Avery Sytsma of Northeast Philadelphia’s Venturing Crew 1776 received Venturing’s highest honor, the Summit Award, at her Court of Honor on Saturday, May 5 at the Saints United Lutheran Church. During the ceremony, which was attended by a host of family and friends, Constituent Service Representative Gary Grisafi presented Avery with a citation from Philadelphia City Councilman-At-Large Al Taubenberger’s office in honor of her accomplishment. The founding president of her crew, Avery is the first person to receive the Summit Award in the Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America (COLBSA).
Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women between 14 and 21 years of age. Venturing provides positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.
The Summit Award goes to Venturers who have matured in their personal direction, skills, and life competencies, and who have accepted the responsibility to mentor others and serve their communities in a lasting way. To achieve this ultimate recognition, the Venturer must serve as a leader in the crew, mentor other crew members, and design and lead a service project to benefit others. The Summit Award application must be approved by both the local council and the National Service Center.
In addition to the Summit Award, Avery also received the Council Venturing Leadership Award and the Union League’s Good Citizen Award.