Everything You Need to Know about NLS

By now, you’ve probably heard mentions from your lodge, the section, or even OA’s national team about something called NLS. For those who’ve been Arrowmen for a couple years, the name is probably familiar, but many do not entirely know what NLS is or its main purpose. You’re in luck, because this is your brief guide for everything you need to know about NLS.

First, NLS stands for National Leadership Seminar. NLS programs are put on by each of the four OA regions: Central, Northeast, Southern, and Western. Within the Southern Region, three events are scheduled for 2021. Conveniently, one is located in our very own section, held at the Embassy Suites in Greensboro. Unless you’re thinking about instead making the travel to Florida or Texas for NLS, having something such close by is an incredibly lucky opportunity, as local Arrowmen often have to travel to Atlanta to attend the closest conference.

So, what is it? What is covered, and how has it benefited those who’ve attended? Held on a Friday through Sunday format, the event is a full weekend course designed to impart understanding of leadership skills in a “building block” fashion. As such, the Southern Region recommends participants be in attendance for the entire weekend, as missing the beginning or any other part of the weekend would significantly detract from the overall learning experience.

Throughout the weekend, 14 sessions, each relatively an hour long, are offered. These sessions cover topics such as “The I in Team”, “Adapting Your Leadership”, “Journey of Leadership”, and the “Everest Challenger”. In this sessions, Arrowmen will get to listen to advice from multiple experts that have spent numerous years in Scouting and various industries. Not only will the knowledge imparted upon you be useful for your leadership in the OA, but it can also be used toward school, extracurricular activities, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and other forms of service. Also in the three day, two night stay are four meals, two cracker barrels, religious services, and a closing banquet. The opportunity to connect with Arrowmen not only in your section, but across the Southern United States, is extremely valuable, as this networking can lead to new friends and lifelong connections. 

HOW TO APPLY: The Greensboro NLS event will be held December 10-12, 2021. In order to register, you will need to navigate to the Southern Region NLS page, located at this link: https://southern.oa-bsa.org/nls/. Click the ‘Register Here’ button. By completing registration online, your spot will be reserved and the fees for the event will be billed to your lodge. Your payment will need to be paid directly to the lodge to cover the event. For any further questions related to registering for NLS, or the event as a whole, reach out to your lodge chief or lodge adviser. Arrowmen who’ve already attended NLS may also be a valuable resource in providing insight about the event. As always, you can also direct message SR-7B through our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram profiles.