The Bloggers
Showing 2,651–2,700 of 3,467 · page 54 of 70. Each title opens the post in a new tab.
Consider it giving back to those who give back. Lowe's, the home-improvement giant with more than 1,700 stores , has teamed up with the BSA and local Scout councils to give selected Eagle Scout candidates a $100 prepaid gift card to be used toward their service projects.
I've been involved in Scouting for more than 20 years, and I love trivia. At Wood Badge, those two forces collided, resulting in one giant, flaming ball of disappointment and public shame. I don't want to say too much and spoil a Wood Badge surprise, but let's just say that my Scouting knowledge was put…
As we mentioned last week , the Scouting magazine Facebook page has accumulated more than 20,000 "Likes"-a cause to celebrate with free gear! In seven days, the TOAST TO 20K GIVEAWAY received 559 entries. Below are the 20 readers who've been randomly chosen as winners of a 32-ounce wide-mouth Nalgene and an exclusive Scouting magazine sticker…
Scouts trade with Scouts; adults trade with adults. Along with "trade one for one," "always shake hands," and "don't bring money into a deal," it's one of the central tenets of patch trading. But does that age-old rule still make sense?
One study says chocolate is good for you, while another swears it'll kill you. When it comes to information about nutrition and health, cutting through the fat to get to the good stuff online isn't easy. Enter the BSA's new SCOUTStrong site .
Forget that sit-down with the hiring supervisor at Subway. When it comes to life-changing interviews for a teenager, you can't top the Eagle Scout Board of Review. For some Scouts, the thought of answering a barrage of questions from adults is worse than a trip to the dentist.
Growing up, one thing always perplexed me about our home: What's with all the owls? We lived in an owlery, it seemed. Owls in every room. I saw owl belt buckles, owl clocks, owl paperweights, owl postcards, plush owl toys - pretty much everything short of a real bird in a cage.
A troop without an activity calendar is like a car without a steering wheel: It lacks direction. In the Boy Scouts, creating a troop calendar for the next six to 12 months doesn't happen by itself. It takes dedication from a well-trained Patrol Leaders' Council - and the right amount of guidance from adult leaders like…
Over at the Scouting magazine Facebook page , we've reached 20,000 "Likes." Which means it's time to celebrate! (You don't "Like" our page ? You're missing out!) In honor of this milestone, we're giving away 20, 32-ounce Nalgene bottles in the TOAST TO 20K GIVEAWAY .
Let's talk money. Two big changes coming up next year will impact every registered Scout unit: What is now known as the " unit charter fee " will change its name to the more-descriptive " unit liability insurance fee ." The cost of this fee will increase from $20 a year to $40 a year.
What's better than one lightning-fast car emblazoned with the BSA logo? Two, of course. Last week, the Boy Scouts of America announced it was entering the action-packed world of NASCAR. Do you care? You should, for many reasons. But here are two: First, the alliance expands the reach of BSA Racing.
Who is responsible for this?" The question conjures an image of a frazzled den leader, hands on hips, looking out over the mess the boys left behind. But spin the phrase around, and it can follow a praiseworthy moment where Scouts did what's right without your having to ask.
Ever watched a group of Scouts tackle a rock-climbing wall? They make it look so easy! Now, as an adult, we can try to shimmy up a rock-wall in a nimble nanosecond - but let's just say it's a lot tougher than Scouts often make it look.
In bowling, you get instant feedback. Roll the ball, watch the pins, and look at the screen. What if tracking the hits and misses in your Scouting unit were that easy? Turns out it is. With the Journey to Excellence program , your pack, troop, team, crew, ship, or post simply uses the appropriate scorecard to…
Bob Mazzuca gives one final wave as he departs from the BSA office after Thursday's farewell celebration. Today marks the end of an era. Chief Scout Executive Robert J. Mazzuca - known to us all as Bob - turns over the reins of the Boy Scouts of America to Wayne Brock at the end of the day.
Cash or check only? Not anymore. Thanks to some handy new tech tools, it's possible to accept credit cards at your unit's next popcorn sale, carwash, or other money-earning project. That eliminates a big reason customers give when choosing not to buy from packs, troops, teams, or crews at events like Show and Sells: "Sorry…
Donovan Fisher isn't your typical door-to-door salesman. "The Popcorn Scout," as he's now known, is a 12-year-old marketing prodigy who in 2011 sold $9,208 in Trail's End popcorn and chocolate pretzels, ranking 14th among all Boy Scouts in the U.S.
Call it a temporary role reversal. The team behind Cubcast - which Cub Scout leaders listen to every month for practical tips - is now listening to you. I told you all about the monthly, BSA-produced podcast when I previewed the July and August editions.
The search is over. The hotly anticipated debut of Search and Rescue merit badge - the BSA's 130th current merit badge - has finally arrived. Search and Rescue merit badge, or SAR for short, has an official earn date of Monday, Aug.
When the going gets tough, Scouts get going. Just look at what's happening in Michigan. The place has experienced some of the toughest economic times in America and it also boasts some of the toughest volunteers and professionals in the Boy Scouts of America.
Ever wonder who signs off on major changes to the Scouting program? Instead of wondering, why not be one of those people? Yep, by joining the Scouting Research Panel , you'll be one of the insiders who give their thumbs-up (or down) to new merit badges, updated rank requirements, or other major changes to the Scouting…
Researching far-off destinations for the "Where Am I?" contests is one of my favorite things to do while on the job. Why? Because I always find myself in awe of how many cool places exist in our great nation. Take, for instance, the secret location of the July-August challenge : Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa.
You can't blame this one on inflation. More than 60 years ago, the average age of a boy earning Eagle was 14.6. Today it's 17.1. As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Eagle Scout Award this month, it's a good time to ask: Why the increase?
Can't be in Texas for tomorrow's big Eagle Scout party? I've got the next best thing: Watch the Eagle Scout Heritage Celebration streaming live to your computer. At 11 a.m. (Central) on Saturday, Aug. 11, watch a live webcast of the Eagle Scout Heritage Celebration's Kickoff Event from the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Tex.
Once upon a time, we used maps printed on paper to find our way. We studied laminated sky charts to identify constellations. We counted seconds after thunder strikes to locate storms. What were we thinking? Today, thanks to the ubiquitous smartphone, we can do all that and more with a few taps.
Yes, a Braille version of the Boy Scout Handbook exists , but trying to find one can prove almost impossible. One of my coworkers brought a copy by last week, barely balancing the three-volume book in his hands. It was the first time I had seen it, and I was fascinated by the pages covered with…
In Scouting, knives are a double-edged sword. Used safely, they're part of a rite of passage for boys and a chance for leaders to impart important lessons to help Scouts become "Prepared. For Life." But inevitably, some Scout will do his best Crocodile Dundee impression and show up at summer camp with the 10-inch sheath…
If you had a time machine, you could set the date to 07-15-13, and the 2013 National Scout Jamboree would start today. Unfortunately, though, the big Summit event is less than a year away. ( Click here to learn more and register!)
Scouting's core values are the same in every program, but the words used to express and affirm those values differ depending on whether you're in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, or Venturing. That may soon change. The Scout Oath and Scout Law - engrained in the minds of Boy Scouts everywhere - also would be used for Cub…
You read my impressions after I visited the Summit for the first time last month. Now hear it straight from the Scouts. While attending July's Summit Shakedown, I shot an episode of the Buzz , the informative, biweekly video produced by the BSA's internal communications team.
Eric Shanteau, a cancer survivor, supports the Lance Armstrong Foundation. By the time Eric Shanteau first put on a Cub Scout uniform, he had already been swimming for five years. As he got older, Shanteau, who learned to swim at age 3, found a way to keep both of these parallel lives afloat.
There's only one award from my childhood that I still list on my résumé. It isn't "Honorable Mention, fourth-grade Science Fair," and it's definitely not "Participant, junior-senior talent show." It's the Eagle Scout award, that instantly recognizable achievement I share with more than 2.1 million men out there.
When your job is to help prepare youth for life, you've got to make sure you're prepared for anything, too. And a good knife is an essential part of being prepared, whether at a campout or at a Scout meeting.
Merrill Moses equates the silver medal he won at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to earning the rank of Life in Boy Scouts. Both are great achievements, but each is still a step away from the top. Moses earned Eagle in the mid-90′s, and now, the 34-year-old Team USA water polo goalkeeper has his gaze…
Parents in your troop expect you'll help mold their boys into better young men. They also have another, equally important expectation: that you'll keep Scouts safe while doing so. Before you drive Scouts to your unit's next campout or other event, ask yourself: Am I safe behind the wheel?
You'd expect twins to have a lot in common. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a pair who share a resume as impressive as Grant and Ross James. The twins are Eagle Scouts, national champions in high-power rifle shooting, and world-class rowers.
When someone down the hall makes popcorn, the enticing aroma makes me drop everything and find the source. If only selling Scout popcorn were as easy, right? Turns out it is. That's thanks to the August 2012 edition of Cubcast, the excellent audio podcast for Cub Scout leaders that I told you about earlier this…
We know in graphic detail what happens when "happy mountaineers" use the restroom. What we don't know, until today, are other clever ways to remind Scouts - and ourselves - to remain hydrated in the great outdoors. That's why last month I asked Scouters like you to send in your best hydration slogans.
Ready to lead the charge in your pack, troop, team, or crew? Check out the Boy Scouts of America's new Discover card programs, which offer a lesson in financial responsibility for your Scouts and a boost for the BSA. There are two separate components to the program.
Hoist the main sail! Starting today, 28 vessels and 230 Sea Scouts arrive in Baltimore's Inner Harbor for Centennial ScoutFleet 2012. The event, which celebrates this year's 100th anniversary of Sea Scouts, will put the program on full display with events including an exciting ScoutFleet Regatta starting at 9 a.m.
What is an "Eagle Scout"? The question seems deceptively simple. I mean, we know an Eagle Scout when we meet one. But coming up with an eloquent way to define Scouting's highest honor is harder than it seems. Just ask Anthony C., a Life Scout who sent me this e-mail last week: Dear Bryan, This…
It's one thing to read about the Summit or watch some of the jaw-dropping videos from the place. It's quite another to see it for yourself. Trust me. I just got back from West Virginia for my first trip to the BSA's fourth high-adventure base.
Do your Scouts count the strategy guide for their favorite video game as summer reading? Does "staying active" involve little more than their thumb on the remote control? If so, it's time for you to intervene. Take part in the Corporation for National and Community Service's summer United We Serve: Let's Read!
Violence rages in nearly every corner of the world. That makes Baden-Powell's vision for Scouts promoting world peace seem even more prescient today than it did a century ago. Fortunately, Scouts and Scouters in the U.S. live far from any war zone.
Think you know Philmont? Never been? Either way, you can get a backstage pass to the BSA's famous hiking and training destination in New Mexico with PhilCast, the weekly behind-the-scenes video series I told you about last summer . It's back for a second season, and you can watch all the 2012 videos right here .
Saying that Scouts serve their community is a bit like saying fish swim or dogs bark. Service is in Scouting's DNA. So it's no surprise that when I asked for photos of Scouts doing service projects last month, the response was huge.
Some would argue that this Scouter is doing exactly what he should do at camp: Relaxing somewhere Scouts can find him if they need him. I know a place where adults voluntarily give up a week of vacation to oversee a bunch of teenage boys.
In the July 2012 episode, you'll learn how to teach Cub Scouts to be honest. Listen up: A simple download of the Boy Scouts of America's Cubcast , an audio podcast featuring how-to topics for Cub Scout leaders and parents, can improve your pack or den.
We've all been there: waking up in a haze of discomfort after sleeping on a rocky, uneven surface in a tent. It's not pleasant. Derek Hansen says it doesn't have to be that way. Instead, he says, try sleeping in a hammock.
Fewer than 100 of these water bottles were produced, and they aren't sold in stores. Win one of 10 I'm giving away by entering below! "A happy mountaineer always pees clear." That simple, off-color rhyme does its job by reminding Scouts, Scouters, and other outdoor lovers about the importance of proper hydration.
