Sebastian Tippett with his Chief Scout's Award. Photo / David Haxton
Sebastian Tippett from Raumati Scouts has achieved the highest award in the Scouting movement.
The 15-year-old was awarded a Chief Scout's Award at a ceremony at the scout den on Wednesday last week.
"I'm very happy.
"This was the final thing in Scouts for me. I've made my way up the Scouting ladder."
The award wasn't an easy badge to get and he had to earn four badges beforehand — the Scout Badge, Bronze, Silver and Gold Scout Awards.
The badge scheme is based around the four cornerstones of Scouting, including outdoors, community, personal development and new experiences.
"You have to complete various tasks for each award but the Chief Scout's Award was more of a challenge than the other ones.
"A lot of it is about planning your own things to do. For example there is an explorer's challenge where you have to travel 150km over four days using different modes of transport and visit places of interest.
"I had to plan a camp with my patrol so that involved planning what we were going to eat, where we would stay, what we would do and health and safety forms.
"Community service involved 20 weeks helping out at Keas and Cubs."
He estimated it took about a year to complete his Chief Scout's Award.
Sebastian started his time in Scouts a bit later than usual.
He didn't do Keas or Cubs and went straight into Scouts when he tagged along with his brother Fabian, who was a member of Raumati Scouts.
"I started when I was about 11."
Sebastian said he enjoyed the range of activities Scouts offered.
"Especially outdoor activities likes tramps, camps, everything really.
"There's just a wide range of stuff you do during the term and a lot of skills you learn obviously."
Sebastian hopes to join a Venturer unit where he will have a chance to try and obtain the coveted Venturer Badge.
Raumati Scouts acting group leader Robbie Tristram said Sebastian has been a conscientious and reliable member of the group and had assisted younger Scouts as they learnt Scout skills such as organising gear for tramps and camps, cooking on gas cookers, fire lighting, navigation, map reading and rope work over the last two years he had been a leader.
"Junior scouts, cubs and keas have enjoyed Sebastian's help and leadership and we wish him well as he moves to Venturers."
There are 44 works (24 by Frances Hodgkins) in the collection.