Emerald Bay- Hollowed Ground

As a Board Member of the Western Los Angeles County Council, Scouting America , this past Friday, I was asked to speak to over 800 Scouts and youth leaders at Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island during closing fire ceremony. Below is the speech that I provided to them as they set to embark.

Good Evening,

First of all, thank you very much for having me this evening and for being an amazing group of young people.

Everybody do me a favor! Look to your left. Now look to your right. Last I checked, it's Friday. You've made it! You've successfully completed camp! Give yourself a hand. To some of you, this is no big deal. You've done this before. To others, this may be the first time away from home or even to Emerald Bay. Whatever group you fit in, just know that you've set the course of your future on the right path.

As the introduction states, my name is Ty Washington and I wear three hats. The first hat is being a proud Board Member for WLACC which Emerald Bay sits in. The second hat is my day job; my 9-5. I lead federal affairs for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power , the nation's largest municipal utility in the country. The responsibility of my job takes me from the halls of City Hall to the halls of Congress and beyond. But none of that would happen if I wasn't wearing my third hat- my BSA cap, proudly representing Troop 647 out of Los Angeles.

Scouting doesn't matter what your background is. It doesn't matter what your family dynamic may be. Or your religion. Or what your last name is. Scouting is about bringing out the absolute best of yourself in the name of service and giving for the public good. What you take away from here and opportunities like this will help you not just today and not for tomorrow, but for whichever path you choose in life.

For me, Scouting was an outlet. It gave me the ability to meet new people from different backgrounds. I learned how to communicate and feel comfortable in talking with anybody and everybody. I wouldn't be the individual I am today without this program. Resilience. Leadership Hard work. Perseverance. Focus. All of that is from Scouting.

Tomorrow, you're heading back to your respective lives. So here's two things that you should take away as you embark on those ships back to the mainland.

Number One: Be Prepared. We all know that this is the Scout's Motto. But are you living that motto every single day? As you begin to make decisions in your life, how is that motto preparing you for your future. For me, when I began my career, I started as a Document Control Manager in the Mayor's Office....better known as the mailroom guy. I delivered mail throughout the entire Mayor's Office. My friends would laugh and ask "Why are you delivering mail when you have a college degree from Tuskegee?" But they didn't know what I knew. The mailroom guy gets to see who simply has the title and who actually has the power. That type of understanding is key to navigating your career. And it helps to be prepared for those types of opportunities and use them to your advantage.

Number Two: Your character is your character. It's something that my wife always says. Who you are as a person matters. How you interact and engage with others matters. And lastly, how you are perceived to others matters. If you're an individual with low character, nobody is going to want to work with you. And the adult leaders around this fire will tell you that having to work with an individual who is of low character is the absolute worst. Scouting teaches us that we are to be of service and of good moral character. Those attributes will take you far beyond your time in Scouting.

I'll leave you all with this. If you want to begin the process of being prepared and making sure of are of sound character, it begins by thanking the adult leaders who've taken the time to be with you. Out of the many things they could have been doing, they made a commitment to be here with you. So make sure to thank the people that see something in you and want to be part of that journey.

Emerald Bay is hollowed ground. For 100 years, this place has existed to provide young people the opportunity to become leaders and to become stronger mentally, physically, and spiritually. I know that as I look out into this crowd, I see young men and women who will become Eagle Scouts. The future of this organization is at its absolute brightest.

Thank you very much for having me this evening and continue to stay focused on the goals in front of you. Good night.