By Daily Press staff
A Santa Monica Boy Scout was selected to travel to the nation’s capitol to deliver a report on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America.
Santa Monica Jonathan Nagata, a Star Scout in Troop 2, has just returned from a five-day trip in Washington, D.C.
Each year, the national office of the Boy Scouts of America presents a report to leaders of the United States government in Washington, D.C. A delegation of scouts and scout executives travels to the nation’s capitol to deliver the report to various leaders. This year, eight scouts, representing the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts, were selected from around the country to represent the Boy Scouts of America as members of the 2002 Report to the Nation Delegation.
Scouts are selected after an exhaustive search, starting at the national level. There is no application process — scouts did not even know they were being considered for the honor.
Those who have earned meritorious (e.g. lifesaving, heroic action) medals are the initial group to be looked at. Nagata recently received the Medal of Heroism. Screening then proceeds through national regions, local councils and eventually district levels and troops. Scouts are interviewed over the phone, letters of recommendation are provided by Scoutmasters and prospective delegates are discussed and selected by committees at the district, council, regional and national levels.
Nagata, along with the rest of the delegation, presented the annual report to various leaders in government including the Secretary of Education, Secretary of State, Joint Chiefs of Staff, various Senators and Representatives, heads of sub-committees and, hopefully, the President of the United States.
Nagata is the only delegate chosen from the West coast this year and will represent Troop 2, the Crescent Bay District and the West LA County Council.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 15, 2003. Read the original PDF.