Youth Executive Committee
The Youth Executive Committee is a program within the Boy Scouts of America established in 2008 by the Patriots’ Path Council. This committee is open to male and female representatives, ages 14-20, from the Order of the Arrow, Venturing, Exploring, Sea Scouting, Boy Scouting, Camp Staff, Council Youth Leadership Award recipients, as well as youth not currently in Scouting.
If you are interested in joining the YEC, please fill out an application.
Vision Statement
The Youth Executive Committee is an organization that brings together motivated young adults to demonstrate the excellence of the youth within the Patriots’ Path Council. This is accomplished by providing training, leadership development opportunities, and beneficial community outreach programs to those in and out of scouting. By working with peers, Youth Executive Committee members develop their problem solving, public speaking, and communication skills by using their knowledge to assist and empower youth to be the best leaders that they can be.
President’s Message
The Youth Executive Committee is an organization dedicated to creating youth excellence by working with leaders and innovators within Patriots’ Path Council. To continue developing this excellence, the vice presidents, the members, and I are dedicated to providing the highest quality of education and service to advance the aims of Scouting within the council and abroad. Since coming into this position, I have been amazed by the level of dedication and commitment each member has brought to bear. It is with this dedication to service and commitment to Scouting that has propelled the Youth Executive Committee, in only a short time, to the success that it has and will continue to be synonymous with. As I look towards the future, I believe that the Youth Executive Committee will continue to exceed my expectations and grow to be a pillar of youth representation within the council.
Yours in Scouting,
John Bittner
Committees
Program Committee
The program committee is responsible for planning and carrying out day/weekend trips for YEC members, as well as other youth in northern and central New Jersey. This committee was created to provide a fun experience for youth, who are expected to work hard in every other concentration, such as service and VEX.
Our mission is to provide enjoyable trips for all of the YEC to participate in, because of all of the hard work that they do in their committees.
Service Committee
The Service Committee will promote the well being of the community by providing free labor to different groups in need of service. This committee helps its members to perform the core values of scouting in helping others. The Committee sets a goal to perform at least five different events every year.
VEX Committee
Patriots’ Path has formed its very own VOA-like structure called the VEX (Venturing Exploring Xperience)! VOA is an acronym for Venturing Officers Association. The purpose of this structure is to support Venturing on a council level. The VEX is also open to Scouts from the Sea Scout and Exploring programs. By adapting the traditional VOA structure to support Sea Scouting and Exploring as well, we hope to use the VEX to grow and support the older youth programs within our council.
There are a few key positions in this structure, but most of it is made up of representatives from each unit. The VEX is here to support our crews and help them out whenever they need. To do that, we need youth from each crew at our meetings! The representative doesn’t have to be the same person at each meeting, and while it would be preferable to have a crew officer there, they don’t need to be one. There can even be multiple representatives from each crew.
Our meetings will be the 3rd Sunday of the month, 6 PM, at the council service center! We will be planning some exciting events and would like input from the youth in council. Please pass this information on to the youth in your unit.
I hope to see representation from all the crews, posts, and ships!
Check out PPCs new Venturing Exploring Xperience (VEX) Committee.
Officers
President
John Bittner
John’s scouting career began in Pack 177 where he earned his arrow of light. He crossed over on to Troop 177 in Mountainside, NJ in May of 2009. John served as the troops Den Chief, Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster before reaching the rank of Eagle in 2016.
John has spent the last three summers working at the Watchung Cub Scout Day Camp in the Watchung Reservation. He worked there under the rolls of Den Leader, Sports and Games Director, Scout Craft Director, Assistant Program Director, and Camp Promoter. John graduated from Governor Livingston High School in 2016 and now studies Mechanical Engineering at New Jersey’s Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ.
VP of Program
Ryan Mayes
Ryan’s scouting career started with Pack 8 where he earned his Arrow Of Light and crossed over to Troop 8 in Chatham. Ryan served as Patrol Leader, Quartermaster and ASPL. He is still active in his troop and currently doing another ASPL term. During Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts Ryan earned all four Catholic religious emblems and the Pillar of Faith pin. He is a Brotherhood member in the Order Of The Arrow. Ryan was awarded the Scout Scholar Athlete award in 2016. At age 15, Ryan, earned his Eagle rank in Feb. 2017 and completed the requirements for his bronze Eagle Palm.
Ryan earned the Triple Crown patch last summer after going to Philmont, Sea Base and Northern Tier. This spring he became scuba certified and spent another week at Sea Base sailing and diving. He was at the 2013 Jamboree at age 12, and he will be attending the Jamboree this summer as a Patrol Leader. In March Ryan joined a Venture Sea Scout crew. Ship 243, the Seahore, and is working towards Quartermaster
VP of Service
Joe McLaughlin
Joe started his scouting career as a cub scout in pack 368 in Berkeley Heights, NJ where he earned this Arrow of Light. He moved on to Boy Scout Troop 368 at the age of 10 to fly through the ranks and make Eagle at the crisp age of 17. Joe held roles such as Patrol leader, Den Cheif, ASPL, SPL, and JASM. Joe enjoyed many summers attending and working on staff at Sabattis Adventure Camp.
Joe joined the YEC in 2017 and took hold of the role of VP of Service due to his historic background of leading service projects in his hometown of Berkeley Heights and Sabattis Adventure Camp.
VP of VEX
Christopher Rozek
Christopher Rozek has been in scouting for most of his life. Earning Eagle Scout, Silver Award, Ranger Award, and quickly approaching his Summit Award, Chris stays involved in scouting. He joined the YEC in 2012 and is now the president of the VEX committee. Chris has served many positions in scouting including, Assistant Scout Master in Troop 150, past president and founder of Crew 276, Camp Somers and Camp Wheeler aquatics staff, and Vice President of Program in the YEC.
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