Topic
Rank requirements, Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review. Leaders worked through the Guide to Advancement and helped Scouts move from Scout to First Class and beyond.
188 posts · 2007–2020
A reading list that spans blogs and years.
This is seventh in a series of posts about the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle Exactly how the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes on Transitioning to the New Requirements .
The mailbag brought a couple more questions to the Bobwhite’s attention in the last few weeks. I’ll take a stab at answering your conundrums this week. First, a question from an experienced den leader – and thank you for your service, as you are the front-line deliverer of Scouting to our Cub Scouts!
I'm working on a presentation about the Venturing Silver Award for round table this month, which got me thinking about the Venturing method of recognition. And I decided I've been wrong. Sort of. In the past I have tried to emphasize the difference between the Boy Scout method of "Advancement" and the Venturing method of…
The more things change the more they stay the same… I am referring to the new Advancement guide of the BSA. You can download now at the Scouting.org or here is a direct link GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT 2011 . In it you will find much of the same policies and practices that have governed the advancement…
The Board of Review. Terrifying to the new Tenderfoot Scout. Confusing to the new committee member. How does the Scout prepare? What are the board members supposed to cover and ask? I have been scoutmaster long enough to see a lot of people come and go on the committee.
Several weeks ago I did an Opportunity Knocks featuring one of the medals in our medal program. It was the Mark Herhold Camping Medal for excellence in camping. I am following up on that OK with the second one in the Medal series.
Hello fellow Scouters, Hopefully you are using a den advancement chart in your den meetings. They are a great way to show the progress of the boys towards their rank, and show off how many electives the boys earn. I used them in my two dens to chart progress.
Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting Reader Shelley asked I'm a new Troop Committee Chair and was wondering if anyone has some great questions that they ask their Scouts during their Board of Reviews?
Here is the " 2008-09 Tiger Cub and Cub Scout Advancement Plan " from the 2008-2009 Cub Scout Program Helps: "While much of advancement in Cub Scouting is intended to be accomplished within the family, many requirements may be met by attending organized den meetings .
________________________________________ Hi Andy, My Eagle Scout son earned a total of 51 merit badges. That’s 30 beyond the 21 for Eagle rank. So how does he pin six (!) palms on the ribbon of his medal? (Lynne Ghwieny) That’s an easy one… He actually doesn’t wear six palms; he wears three: one silver, representing fifteen merit badges…
Showing 1–50 of 188 posts
A few months ago, we wrote about the special extension of time to complete Eagle Scout, Summit Award and Quartermaster Award requirements beyond the age of eighteen due to circumstances related to the pandemic and the closures and program shutdowns that occurred in 2020.
Victoria sits on the bench she and her volunteers built for her Eagle Scout service project. Life Scout Victoria Rader didn’t set out to make national headlines. But some news is just too good not to share. In a piece calling her a “ Trailblazing Scout ,” Victoria was featured on the Sept.
After reading together, John and his “pal” do some coloring. Reading can be the ultimate way to escape. Or connect. This summer, a Star Scout from New Jersey pioneered a way for older students at his school to read to younger students through Zoom.
Despite our efforts to keep Scouting programs going in the face of the worldwide pandemic, some things just become impossible at the moment. Merit badge requirements that include camping, for instance, and the collaborative nature of Eagle projects when we can’t come together due to social distancing threaten the timely completion of requirements.
The BSA has a message to young people concerned that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will prevent them from completing Eagle Scout rank requirements before their 18th birthday: Don’t worry; we’ve got your back. During this unprecedented interruption to Scouting nationwide, the BSA has released new guidance on advancement during COVID-19 .
The board of review, like most aspects of Scouting, works best in person. But sometimes, for a number of legitimate reasons, that’s not an option. That’s why, as outlined in the Guide to Advancement (section 8.0.1.6), the BSA allows units to conduct boards of review by teleconferencing, using tools like Skype, Google Hangouts or Zoom.
Unit Serving Executives can now review rosters and advancement information for any unit in your council. The new Internet Advancement web platform is specially designed for both council employees and unit leaders to track and record unit advancements. The platform was built to optimize unit management and includes features that enable council employees or leaders…
As we move forward into 2020, the Boy Scouts of America’s advancement team is out with a few reminders and new advice on the ongoing quest for one of our most visible methods – advancement. The evolution of Scoutbook brings us new opportunities to manage our programs.
Every couple months, the national advancement team at the Boy Scouts of America puts out an update for council and district advancement chairs and committee members. The current issue has a few items of interest: Scoutbook allows den leaders to set up the year of program activities with just a few clicks.
________________________________________ Navigating the course to EAGLE – A Few Hints My column last week apparently struck some chords. Thanks to all of you readers who let me know I was on the right track! Here are a couple of letters from you all… Hi Andy, I always look forward to Ask Andy but I loved this issue.
During a campout, Second Class Scout Javier’s patrol worked on First Class requirement 4a.: completing a one-mile orienteering course using a map and compass and measuring designated items. After the course, Javier looks to the next requirement in his handbook, which reads: Demonstrate how to use a handheld GPS unit, GPS app on a smartphone…
Sam Snyder of Troop 175 from Peachtree City, Ga., works on his Eagle project with his helpers. They built a 24-by-20-foot pavilion with four 10-by-10 dog runs for the county animal shelter. Five words — that’s all that fundamentally separates an Eagle Scout service project from a standard Scouting service project.
The mailbag brought a couple more questions to the Bobwhite’s attention in the last few weeks. I’ll take a stab at answering your conundrums this week. First, a question from an experienced den leader – and thank you for your service, as you are the front-line deliverer of Scouting to our Cub Scouts!
When someone needs help, Scouts are there to jump in and serve. That’s what Scouts do, even when it’s their fellow Scouts who are in need. Service plays an integral part in rank advancement, so when Scouts help each other out, the question sometimes comes up: Can helping another Scouting unit count for service hours…
Good news for unit leaders who use Internet Advancement to track their Scouts’ progress along the Scouting trail. The BSA has introduced an array of upgrades designed to make your life easier. The improvements make inputting advancement updates faster, allow leaders to search advancement history in a snap and give Scouters more control over printable…
A young person doesn’t have to become an Eagle Scout to have a life-changing experience in Scouting. But you can bet some Scouts in your troop will set their sights on that shiny Eagle medal. And chances are some of those Eagle hopefuls will join your Scouts BSA troop this year as 16- or 17-year-olds…
Scoutmaster John notices three Tenderfoot Scouts Liam, Ethan and Aiden across the room huddled around Assistant Scoutmaster Mark at a recent troop meeting, each with a rope in hand. They’re working on Second Class requirement 2g. , tying a bowline and describing when to use it.
As the Scouts BSA program continues to roll along, our published materials are getting caught up with the changes. After the Guide to Safe Scouting updates released earlier, there is a new Guide to Advancement for 2019. Typically updated every two years, the current edition mainly edits content to reflect the addition of female youth…
Consider this getting the best of both worlds. When the Scouts BSA program launches on Friday, Feb. 1, girls already in Venturing or Sea Scouting can join a Scouts BSA troop without paying a second membership fee. That means they’ll experience the excitement of Scouts BSA without having to give up the high-adventure fun and…
Rank advancement in Cub Scouting is not like rank advancement in Scouts BSA. And that’s by design. In Cub Scouting, advancement is grade- or age-based. It’s a rank-per-year system designed to offer age-appropriate fun and challenges as Cub Scouts progress through the program.
A reader recently told me they were feeling frustrated with evaluating advancement requirements and lamented “I sometimes wish the people who write these requirements would actually watch them in a troop environment.” Tell me about it! We get into difficulty when we look at advancement as our aim, or of central importance to Scouting.
The Scouting journey prepares a young person to get a good job. But that doesn’t mean the final step in that journey — which for many young people is the Eagle Scout board of review — should be conducted like a job interview.
Cub Scout leaders, you can now grab the latest edition of the Cub Scout Leader Book and rank-specific Den Leader Guides in print or digital formats. Get a copy at your local Scout Shop, at scoutshop.org or on the Amazon Kindle store .
On a recent campout, Scoutmaster Tim sat down to talk with Second Class Scout Jacob for a Scoutmaster conference. After he scribbled his initials in Jacob’s handbook, the Scoutmaster looked around and realized something: almost all of the campers were below the First Class rank.
Periodically, the Boy Scouts of America’s national advancement team updates everyone involved with advancement with the latest trends, ideas and changes. Here are a few topics covered in the latest update: Order of the Arrow Cub Crossover Ceremonies If you’ve been around Scouting for long, you’ve probably seen an Arrow of Light or Crossover ceremony…
If you’re the man or woman who tracks advancement for your Scout unit, here’s an opportunity to get trained, have fun and spend a week at one of the greatest places in the Scouting universe. In other words, I think you’ll find these Philmont Training Center courses will meet all of your requirements and more.
When thinking about Eagle Scout advancement … .. we ought to ask “what is an Eagle Scout?” rather than “who deserves to be an Eagle Scout?” The answer to the question “who deserves to be an Eagle Scout?” is easy; any Scout who completes the requirements.
The Boy Scouts of America’s National Advancement Team continuously reviews and updates matters of advancement across our programs. They work to keep requirements relevant and establish clear wording so the chances of misunderstanding are minimal. Part of their mission is to keep volunteers informed not only on new advancement opportunities, but also ways we can…
Michael Costello accomplished a lot in less than 15 years. He never let anything — certainly not a heart condition and other chronic health issues — stand in the way of his goals. Michael died March 11, 2017 — just a week shy of his 15th birthday.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, For his Eagle board of review, a Scout provides the names and contact information for up to six references. Following his successful review, two questions for you: Should “thank you” notes or letters be sent to the people who provided those references?
You might have seen the story about a Boy Scout from Utah who has Down syndrome and is working on his Eagle Scout rank. I wanted to clear up some misconceptions about this impressive young man. First, reports that Logan Blythe’s merit badges were revoked and that he was demoted to Cub Scout aren’t true.
Scouting adventures can happen anywhere. With the new Scouting app for iPhone and Android, you can track those adventures anywhere, too. The Scouting app, developed by the Boy Scouts of America, allows youth members and their parents to view and track advancement within Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and Venturing.
How does Scout advancement achieve the main aim of Scouting? Todays talk about advancement continues our foundations series. I’ve written extensively in detail about many aspects of Scout advancement, but this is different. In this podcast I ask how Scout advancement fits into the overall game of Scouting.
Time marches on, and technology comes along for the ride. It’s true of the Boy Scouts of America, which a couple years ago unvelied Scoutbook , a unit recordkeeping software package initially developed by a Scouter who had a better idea.
The BSA announced it will release Scoutbook Lite, a new tool for quickly inputting advancement data, in the second quarter of 2018. This free solution will replace the current Internet Advancement platform, which will be retired. Scoutbook Lite will feature a slick new user interface.
BSA’s official web app , Scoutbook, is gearing up to roll out a new solution in mid-2018 that will leverage core components of the Scoutbook platform to make Internet Advancement tracking easier than ever before! The current Internet Advancement platform will be retired and replaced by a new online tool called Scoutbook Lite.
Calling all unit leaders—the Scoutbook Youth Advancement sync is officially underway! All Scouting units with active Scoutbook subscriptions have recently been invited to complete the Scoutbook Youth Advancement Sync with ScoutNet. The Scoutbook Unit Admins have been notified and given instructions on how to activate this sync by December 31, 2017.
Scoutbook users are about to love Scoutbook even more. The BSA’s official web app has always been a great tool for tracking a Scout’s advancement. It makes everything — “from the first knot tied to final hours of service performed” — easier and more rewarding for Scouts and their families.
Scout advancement is not adults judging Scouts… … it’s Scouts meeting requirements with the support of adult volunteers – in Scout advancement we are all on the same side. We did not write the requirements. We don’t personally embroider patches to present to them.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, My Eagle Scout son earned a total of 51 merit badges. That’s 30 beyond the 21 for Eagle rank. So how does he pin six (!) palms on the ribbon of his medal? (Lynne Ghwieny) That’s an easy one… He actually doesn’t wear six palms; he wears three: one silver, representing fifteen merit badges…
Scouting teaches responsibility. It teaches young people to take on a role in which they’re accountable to their fellow Scouts. This role is known as a position of responsibility. As a young man advances toward becoming an Eagle Scout, he’s required to take on one of these roles.
The outdoor ethics guide, a troop-level position of responsibility for youth that in January 2016 replaced the position of Leave No Trace trainer, now has its very own handbook. The Outdoor Ethics Guide Handbook is available now as a free PDF download .
The BSA Executive Board has approved an exception to the Second Class and First Class swimming requirements, allowing Scouts who live prohibitively far from safe swimming areas to substitute other requirements. In some geographically large or predominately rural councils, Scouts might live many miles from an indoor swimming pool or safe outdoor swimming area.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’m a kinda new (seven months) Scoutmaster. My problem is that, here we are, mid-summer, and I’m seeing our troop’s Life Scouts flounder and squander their time with no clear direction toward Eagle; so far, they’ve wasted a half-year of their Scouting lives doing little to nothing in the advancement arena.
No sooner had the Boy Scouts of America published the 2017 revision to its omnibus reference work Guide to Advancement, which we reviewed in a recent article , than it announced a few changes. Eagle Palms There are some important changes to the way Eagle Palms are earned and awarded.
Eagle Palms are bronze, gold and silver awards presented to young men who earn five, 10, 15 or more merit badges beyond the 21 required to become an Eagle Scout. This week, the BSA has announced significant changes to the way Scouts earn Eagle Palms.
From left: Ernest Thompson Seton, Robert Baden-Powell and Daniel Carter Beard on Jan. 31, 1912 — the day Arthur Eldred (inset) had his board of review at BSA headquarters. When Boys’ Life announced in its May 1912 issue that Arthur R.
Since its inception in 2011, the Guide to Advancement has been the single point of reference for nearly all matters related to advancement across all our programs. It replaced a smattering of documents, references in handbooks and training manuals, and official policies that were not well documented.
________________________________________ Thought for the Day… “It’s easy to lead a group of Scouts who want to go where you’re leading them. The challenge is when they don’t want to head in that direction!” (Tim Donohue, Eagle Scout-April 12, 2017) ========== Dear Andy, We have a Scout in our troop who we’ve been working with for years to…
Rank advancement in Cub Scouting is not like rank advancement in Boy Scouting. And that’s by design. In Cub Scouting, advancement is grade- or age-based. It’s a rank-per-year system designed to offer age-appropriate fun and challenges as Cub Scouts progress through the program.
