MU student presents national Boy Scout report

Jack O'Neill serves as the national chief of the Order of the Arrow.

By Amanda Wysocki

Published March 9, 2009

Sophomore Jack O'Neill had the honor of presenting the Boy Scouts of America national report to Congress last week in Washington.

The report covers all of the accomplishments of the Boy Scouts in 2008, including membership numbers.

O'Neill was elected national chief of Order of the Arrow and part of his duties include presenting this report.

Because Congress charters the Boy Scouts, they are required to present a yearly report to members of Congress, O'Neill said.

Lindenwood University junior Amanda Vogt also had the opportunity to travel to Washington. Vogt serves as the Venturing president for BSA.

Vogt got involved with BSA because her parents were adult leaders for her local unit.

"From the first day I could get involved, I joined," Vogt said.

This was the first time two people from the same unit were members of the contingent.

During the five-day trip, O'Neill and six other delegates traveled around the Capitol and presented the report to various dignitaries, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and President Barack Obama.

They also had the opportunity to go to the Goddard Space Center and present the report to members of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"We did about 10 days of touring in five days," O'Neill said. "It was great just being in the city and getting to see it. The White House was an awesome thing. We also got to go to the Supreme Court and we went to a joint meeting where the prime minister of Great Britain spoke."

After presenting the report in the Oval Office, O'Neill ran into first lady Michelle Obama and had the opportunity to talk with her.

"One of the other youth contingent members stopped her mid-sentence and asked for a hug," O'Neill said. "So, we all got a hug from the first lady."

Vogt said her favorite part of the trip was the visit with Michelle Obama.

"She was the one person we could talk to where we didn't have cameras around and they weren't documenting it," Vogt said. "We just got to be real people and talk to her about random stuff for the two minutes we were with her."

O'Neill's younger sister Sarah was jealous when she found out about his trip and all the people he would get to meet.

"He not only gets to meet the president, but all these other important people," Sarah O'Neill said. "I was really proud of him, too, though."

O'Neill can only serve for one year as national chief. His term expires Dec. 27.

O'Neill has been involved in the Boy Scouts since he was 11 years old.

"The enjoyment of the camping program and the friendships I have made kept me excited and willing to stick with it," O'Neill said.

O'Neill is studying financial planning and hopes to become either a financial planner or adviser for an insurance company and finance firm.