Welcome to NEXT

Dear Brother,

We hope you are ready for one of the most unique experiences of your life, one that will provide you with new experiences, new knowledge, and new friendships! This past year, through ArrowTour, NOAC, and the centennial celebration of our Order, we have been able to raise an enormous amount of enthusiasm and motivation for the Order of the Arrow, bringing back Scouts from all across the nation who had drifted away. Now is our chance to keep that momentum rolling. Here, we will utilize that enthusiasm and motivation to generate new ideas and processes that will help to further the success of our lodges and sections. NEXT: A New Century is our chance to do something we have never done before at a time when the Arrowmen are truly excited and committed to the program. Welcome!

NEXT is all about bringing together our future leaders of the OA and providing them the tools and resources necessary for growth. Our conference committee has utilized every avenue to bring this event to fruition. We hope that you make the most of NEXT, because it is engineered to provide you with a life-changing experience and will send you home with tangible ideas. We will cover a lot, but all of it is filled with vital resources that can be taken back to your chapters, lodges, and sections in order to revolutionize your program! Focus on opening your mind to new ideas and perspectives, as you will be able to access the resources presented here even after you depart from IU.

Now, to answer the real question that you may have been asking for months: Why are you here? Each of you has a unique reason to attend NEXT: A New Century. Despite these differences, you are all here because you are the future leaders of Scouting and society as a whole. You are here because you have the potential to be an influential force in your chapter, lodge, and section, and you want to expand your toolkit with new leadership experiences. As you progress through this week, we admonish you to ask yourself, how are you going to use this experience to revolutionize our program? What are you going to do with the new knowledge you have gained?  By the end of this conference, you will have the tools you need to make the largest impact that the Order of the Arrow’s program has seen in years! Utilize these new tools and resources to take an active part in the progress of your lodge and section. Keep all of these things in mind as you plan your NEXT step into the new century.

Yours in Cheerful Service,

Hunter Jones
2016 National Chief

Tyler Inberg
2016 National Vice Chief