It's Time to Start Thinking About NLS/NLATS

Have you experienced NLS yet? The National Leadership Seminar (NLS) is a weekend training program focusing on leadership development. Run by the Region Chief and his Advisers, it provides an in-depth look at leadership skills and techniques. An NLS discusses how these skills can be applied in your role in the OA and in other aspects of your life. You can click here to download an informational flyer on NLS/NLATS. To register, simply go to our training page and click through to the appropriate course where you will find additional information and a link to the registration site.

Winter 2012 Mustang is now Available!

The Winter 2012 Mustang newsletter is now available! The Mustang is the Western Region's official newsletter publication for lodge, section, and region leadership. Download the latest as well as past issues from the Mustang resources page. This issue covers the newly elected National Officers and the 2012 NOAC.

Joe Barton Elected 2012 Western Region Chief

Joe Barton of the Talako Lodge of Section W3N was just elected to be the 2012 Western Region Chief. Congratulations Joe!

Past Section Chief, Jeremy Yamaguchi, Becomes Youngest Mayor in California

Placentia Mayor Jeremy Yamaguchi with City Councilmember Scott Nelson at a council meeting on Dec. 6.

PLACENTIA - Eagle Scout, Past Section W4B Chief, California State University Fullerton student, and Placentia City Councilman Jeremy Yamaguchi was named as the mayor of Placentia on Dec. 6 at a Placentia City Council meeting.

Yamaguchi is the youngest mayor in Orange County history and the youngest serving mayor in the state of California. At the age of 22, he has served as a City Council member for three years, a director for the Orange County Fire Authority, and the founding chairman for the Placentia Community Foundation. In November 2008, Yamaguchi was elected to the City Council at the age of 19 for a term of four years. In a race with six candidates for three open seats, he received the highest total vote count, nearly 30 percent higher than the sitting mayor.

Yamaguchi earned his Eagle Scout award in 2006 and was chosen in 2007 as the California Scout of the Year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. In 2008, he served as the Lodge Chief and a board member for the Orange County Council. As Lodge Chief, he led Boy Scouts throughout the county to garner in excess of 20,000 community service hours. He continues to volunteer in the scouting program as an Assistant Scoutmaster for his troop in Placentia and as the Associate Lodge Advisor in Wiatava Lodge.

Yamaguchi graduated from Placentia's El Dorado High School in 2007 with numerous honors and distinctions, including a historic record of 3,000 community service hours. He is currently a senior at California State University Fullerton majoring in political science with a minor in music. His last final is on Friday. On campus, Yamaguchi is a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, the CSUF pre-law society, Golden-Key, and the Phi Beta Delta honor society for international scholars. He hopes to continue his education to obtain a master's degree in public administration and a juris doctorate in order to study and practice law.

Congratulations Jeremy, the Order of the Arrow wishes you much continued success in the years to come.