Join Chris Grove, the national OA committee chairman, and Cortland Bolles, the national OA director, as they discuss the newly revised Mission, Vision, and Purpose; the 2025-2027 OA Business Plan; and other updates within the OA. Next, meet our newly elected 2025 national officers — Samuel Crowder, Ben Jones, Haley Flores, and Elijah Aiken — as they reflect on their history in the OA, share their goals for this year, and discuss some of the amazing national programs that the OA has to offer.
Zach Grinvalsky: Good evening. I'm Zach, your host, and I want to welcome you to the Order of the Arrow's Campfire Chat. Today, we're going to hear updates from our director and chairman, learn about opportunities across the Order of the Arrow, and meet your 2025 national officers. To kick things off, allow me to introduce you to our national chairman, Chris Grove.
Chris Grove: Thanks, Zach. I'm excited to share information about the direction the Order the Arrow will be aiming towards in 2025 and beyond. With me today is Cortland Bolles, the national director.
Cortland Bolles: Thank you, Chris, for that introduction, and thank you for inviting me to join you today.
Chris: Now, I'd like to update you on the direction we're headed as an organization. This past year, the National OA Committee passed a couple of major organizational changes. First, a new vision, mission and purpose for the OA. Our mission and purpose haven't been updated since 1998, when we became Scouting’s National Honor Society and started focusing on servant leadership. We formed a task force about two and a half years ago that started looking at our mission and purpose. And when we started looking at that, we went and surveyed those inside of Scouting and those outside of Scouting, including our Scout parents. And what we found is that those in the Order of the Arrow felt that we did a great job at what we do. Those outside of the Order of the Arrow didn't think we did a bad job, but they just didn't know what we did. And so they had no negative feelings about our organization. But we felt that we needed to better improve our image and our focus. And so, when we started talking with Scouting America, we felt that we wanted to become a better partner with Scouting America. And asked them, basically, "what do you want us to do, how do you want us to help Scouting America?" And it all came down to, we need to have membership if we're going to have Scouting. And so, in addition to adapting our mission and purpose to today's Order of the Arrow, for the first time ever, we established a vision for the organization of the OA. And this was to be why Scouts want to stay in Scouting. Second, I wanted to share that that we passed a 2025 to 2027 business plan, outlining a concise plan for our trajectory. Our new plan emphasizes service to our lodges and how to incorporate our new mission, vision, and purpose at all levels of the Order of the Arrow from the lodge all the way up to the national committee. Now, I'm going to pass it over to Cortland to share updates to our AIA policy.
Cortland: American Indian Activities, commonly referred to as AIA, has been a part of the Order of the Arrow program for many years. As we move forward as an organization, our committee, based on suggestions from youth, adults, and Scouting America members across the nation, have undergone a rigorous process over the past several years to review how best to deliver the AIA program within the Order of the Arrow. As part of this transition, we've learned and believed that partnerships, lodges and councils established with federally or state recognized tribes, are the best way to deliver the AIA program. Our AIA team is committed to providing best practices, resources, and guidance to those lodges that are interested in maintaining or establishing AIA programs as part of their full lodge program offerings. Earlier this month and coming in 2025 are a series of webinars that you can attend to find out more from experts in the AIA field about how to establish these partnerships as we move forward to continue the cultural appreciation of American Indian history within the Order of the Arrow program. For more information, visit oa-scouting.org/aia.
Chris: Thank you, Cortland. Let's pass it back to Zach to introduce our 2024 and 2025 national chiefs and vice chiefs.
Zach: Thank you Chris and Cortland. Now, I would like to introduce David Gosik, your 2024 national chief, and John Andrew Segebarth, your 2024 national vice chief.
John Andrew Segebarth: Recently, we elected our new national officers, and it's David and I's privilege to introduce them to you today.
David Gosik: Firstly, I would like to welcome in our 2025 national chief, Samuel Crowder. Samuel, would you mind introducing yourself to us?
Samuel Crowder: Of course. Thank you, David. My name is Samuel Crowder, and I'm humbled to serve as your 2025 national chief of the Order of the Arrow. I come from Klahican Lodge 331 out of Wilmington, North Carolina, and I currently attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I study business management. I enjoy going on runs, sitting on the porch and drinking LaCroix.
John Andrew: Now, I would like to introduce to you our 2025 national vice chief of the Order of the Arrow, Ben Jones. Ben, could you introduce yourself to all of us?
Ben Jones: Yeah, absolutely. My name is Ben Jones, and I have the humble privilege of serving as your 2025 national vice chief of the Order of the Arrow. I'm from Wenasa Quenhotan Lodge in central Illinois. I currently attend Dunlap High School, and after that, college. Some things I like to do are play lacrosse and hang out with my friends.
David: Now, let's get to know a little more about our new chief and vice chief of the Order of the Arrow. Samuel and Ben, would you mind telling us a little bit about your leadership journey in the Order of the Arrow?
Samuel: Certainly. I joined the Order of the Arrow back in 2018, in Klahican Lodge, and instantly fell in love with the OA and became a chapter chief about two months after joining. And ever since then, I've sought to maintain some sort of leadership position and ensure that I'm giving back to the order. Eventually becoming the section chief of section E8, which is my home section, which eventually led me to run for national chief of the order of the arrow in this year.
Ben: I was inducted in the fall of 2020. And for me, I didn't actually, I wasn't initially involved. It took me about a year before some other Scouts from my troop convinced me to join the LEC, where I served in various roles with vice chief positions for both program and communications for my lodge. And then I decided to make the jump to section chief, and then I decided to run for national vice chief.
John Andrew: This past year, I've had the opportunity to travel from around the world, from Tokyo to Puerto Rico, and I'm certain that you'll both be able to explore even greater heights during your term. What are you both most excited about for in 2025?
Samuel: Most excited for. I can tell you, I'm really excited to plan our 2025 National Council of Chiefs. It's rare that you get an opportunity to plan a national event, particularly one with the potential to impact so many lives. For those who may not know, this summer, at Philmont Scout Ranch, we will be hosting a weeklong program to gather lodge chiefs from across the nation with the intention of strengthening the bonds of leadership in the OA.
Ben: You know, Sam, it's great that you mentioned Philmont, because what I'm most excited for is to have the opportunity to participate in OA high adventure programs. OA High Adventure, or OAHA, is a unique opportunity to attend a high adventure base at a lower cost than your traditional trek. Make lifelong friends with Arrowmen from around the country while having a life changing experience. Additionally, I'm so proud to announce that OAHA will have programs at all four high adventure bases in 2025 for the first time since 2022.
David: Before I introduce the region chiefs, we have one last question for you both. What is a message that you would like to share with the Arrowmen around the nation?
Samuel: I would just like to say that no matter what lodge you come from, no matter what region you come from, no matter where you are in the Order of the Arrow, you belong. You have a place here and you are meant to be here. And all of us here, and the rest of the Order of the Arrow, want you to be involved. And we want to see you at those events.
David: Thank you, Samuel. Ben?
Ben: Yeah. To build off of what Sam said, you have a place where you belong, and you also have a place where you can grow as a leader and as a person.
John Andrew: Thank you so much for sharing your answers. I'd like to pass it to Zach Grinvalsky to introduce our 2025 region chiefs.
Zach: Region chiefs serve a key role in the Order of the Arrow, overseeing the NLS and DYLC programs, as well as supporting our sections. Ben, would you like to introduce the 2025 region chiefs for us?
Ben: Thanks, Zach. It's my honor to introduce Elijah Aiken, the 2025 eastern region chief, and Haley Flores, the 2025 gateway region chief. Would you both mind introducing yourselves?
Elijah Aiken: Thanks, Ben. My name is Elijah Aiken. I'm an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member from Atta Kulla Kulla Lodge, and I have the honor and privilege to serve as your 2025 eastern region chief. Outside the OA, I attend Anderson University in the upstate of South Carolina, where I'm a double major in history and secondary education. In my free time, I like to hang out with my girlfriend, play volleyball, and go to my local church.
Ben: Thanks, Elijah. Haley?
Haley Flores: Hi everyone! My name is Haley Flores and I'm a Vigil member and Eagle Scout of Tamegonit Lodge out of Kansas City, Kansas. I currently attend Ottawa University and I'm studying philosophy, politics, and economics as well as wrestling. And when I'm not doing those things, I like to cook and I also like to walk my dogs.
Samuel: Haley, following up on your introduction, I think it's important to note that you serve as the first female national officer. What does it mean to you to be able to hold this title?
Haley: Well, first of all, it's an honor to represent all of the Arrowmen in the gateway region. As a young Arrowman, I was looking for a role model, and I am proud to serve as that role model today, providing a path towards leadership for all women in the Order of the Arrow to follow.
Samuel: One of the key functions of the regions is to put on the National Leadership Seminar. What can you both tell us about NLS and how it has impacted your leadership journey?
Elijah: NLS is the most transformative leadership training I've ever experienced in an organization. I had the opportunity to meet lifelong friends, learn how I best lead, and learn my place in our puzzle. I can't recommend the NLS course more highly to anyone else, because without it, I wouldn't be here today.
Ben: Thanks, Elijah. Haley, how has NLS impacted your journey?
Haley: Going through NLS helped me discover my life. When I first attended, I arrived as a chapter chief but didn't really know what they were doing and didn't feel like they belonged. But throughout my journey through NLS, I interact with my crew. I went through tons of experiences and I walked out understanding my purpose and knowing that I have a home in the Order of the Arrow.
Ben: For Arrowmen wanting to attend NLS and DYLC, how and when can they?
Elijah: To answer the first piece of your question, leaders can attend NLS by finding a course near them and registering to attend on registration.oa-bsa.org.
Haley: For the second portion of your question, in 2025, we will host eight NLS and DYLC courses on the following days.
Elijah: February 7th through 9th in Mobile, Alabama.
Haley: March 21st through 23rd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Elijah: There will also be a course in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 21st thru 23rd.
Haley: March 28th through 30th in Kansas City, Missouri,
Elijah: October 3rd through 5th in Rockville, Rhode Island.
Haley: November 7th through 9th in Fort Worth, Texas,
Haley: November 21st through 23rd in Southern California.
Elijah: And lastly, December 5th thru seventh in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Samuel: Earlier, Chris talked about our new vision statement “to be why Scouts want to stay in Scouting.” How has the OA kept you engaged in Scouting?
Elijah: Well, I think it's similar for most of us. When you get old enough in your troop, there's not much left to do. The OA provides an opportunity to keep us involved in Scouting, becoming better leaders and having more opportunities and making lifelong friends. For me, it's relationships I built that have transcended me to new heights of leadership, and I can't be more thankful for the organization.
Ben: Thanks, Elijah. Haley, how has the OA kept you engaged in Scouting?
Haley: Well, I think Elijah nailed it on the head. It's a combination of both opportunities and relationships to have the opportunity to travel around the nation for various events, whether it's attending an NLS, which I hope you all do, or to simply going to a fellowship and seeing how all the Arrowmen interact. It's such a unique organization because you always know no matter where you go, you have friends and you always have a home.
Samuel: I'm excited to see where this year takes us, and I hope to see you all around.
Zach: It has been an amazing evening. I'm so happy that we have the chance to share key program updates with you and allow you to meet the 2025 national officers. Thank you for joining us.