Ballymena Academy pupils attend World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia

Three pupils from Ballymena Academy: Richard Carson, Luke Gregg and Samuel McDowell, all members of West Church Scouts, Ballymena have recently returned home after an epic trip representing Northern Ireland at the 24th World Scout Jamboree held in West Virginia.

After a rigorous application and selection process which began almost two years ago and many months of fundraising, the boys were some of the 72 Scouts selected from NI to form part of the UK contingent of 4,000 Scouts. They set off on 20 July to meet with 45,000 Scouts from 150 countries at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia – a campsite the size of Greater Belfast. This is an event which takes place only every four years and was the trip of a lifetime camping alongside Scouts from other countries, sharing cultural experiences and taking part in high adrenaline activities together with city trips to New York and Washington DC followed by a camping experience in Canada.

From everyone at Ballymena Academy we would like to congratulate the boys on being selected and are delighted to hear that the trip was such a roaring success.

Well done boys!