THE Australian Scout Award (ASA) is the highest award a scout can achieve before progressing to the Venturer Scout Section. The Northern Victorian region has roughly 300 scouts, and only 10 to 12 scouts will be awarded an ASA badge each year, including 1st Kialla Scout, Breanna Graham.
Breanna joined Scouts after seven years as a Girl Guide, where she completed her junior guide BP award. Believing she had achieved all she could as a Girl Guide, she joined Scouts in March 2024, seeking more adventurous activities.
Breanna faced many challenges as she worked toward the ASA. Tasks that focused on leading programs in the community, personal growth, creativity and the outdoors. The biggest challenge came when she discovered she needed major knee surgery in the middle of December 2024, with a long 12-month recovery forecast.
However, with resilience, determination, Breanna’s little streak of stubbornness and with a lot of support from her Jamboree Unit leaders and fellow Scouts, Breanna made it to the jamboree three weeks post-surgery. Thanks also to the Victorian contingent team’s willingness to allow Rob, Breanna’s dad and Scout leader to switch his jamboree role, allowing him to be her carer for the length of the jamboree.
The fact that she was on crutches didn’t slow her down at Jamboree as she participated in all activities, including obstacle courses, laser tag, sit-down paddleboarding, abseiling, zip lining, and much more at Jamboree.
During her time in Scouts, Breanna attended 15 camps, over 38 nights, including two Stradbroke Cups, one of which she led her patrol to gold standard in camping, two Scout hikes, a Cohen shield, two Gilweroos, Boostcamp, Cub Sleepovers, and Jamboree-related camps.
She has walked, ridden, and paddled over 184 km, learnt lots of new skills and met so many friends along the way.
Breanna completed the final element of her Australian Scout award in November 2025, presenting a personal reflection of her Australian Scout award journey and her time in scouts to the Unit council, where they accepted that she completed all the required tasks to receive her Australian Scout award.
