The Bloggers
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Ensuring every youth member is led by a trained leader is critical when it comes to providing "life changing experiences you can't get anywhere else." The year-end figures for the 2013 Journey to Excellence show that 71 percent of the councils in the BSA improved their JTE score in direct contact leaders trained.
2011 GMC Terrain AWD SLE–2 Approximate mileage: 71,835 Exterior color: Onyx black Interior color: Light titanium cloth seats Asking price: $14,990 Location: Victor, New York Equipment/Features: 2.4L DOHC engine SIDI with VVT AM/FM stereo with CD/XM radio 6-speed automatic transmission Heated front seats Remote start 2011 Ford Taurus SEL FWD Approximate mileage: 58,433 Exterior color…
Show us your best work! The National Council is now accepting entries for the 16th Annual National President's Awards for Marketing Excellence. The entry period runs now through noon (Central time) Monday, March 17, 2014. The Marketing Awards recognize councils for their excellence in marketing on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America.
2008 Toyota Tacoma Pickup Approximate mileage: 91,000 Exterior color: White Interior color: Gray Asking price: $10,000 Location: Florida Sea Base, Islamorada, Florida (Two to three nights lodging possible, if available at pick-up date.) Equipment/Features: 4-cylinder engine A/C Automatic transmission Extended cab Bed liner 2008 Ford Explorer XLT Approximate mileage: 61,000 Exterior color: Dark green Interior…
The deadline is approaching for the 2013 Boys' Life Commissioner Award, which was created to recognize and thank commissioners who successfully promote the good reading and good Scouting of Boys' Life . Applications are being accepted until January 31, 2014. You may nominate commissioners who meet the following qualification requirements: Unit Commissioner: Serve at least two…
Click image to view e-Letter The January 15 edition of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is now available online. In this issue, readers will learn about the Comprehensive Fund Development Certificate program offered through a partnership with the prestigious Rice University Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership.
Looking for some inspiring new videos about Scouting? The Marketing Team has released a new series of videos that features Scouters across the country sharing in their own words how Scouting has changed their lives for the better. Whether it's the mom, the Scoutmaster, the Venturer, or the Cub Scout, you're sure to find a…
Congratulations to all of you who participated in the 2013–2014 Dashing All the Weigh/SCOUTStrong PALA Challenge. A total of 179 people from all over the country did their part, and more than half of you lost weight over the holidays.
Click image to view flier The BOYS' LIFE Growth Award is given twice annually (June and December) to recognize and thank BSA professionals who achieve a 3 percent or greater BOYS' LIFE subscription growth and/or serve a 68 percent or greater market share of the total of Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts, Boy Scouts…
Click on image to view flier The new program updates to Cub Scouts are coming, and the team is ready to share the details. Discover the adventures that Cub Scouts will experience-from the team that wrote them-as the BSA's new Cub Scout program rolls out for 2015!
New unit spreadsheets for the 2014 JTE year are now available at http://www.scouting.org/JTE . Navigate to the Spreadsheets box and click on 2014. These spreadsheets are new this year and will be very helpful to units as they chart their course throughout the year to provide the best quality program.
Click image to download form It is time to complete the 2014 Local Council Charter Renewal Application . The signed application must be submitted to the Mission Impact Team at the national office (SUM 210) by February 1, 2014 . Make sure you fill in all the information requested on both sides of the application and supply…
With the introduction of MyScouting Tools, all volunteers and professionals now have access to a new set of resources based upon their position in Scouting. For volunteers, these tools provide critical information they did not previously have access to unless they requested it from their council office.
The Commissioner Award of Excellence in Unit Service was developed as a nationwide effort to engage Scouting volunteers and professional Scouters in working together to focus on unit retention. The award was designed to recognize volunteers who are providing excellent commissioner service with a knot and to let those commissioners lead by example.
Looking for the latest merit badge fliers? Want to know which new merit badges are in the works? Check out http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors.aspx . There you can download fliers, resources, and more to distribute or add to any roundtable meetings, newsletters, or training sessions. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can easily access the latest information.
Effective January 1, 2014, the Potomac Council No. 757 in Cumberland, Maryland, has merged with the Laurel Highlands Council No. 527 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The surviving council is the Laurel Highlands Council No. 527, and all contact information for that council has remained the same.
Ready to register for 2014 National Camping School? Local councils should submit the registration form using the instructions at: NCS How to Register . Only local council representatives are authorized to enter National Camping School registrations. Please d o not provide this link to the general public .
2013 Voice of the Scout data is now posted to the JTE dashboard dial, but the Information Delivery Group continues to work diligently to post fall 2013 VOS data to the VOS dashboard. Until this is complete, the Mission Impact team has developed a workaround to provide partial fall 2013 results for councils.
If you are wondering how to grow Exploring, increase revenue, support your staff with Exploring or Learning for Life responsibilities, or develop a district- or council-level Exploring or Learning for Life committee, we have some exciting news for you! The national Learning for Life and Exploring team is happy to announce the new Exploring Certification…
(Article adapted from Scouting magazine's "Bryan on Scouting" blog.) Call it real reality TV. Take all the excitement and education found in Boys' Life magazine and transport it to your television. That's the clever concept behind Scouting Around , the new show from the century-old mainstay in the life of boys and the Boy Scouts of…
The Boy Scouts of America has appointed Gary Butler to serve as deputy Chief Scout Executive and chief operating officer of the organization effective January 1, 2014. Butler is currently assistant Chief Scout Executive for operations of the Boy Scouts of America.
Click image to view message The BSA's top three professional and volunteer leaders have created a special holiday greeting .
The December 2013 CubCast highlights "Good Turns and Your Chartered Organization." Whether a school, church, or fraternal organization, we're sure your chartered organization is planning some kind of event or two for the holidays. Maybe it's a food or clothing drive or maybe it's a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.
A couple of years ago, two executives from the BSA's Center for Professional Development were discussing the nine stages of team development. One of the executives had recently returned from a local council where he had presented the topic. When asked to name the nine steps in team development taught at CPD, he responded, "I…
Click the image to view e-Letter The December 15 edition of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is now available online. In the Dec. 15 issue, the last of 2013, you'll find information about a timeframe for regularly scheduled maintenance for PeopleSoft Financials, during which users may expect some down time.
Earlier this year, we launched an online version of Trailblazers, a digest of BSA staff changes, including recent hires and promotions. The page is updated weekly and can be accessed via the Trailblazers link at the top of the Scout Wire home page or at http://www.scout-wire.org/trailblazers .
The BSA has mo re than 200 trails that have been approved for our Scouting units and their members to use. However, due to council mergers and other changes, our records on these trails are outdated and we need the input of all councils to ensure we have complete and accurate information to share.
Last year, the National Executive Board passed a resolution that, in support of the mission of the Boy Scouts of America, all programs would begin using the Scout Oath and Law. Recently, there have been a number of questions about the effective date of this change, which primarily affects Cub Scouting and Venturing.
It's time to complete the 2014 Annual Local Council Membership Validation. All professionals, paraprofessionals, council registration staff, council service center employees, program aides/project workers, and designated volunteers should download, review, and sign the membership validation procedures. The signed forms must be returned to area directors no later than February 15, 2014.
Safety of our youth, volunteers, and employees is a key priority for all of us. As a reminder, employees are not permitted to carry or possess firearms, knives, or other weapons while on the premises of any BSA facility, in BSA buildings, in vehicles parked on BSA property, or on any other BSA property.
Click image to view e-Letter A special edition of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is now available online. This edition focuses on local council fiscal issues, with several action items specifically related to PeopleSoft Financials, IOIPay , and year-end close.
A new email address is now available for those who have questions and/or comments concerning MyScouting Tools . The new address is [email protected] . Your feedback is important to us as we want to continue to make volunteers' experiences better!
All councils that participate in the Council Accident and Sickness program administered by Health Special Risk (HSR) should have received an email from HSR regarding the renewal of the program for 2014. BSA Risk Management recently completed negotiations with the carrier s on a two-year rate structure.
You may now register for 2014 National Camping School sessions using the electronic registration portal. How to Register for NCS 2014 Please note that only local council representatives are authorized to enter National Camping School registrations. View the 2014 NCS brochure at http://www.ncsbsa.org/resources/ncs/ .
Sustainability in the BSA is much more than a merit badge, and the media is taking notice. A recent article in Dwell magazine showcased the Sustainability Treehouse at the Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base at the Summit. Standing 125 feet tall and featuring 4,000 square feet of interactive exhibits demonstrating sustainable practices, the…
Units that have membership growth and retention have three key components: a strong, vibrant Scouting program; engaged volunteers; and someone on the unit committee who is responsible for membership. The unit membership chair is the unit committee member who will focus on membership growth and retention of the unit.
The much sought-after district-level data on the Voice of the Scout dashboard has been delayed until later this month. Due to some issues encountered during software development, the Mission Impact team is still working to finalize the expansion of the JTE dashboard, with the goal of pushing the council NPS score and response rate to…
The Cub Hub is the new online gateway into the world of Cub Scouting. Through vivid pictures, videos, and stories, the Cub Hub illustrates that the Cub Scouting experience goes way beyond the uniform. Think of it like a giant idea factory!
We've received wonderful reviews regarding the MyScouting Tools as well as great feedback from our volunteers. As a result, two enhancements have been made to the Training Manager tool: Initially, the Trained Leaders Report and the YPT Aging Report were available only at the staff and unit levels.
The National Council has the following lease vehicle for sale: 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid Approximate miles: 56,384 Exterior color: Magnetic Gray Metallic Interior color: Bisque Leather Asking Price: $11,600 Location: Westlake, Texas Equipment/features: 2.4L I-4 hybrid engine JBL AM/FM stereo with 6-disc CD/MP3 Electronic continuously variable transmission Power windows/locks/driver's seat Cruise control Leather-trimmed bucket seats…
Click image to view e-Letter The Nov. 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you will find an important update to the 2014 Budget-Building Bulletin -the Social Security tax has been modified and is $1,500 more than initially reported.
Click image to view newsletter The November issue of Learning for Life and Exploring Today has been published and is available online. In this issue, read more about the new Middle School Explorer clubs and learn how to use Career Interest Surveys to kick off an Exploring program.
The BSA National Executive Board has elected former Secretary of Defense and former CIA Director Dr. Robert M. Gates to the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Gates will serve as a member of the board's executive committee and as the national president-elect.
Lights, camera, action! The Cinematography merit badge has been renamed Moviemaking. The change was made to reflect the many elements that go into creating a movie. Aside from some minor updates from the Merit Badge Maintenance Task Force, the requirements and content for the merit badge are essentially the same.
Significant changes are coming to the Cooking merit badge. First, this badge will become Eagle-required beginning Jan. 1, 2014 . In addition, there will be a major overhaul to the requirements, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2015 . The addition of the Cooking merit badge to the Eagle-required list means that, regardless of when a Scout…
(Article adapted from Scouting magazine's "Bryan on Scouting" blog.) The Boy Scouts of America is continually working to remain a leader among youth-serving organizations in the fight against child abuse. And kids who are abused outside of Scouting have a better chance of recovering and thriving by joining youth-serving organizations like Scouting.
Councils spend more money on food annually than any other item. Saving money without giving up quality or service can be a challenge. Good news! National Purchasing has made a national agreement with U.S. Foods to help local councils save money through nationwide volume food buying.
Shooting sports programs are popular activities for Scouts of all ages, and the Boy Scouts of America adheres to its longstanding policy of teaching its youth and adult members safe, responsible, and intelligent ways to handle, care for, and use firearms, rifles, and BB guns in planned, carefully managed, and supervised programs.
Membership Committee volunteers are the backbone in our efforts to recruit more youth and adults into Scouting. To impact the lives of youth in each unit, volunteers need to be more involved in the process of recruiting and retaining youth.
An updated 2014 National Camping School informational brochure is available online at https://www.ncsbsa.org/resources/ncs/ . National Camping School provides adults with training needed to operate council camps. These key staff members will, in turn, train and supervise other staff personnel in your council camping program.
