John W. Jerome Lifetime Achievement Award
2015 Honoree of the Queens Federation of Churches

John Pritchard

John has been a member of scouting for more than 50 years. After earning his Arrow of Light in 1962, John went on to participate in Troop 70 and has stayed there ever since. He has shared his extensive training background, skills and guidance with the youth, keeping them the central focus, always supportive and true.

John is a recipient of the Veterans Award for more than 50 years of dedicated service to scouting, the Silver Beaver Award, District Award of Merit and currently serves as the Chartered Organizational Representative for Troop 70 chartered by Our Lady of Sorrows School, as well as the Troop Committee Chairman. He has been a Merit Badge Counselor, Woodbadge Staff member, Ten Mile River staff member for many years, District Camping Committee Chair, Gateway District Commissioner, Queens Council Advancement Chair and on the Pathfinder District Committee. He even dabbled in Exploring in the 1970s, serving as Advisor to Explorer Post 345, Gateway District.

His most meaningful activities involved high adventure activities when Gateway District ran touring camps (33 states in 5 years from 1980-1987). These long trips, traveling from Maine to Florida, NY to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon brought high adventure to the scouts of the District and Queens Council. He also participated in ArrowCorps5, assigned to Bridger-Teton National Forest in Jackson, Wyoming. This stood out as servant leadership in the finest sense to John. His service as an advisor to the Order of the Arrow is exemplary, serving as Chapter Advisor to Tatanka Chapter and Advisor to Suanhacky Lodge. He received the Vigil Honor (name translates to One who Leads Activities) and received the Founders Award. He is a Geocache enthusiast and has shared his love of this skill with many youth over the years. Other than being registered in Troop 70, he is also a member of the Board for both the TMR Scout Museum as well as the Jack Kohler Campership Association.

His undergraduate college degree is in Geology and Environmental Science. He holds two masters degrees- one in Business Administration and the other in Earth Science Education. He has worked for Con Edison in Customer Service, Field Engineering, Community Relations and Corporate Services. In 1993, John became an Earth Science teacher at Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, Queens and in 2000 became Assistant Principal of Science and Technology High School.

John is an active member of the First Unitarian Congressional Society of Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights). He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees, Chair of Buildings and Grounds, Chief Usher and various other positions within the church.