Blake Stephens

Blake Stephens is a college student, adult volunteer scouter, and a United States Marine. He has recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater with his Bachelors of Science in Geography with an emphasis in geology and a minor in environmental studies. Blake has been accepted into the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay’s Biodiversity Conservation and Management graduate program where he is set to graduate in December 2026.

Blake enlisted into the Marine Corps Reserve at the age of 17 and has been part of Fox Company, 2 Battalion, 24th Marines, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division since he graduated boot camp and the Infantry Marine Course. While serving as team leader of third team, third squad, first platoon. Blake Stephens has received numerous awards and recognitions from his leaders; this includes the Military Outstanding Volunteer

Service Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, a unit leader letter of commendation, has been selected as Marine of the Quarter, and was meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal, the first of the the Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks in the USMC. Blake has volunteered his time for numerous military honors funerals as a pallbearer, and given hundreds of hours to the unit’s Toys For Tots Foundation Programming each year during the winter seasons.

As an adult volunteer scout leader, Blake has given thousands of hours to his community and scout units. Blake is an Assistant Scoutmaster for troop 159 out of Waukesha, Wi, a Skipper’s Mate in Sea Scout Ship 2 out of Waukesha, Wi, and an Associate Advisor in Venturing Crew 39 out of Sussex, Wi. As a youth in the program, Blake has earned every highest award in each of the programs of Scouting America; these highest awards include Eagle Scout (Scouts BSA) Quartermaster (Sea Scouts BSA), and Summit (Venturing, BSA). His other awards include the Vigil Honor and the Founders award in scouting’s national honor society, the Order of the Arrow, two Sea Scout leadership awards and a Venturing Leadership award, his religious insignia, the Distinguished Conservation Service Award, and the Supernova Gold award. 

In relation to his service in scouting, Blake has also earned the Congressional Gold Medal and the Gold Duke of Edinburgh International Award. Blake has served as a volunteer for his local scout camp, Camp Long Lake, for Six summers and helps continuously throughout the year for their various camping weekend events. Blake is a part of the Potawatomi Area Council and helps on the shooting sports committee and the conservation committee. Blake has stepped up to the role to help reform and restart the defunct Alumni Association in the council, alongside the dead National Eagle Scout Association chapter. Blake strives to help as many scouts as he can as an adult leader and plans to give back even more to the program he grew up with by staffing at the national high adventure bases for the next 3-4 summers.