Springbok Award goes to Randburg Scout

Randpark Ridge resident, 18-year-old Jamie Crickmore-Thompson (18) is the first-ever female Springbok Scout of the 1st Randburg Scout Group to be granted a Springbok Award.

About 1 per cent of all Scouts achieve this award, with the last Scout from the group awarded 24 years ago.

Crickmore-Thompson is now a member of the Association of Top Achieving Scouts.

“I started in Cubs when I was nine and moved to Scouts when I turned 11,” said Crickmore-Thompson.

“I would love to say [I became a Scout] because I love the outdoors, which I do, but the honest truth is that the Troop leader, Michelle Strydom, was getting married and my younger brother, who is also a Scout, was invited to the wedding. So through sibling rivalry, I also wanted to go.”

To achieve the Springbok Award, Scouts have to complete four other advancements and numerous interest badges.

There are 10 tasks that need to be completed and each one is based on the Scouting skills learned along the way.

“The first [task] is to plan and carry out a 40-hour community service project which I completed at Vulpro near Hartbeespoort Dam. “The next phase is to build and construct two four by four-metre towers five metres high, and connect them by an arch with a dream catcher.

“It was quite an experience learning to use angle grinders, drills and chainsaws.”

Crickmore-Thompson’s favourite task was a 30km, three-day hike through unfamiliar territory in Hartbeespoort.

The brave young woman is set to take a gap year and sail a 49-foot yacht from Cape Town to Brazil and then to the Caribbean.

Her father, Garth said, “I watched Jamie to go through all the blood, sweat and tears and joy on her journey to Springbok [status] and am amazed at the capable, confident, thoughtful young adult that she has become. Scouts has definitely had a major positive impact on her life.”