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Senior patrol leaders don’t stop leading just because the pandemic has forced troops to hold meetings online. Ditto the way we elect those senior patrol leaders. Unit elections can — and should! — continue virtually until it’s safe to resume in-person meetings.
Perfecting the “breakaway” or “elevator” yo-yo tricks is really cool. It’s even cooler when you complete the tricks with your yo-yo emblazoned with the Boy Scouts of America logo or your favorite camp’s logo or your pack number. You can do that with Duncan Yo-Yo’s customizable packs.
Youth-led isn’t just for Venturing crews. It applies to the entire Venturing program, as well. Tyler Grey, an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, has been named the 2020-2021 National Venturing Officers’ Association President.
It wasn’t just knowing the proper technique that allowed Tyron Hardowar to perform lifesaving CPR on his younger brother, Jayden. It was something else he learned in Scouting, too. “It takes courage and the 10th point of the Scout Law: being brave,” Tyron tells Bryan on Scouting.
Recording service hours and camping nights just got easier. The Scoutbook team has introduced Activity Logs. Scoutbook, the Boy Scouts of America’s online tool for tracking Scouting advancement, is continuously improving, adding more features to help you save time, stay connected and enhance your Scouting experience.
It’s not about the patch or the medal or even that epic cake at the ceremony . It’s about all the incredible Scouting adventures that preceded them. Scouting awards — from the very first Cub Scout adventure loop to that final Eagle Palm and beyond — are physical representations of the Scouting journey.
Here’s some food for thought: Your Scouts don’t have to be together to cook together. For a taste of what I mean, just check out the skillful Scouts from Troop 301 of Cross River, N.Y., part of the Westchester Putnam Council.
Imagine getting free art lessons from the most accomplished illustrators from around the country. Maybe you want to ask them questions about their techniques. Maybe you’re looking for tips for your next art project. Maybe you’re bored and just want to draw along with the pros.
When Washington state’s governor issued a lockdown, 17-year-old Rafferty Escame soon realized the planned workday for his Eagle Scout project wouldn’t abide by social distancing requirements. The Life Scout of Troop 330 in Federal Way, Wash., and his family watched the news about the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the panicked purchasing of…
Left, from left: Caitlin Kagawa, Rick Kagawa, Debbie Kagawa and Sarah Breskman Battis at the 2005 National Jamboree. Right: Cosplay of Poe Dameron from Star Wars, made and worn by Caitlin Kagawa. (Poe Dameron photo by Salina Conlan) Some people watch their favorite characters on screen.
Restaurants and retailers go to great lengths to land on the first page of Google. They know a Google search is typically the first stop for customers wanting to order takeout, stream a movie or buy a new desk chair.
The stage was a grassy front yard with a brick-house backdrop. The guests wore face coverings and stayed at least 6 feet apart the whole time. At the end, a parade of cars saluted the latest recipient of Scouting’s highest honor.
Left: Scoutmaster Elaine Mitchell (left) and her troop in January 2020. Right: A handmade card Mitchell sent to her Scouts this month. A text feels impersonal. An email can get lost in spam. But a handmade card with a personal message?
We all can’t wait to get back to outdoor Scouting adventures — camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming and more. As restrictions from COVID-19 shutdowns slowly lift, it’s important to Be Prepared for any future activity. Now may be a great time to review aquatics safety rules , appropriate guidelines and other safety resources .
Chickasaw Council Executive Richard Fisher gives blood. The need for lifesaving blood doesn’t stop during a pandemic. Scouters in the Chickasaw Council in Tennessee and Yawgoog Scout Reservation in Rhode Island have been doing their parts to facilitate donations from healthy donors.
A Venturer from Pennsylvania who’s strengthening the link between Venturing and the Order of the Arrow. An adult volunteer from Texas who’s finding innovative ways to keep Venturing exciting and relevant to today’s youth. The young man who will become Venturing’s top youth leader next month.
Waving American flags, holding up congratulatory signs and honking, drivers filed past Blake Kenney’s home, honoring the new Eagle Scout. The 15-year-old of Troop 908 in Pleasanton, Calif., watched the parade of cars, filled with family members, friends, teachers, coaches and Scouting families.
Left: A Scout from Troop 1345G talks about her favorite recipe. Right: Scouts from Troop 2 talk about their Scout ranks. While staying home protects us, Scouting connects us. As virtual meetings and camp-ins link families within cities and towns, this same technology allows Scouts to reach across oceans to share in the Scouting spirit.
Scouts don’t get discouraged when life throws a curveball. They get creative. When Aaditya Gulati realized his troop couldn’t give its longtime Scoutmaster a more traditional send-off at a court of honor or special going-away party, the Life Scout devised another way.
From left to right: Tyler, Ryan and Preston It’s not like Tyler, Ryan and Preston Mantel didn’t have anything else to do. It’s just that, back in March, when the three Eagle Scout brothers from Troop 804 of the Crossroads of America Council in Indianapolis found out that the world needed more ventilators, they knew…
Andrew Buchanan (left) and Andrew Nelson aren't related, but they have a whole lot in common. Each year, about 6% of eligible Scouts become Eagle Scouts. Zoom out to consider the entire population of Scout-age youth in the United States, and that percentage drops to about 0.3%.
We need Scouts’ help to create a BIG thank you video for the people who are keeping our world running. Since we can’t thank them in person right now, we’ve got another idea! Scouts, here’s your charge: Get your parents’ permission and put on your Class A uniform or a Scout shirt and neckerchief.
A family from Troop 599 works together to assemble face coverings. When Ryan Spellecy heard about the need for face coverings to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in Milwaukee, he knew just what to do. Spellecy, who is commissioner of the Southern Shores District in the Milwaukee-based Three Harbors Council, had heard about…
When you planned a big spring event for your pack, troop, crew or ship last year, you weren’t counting on a global pandemic disrupting everything. The same can be said about the volunteers who created the 2020 Journey to Excellence scorecards.
Navigating trails is fun — navigating them on an all-terrain vehicle is even more fun, especially when you do it right. Being prepared for an ATV ride includes knowing how to operate the machine safely and wearing the appropriate gear . Through a partnership with Polaris Industries and the ATV Safety Institute, Scouts can learn to ride…
Francis Lawrence (top left) met with seven Scouts to teach the Moviemaking merit badge beginning in April. Like other merit badge counselors, Francis Lawrence brings passion, expertise and professional experience to this important volunteer role. It just so happens that Lawrence’s experience is as an accomplished Hollywood director.
After a few weeks of using video teleconference technology from home, the novelty of seeing your coworkers in their pajamas or one of their pets jump in their lap while they’re talking has probably worn off. You might be looking for other ways to inject a little fun during these stressful times.
What if a powerful tool to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been hanging from our necks this whole time? That was the simple-yet-brilliant thought that sparked Jacob Finch to act in service to others. Jacob, a Life Scout from Troop 1 of Ballston Spa, N.Y.
How do you conduct a Scouting for Food drive in the middle of a global pandemic? With a little bit of Scouting ingenuity and a lot of Good Turns. After the coronavirus forced a pack and troop in Wisconsin to cancel last month’s Scouting for Food drive, the Scouts and their families brought back the…
Scouts are resourceful. So, while your troop may not be able to go on a weekend campout together during the COVID-19 pandemic, this time could be ideal to learn how to play a new game or work on the car or prepare a first aid kit for the family.
Dan Churay is the head of human resources for a major corporation in Houston. He’s also an executive committee member of the board of the Sam Houston Area Council . Churay knows what to look for in a potential employee. At the top of that list: being an Eagle Scout.
Learning how to lash together camp gadgets like dishwashing racks , cooking stations and dining fly poles is a fun — and useful — Scouting skill. But learning to tie these lashings at home, in a living room? That’s a recipe for broken lamps.
Browsing through videos on Instagram of people dancing to songs, Jana Heller thought it might be fun for her family to make their own music video and shared the idea with her husband, Steven. Like many families across the country right now, the Heller family of Maple Valley, Wash., is staying home to help fight…
He’s tried sumo wrestling with Conan O’Brien, farming with Jennifer Garner and jousting with Jason Sudeikis. But Kevin Hart’s latest physical challenge might be his toughest yet. In the April 23 episode of the YouTube comedy series Kevin Hart: What The Fit , the stand-up comedian and movie star will try his hand at Scouting.
Daniel Free earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2017. At the time, the 15-year-old of Troop 489 in Germantown, Md., had earned 54 merit badges. But he didn’t stop there. The night of his court of honor, he made it a goal to earn all 137 available merit badges by his 18th birthday.
Patrick Reid describes his elementary school experience as “about normal.” But as he got older, things started to change. “I enjoyed it until fifth or sixth grade, when I got bullied,” Patrick says. Unfortunately, Patrick’s experience is common for children with autism.
When it comes to serving our communities, Scouts will do whatever it takes. At the BSA’s Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, that means answering the call when local health officials needed a drive-thru testing site for people suspected of having COVID-19.
Turn off the TV — there are plenty of cool activities you can do at home. With the help of some of these Cub Scout activity kits, you can keep the Scouting momentum (and fun) going. Birdhouse woodworking kit: This one fits in with the “My Tiger Jungle” required adventure for Tiger Scouts (Requirement No.
Sometimes music can say more than words. When a 13-year-old Scout in New Jersey learned that 37 people had died from the coronavirus at a veterans home near his house, he wanted to offer his own kind of tribute. Alex Saldana, a Life Scout from Troop 36 of Oradell, N.J., (Northern New Jersey Council) stood…
Live, from the living rooms, kitchens and backyards of Scouting families like yours, it’s Scout Saturday Live! This new web series , created by Scouts, volunteers and professionals in the BSA’s Western Los Angeles County Council, serves up a fun mix of games, competitions, projects, science experiments and more.
A Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary rescue worker holds an injured bald eagle that Scouts spotted. In these uncertain times as the country takes precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we know this is certain: Scouts will continue to help wherever and whenever they can.
Main image: An artist's rendering of the Perseverance rover on Mars. Inset: Alex and his dad, David, at a January 2020 court of honor. Here’s the plan: Alexander Mather will get a NASA internship, graduate with an engineering degree and then land a job at NASA.
So, you’re spending a little more time around the house than normal, but many of you are continuing your Scouting adventures, including making great progress on your merit badge work. Bryan pulled together a list of merit badges that can be worked on from home or your backyard, and, while it might not be possible…
Social distancing may keep you from physically canyoneering at Zion National Park or traversing unseasonably cold streams at Yosemite. But you and your kids can still take on rugged explorations you never imagined! Every weekday at 2 p.m. Central, Boys’ Life editors are jumping on Facebook Live to share treks, jokes and mind-bending facts that…
This is Unsung Heroes , a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story below, and find instructions for sharing your own Unsung Heroes story at…
The JOTI virtual campsite shows some of the activities Scouts can enjoy from April 3–5, 2020. Self-isolation can feel pretty lonely. But this weekend will bring a welcome reminder that as Scouts, we’re never truly alone. From April 3–5, join a special edition of Jamboree on the Internet , a digital event designed to help Scouts…
Most of you are carrying out your Scouting adventures and fun Scouting activities at home — with help from the resources on the BSA Scouting at Home site. While we know it may be a little while before you’re able to go back to sitting around a campfire with your troop, pack, crew, or ship, it’s…
Leadership, service and the ability to respond quickly to complex situations. Those traits, which young people sharpen in Scouting, stay with you for life. For the latest high-profile example, look to the USNS Mercy , the Navy hospital ship stationed in Los Angeles to help the COVID-19 fight.
In the first World War, Scouts helped collect black walnut wood needed to make airplane propellers. In World War II, they scoured attics, basements and garages for “rubber, small iron and steel scrap, light metals and other materials needed for the war effort,” according to the July 1942 issue of Scouting magazine.
Scouts BSA Troop 223 now has more than 50 members. Mike Lanning says the secret to recruiting Scouts boils down to three simple words: invite, invite, invite. What if every Scouting family invited one other family to join their Scouting adventure?
