn't say
no. She took over the troop
that summer and quickly
grew it to a vibrant unit of 27
Scouts. Seven of those Scouts
attended the 2010 National
Scout Jamboree, where Mack-
Jackson served on staff.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOLLOWING
SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN A
SCOUTMASTER FOR SO LONG? It was
difficult to follow in his footsteps. But
I just think about what's the best I can
do for the boys. I don't try to emulate
him. I just try to do what's right.
WHAT HAS MADE YOUR TROOP
SUCCESSFUL DURING YOUR
TENURE? We do every activity
that we possibly can. We attend
all of the camporees. We do
the merit badge clinics. We
do the parades. We meet every
Thursday without fail unless
they just refuse to let the street
open. One thing I've learned is
to be consistent.
SINCE YOU STARTED WITH A
VERY YOUNG TROOP, HOW DID
YOUR SCOUTS LEARN LEADER-
SHIP SKILLS? They jumped
right in with all the training
and things they needed. They've
learned so much from other
Scouts by going to the campo-
rees and other outings.
YOUR TROOP MEETS AT THE SAME
TIME AS THE CUB SCOUTS. DOES THAT
HELP WITH RECRUITING? Yes. The little
kids see everything that we do, and
they're like, "Oh man, I can't wait to
be a Boy Scout!'
YOUR CHURCH IS VERY SUPPORTIVE
OF SCOUTING. WHY IS THAT? For one
thing, they see the boys working. We
have giveaways twice a year, and our
boys are there in the morning. They
help with line control, they help with
carrying things to people's cars, they
help clean up afterward. They do
whatever needs to be done.
WHAT CAN TROOPS WITH POOR
CHARTERED-ORGANIZATION RELA-
TIONSHIPS DO? If they see that you're
giving your all to their organization,
they will give to you as well. You can't
expect something for nothing. Make
sure you have a good rapport with
those who are in charge. Sometimes
they might not even know that you
need anything.
IS IT HARD TO BE A WOMAN IN A TRA-
DITIONALLY MALE POSITION? It is
difficult at times. Going to roundtable
meetings, mostly I'm the only female.
Sometimes you don't get the same
18
scouting * SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2011
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 99, Number 4, September-October 2011, periodical, September 2011; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth299175/m1/20/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.