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
Showing 101–150 of 188 posts
Don Bennett directed Eagle Scout boards of review like a film director creating his latest masterpiece. He challenged the Eagle candidates with expertly crafted questions all with the goal of making the young man see just how his time in Scouting has formed who he is.
Scout advancement is a natural result of applying the patrol system. Requirements without the patrol experience are a lifeless checklist. Tenderfoot 2. Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout… 3. On the campout, assist in preparing and cooking one of your patrol's meals.
While we're on the subject of Rank Advancement for 11 year old scouts (or a new Scout patrol), take a look at these video clips to help you get though the early rank requirements: Notice in the lower left corner of that page, these can also be downloaded as Podcasts!
Over the weekend, I taught my first Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training course. I think the class went well but kinda felt bad for all the brand new 11-year-old scout leaders who would have benefited from more info specific to their group.
Someone asked me how long, on average, does it take to be a First Class Scout? We know statistically Scouts who become First Class within the first year tend to stay in Scouting longer. I am pleased when Scouts advance because that's one indicator that we are delivering on the promise, but it's only one…
You the Life Scouts and Eagle Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America, in Order to form a more perfect understanding of the U.S. Constitution, establish awareness of our nation's Founding Documents, and secure some Free Money, do indeed need to enter this Bill of Rights Institute Eagle Scout Competition OK, so maybe my version…
Once he's completed the last requirement for First Class a Scout opens an application on his smartphone or tablet. He scrolls to his advancement records (past his membership records, training records, camping log, OA information and the weekly messages he get's from his patrol leader) and has someone virtually sign off the requirement.
In last week's article, we listed some of the changes incorporated in the 2013 Guide to Advancement, the current revision to the comprehensive 2011 edition. Many policies have been tweaked and clarified, and since most of us have become familiar with …
The long-awaited 2013 revision to the standard reference text for Scouting's advancement programs has been released, leaving a somewhat bewildering series of changes and clarifications in its wake. The 2011 document did a great job of consolidating, codifying and clarifying …
The long-awaited 2013 revision to the standard reference text for Scouting’s advancement programs has been released, leaving a somewhat bewildering series of changes and clarifications in its wake. The 2011 document did a great job of consolidating, codifying and clarifying BSA’s rules relating to advancement.
Here's one for your browser's bookmarks bar: The newest edition of the Boy Scouts of America Guide to Advancement released today. The PDF version contains answers to pretty much any advancement question that might come up, and it's essential reading for your unit's advancement chair and others who like to be kept in the loop…
So far, Ask the Expert posts have offered one often-lengthy answer to one complicated Scouting question. You can read past posts here . Perhaps a question you have is answered there. But now it's time for the lightning round. Here's a collection of questions I've received along with the short answer: blue cards Question from Ramona…
Are all service hours created equal? If a Scout, say, builds a house with his church youth group or delivers meals with his school's student council, can those hours count toward Boy Scout rank advancement? That's what a Scouter named Andrea wondered this week: Bryan, Our troop only allows service hours to accrue if it…
Not all merit badges are earned in the traditional troop setting. Enterprising Scouts can earn them at council-run merit badge "colleges" or workshops, summer or winter camps, or on their own with a registered counselor. But some troops restrict or even prohibit this practice, insisting that merit badges must be earned under their own roof…
At summer camp, what's more important for Scouts, advancement or fun? Trick question. Scouts who attend the best summer camps and have effective Scout leaders guiding them don't have to choose. For these Scouts, advancement is part of the fun.
One of my responsibilities as the Chartered Organization Representative is to see that a committee is organized and functioning. I'm trying to get parents involved, but I've really struggled with who to get for the advancement chair. I have wanted to avoid having a parent do this, just to avoid any potential problems, but I…
David from Hawaii writes: I am a fairly new Scoutmaster and I asked the committee to present merit badges and rank patches in troop meetings and present the certificates for those badges at the court of honor. They declined out of fear that no one would attend the court of honor.
I have a really crazy idea. It has been floating somewhere in my mind for over a year now. I've thought several times about posting it here but for some reason I haven't. Maybe it's because things have slowed down for me (Scouting-wise) that I finally decided to do it.
How effectively you apply the Scouting advancement method hinges on how well you understand the subject. The National Advancement Team has released a bunch of new educational resources that you ought to check out. While Scouting advancement is at least some part of leadership training I think we owe it to our Scouts to take…
Introduction In Part I of this series, I began the process of looking into the "older Scout problem". This is where Scout Troops have trouble retaining and recruiting boys from the ages of 15-18. In the last post, I began the discussion by examining just why this is a very important issue and why older…
A new edition of Boy Scout Requirements was released in mid January, 2013. Paul Wolf at the US Scouting Service Project Inc. has published his annual review of Boy Scout requirement changes, a tremendous resource and a great service to us all, thank you Paul!
Fifth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 Immediate recognition is a powerful incentive of the BSA's advancement program. A Scout should receive his new badge as soon as possible after his achievement has been certified by a board of…
Fourth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 After a Scout has completed all of the requirements for any rank he is reviewed twice; once in a Scoutmaster conference and once at a Board of review.
IN THIS PODCAST Fourth in the series about the steps of Scout advancement ‘A Scout Is Reviewed'. We discuss the Scoutmaster conference and the board of review. Answer to an email question about keeping advancement records. Also your messages in the mailbag.
Third in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 (Click on the titles above to read the articles) … the standard of proficiency is purposely left undefined.
Second in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 "… It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy spirit of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation…
There are four steps to Scout advancement described in the Scoutmaster's Handbook PP. 124-127 Before we look at these steps let's contextualize advancement within all the aims and methods of Scouting; Advancement is simply a means to an end, not an end in itself.
Twenty years ago (or more) the B.S.A. concluded that Scouts ought to earn First Class rank in the first year based on a statistical ‘leading indicator', a connection between when Scouts become First Class and how long they stay in Scouting.
Advancement is like a suntan; something you get naturally whilst having fun in the outdoors." Baden-Powell Scout advancement is not a goal; it is an indicator. Our aim is not that Scouts attain a certain level of skill or expertise but that they have fun in the outdoors doing things Scouts do.
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.
For those of you new to Boy Scouting, please understand that it is not an advanced Webelos Program. Indeed, it is quite different. Unlike almost every other youth program, Boy Scouting is youth led and youth run. That's right, adults do not run a Boy Scout Troop.
Life is the fifth rank a Boy Scout can earn. It is earned after Star. A Scout working on the rank of Life continues to develop leadership, participates in service projects, and earns merit badges. He must also share his skills by using the EDGE method to teach another Scout.
Can a unit set attendance requirements? Can Scouters mandate, for example, that Scouts show up for at least half of all meetings and outings? When I first received this question in 2009 , the answer was no. But that was back when Bryan on Scouting was called "Cracker Barrel."
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 Guide to Advancement 2011 is now available online with helpful internal links. There's also a PDF version of the guide. Related resources at ScoutmasterCG First thoughts about the new guide and a Podcast on the subject Mandated Procedures, Recommended Practices Discussion with
First Class is the third rank a Boy Scout can earn. He earns it after Second Class The requirements for First Class continue to teach the youth to the skills he needs to advance in Boy Scouting. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
I recevied this question recently via the website contact form. The email address given did not work so I am publishing the question and answer here. -Clarke I'm a assistant scoutmaster and was recently contacted by a dad of a scout that after one year is still at Scout rank.
Second Class is the second rank a Boy Scout can earn. He earns it after Tenderfoot. The Second Class rank requirements for Boy Scouts continue to teach the youth to the skills he needs to advance in Boy Scouting. [ This is a content summary only.
Our district is holding its annual merit badge pow-wow in March and I've been handing out registration forms for the last couple weeks. One boy, a Life scout, asked me if it would they would let him sign up for three required merit badges (the pow-wow rules say a max of two).
I heard somewhere that a Unit Commissioner read the new Guide to Advancement and said: 'Council and National expect us to set requirements for being active and if they eventually find them too strict OR too lax they will step in and start setting them.'
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…
IN THIS PODCAST Interview with members of the National Advancement Team about the new Guide to Advancement and Eagle Project Workbook LINKS IN THIS PODCAST B.S.A. Advancement Resources Guide to Advancement 2011 (PDF) Eagle Project Workbook Email the National Advancement Team KEEP IN TOUCH Contact Clarke Green Call and leave a voice mail comment or…
I'll be interviewing three members of the National Advancement Committee this week about the Guide to Advancement for Scoutmaster Podcast 97. Now's your chance to send me questions about the guide that you'd like to have answered. There was a flurry of discussion just after the guide was published and I have been compiled this…
It is not a secret. Some Boy Scouts get nervous when it is time to do a scoutmaster conference for a rank. As a scoutmaster I do my best to put the Scout at ease and we usually get through it without a problem.
Here's what makes an Eagle Scout; A Scout completes the requirements as issued by the B.S.A. and is approved by a duly constituted board of review. That's it. So what about those oft discussed and argued qualities like maturity and leadership ability and active service?
Here are a few other advancement-related items that have been changed or clarified in the recent Guide to Advancement that affect the troop committee: If you've ever been caught short on a board of review night without enough committee members on …
Three tests for "active", signing rank requirements, Brick Mason's fire building demonstration. Guide to Advancement 2011 Subscribe to the Scoutmaster Newsletter Call and leave a voice mail comment or question at (484) 734-0002 Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes Podcast Music
My son passed his Eagle board of review in late September and I was invited to join the district advancement committee to review Eagle projects in mid-October. A few days later, the new advancement book was released, so I've been reviewing it in detail.
In my work with our local planning commission we are charged with interpreting and applying standards in the Zoning code. These interpretations often turn on little words; in fact one becomes adept at finding the little words because they usually clarify the situation quickly.
MyRoadToEagle.com is a free internet advancement tracking website designed by a current Scoutmaster. There are a lot of ways to track advancement online and with smartphone apps but MyRoadToEagle.com has the best graphic interface I have seen thus far. Here's the individual Scout page: I like the bars that show progress in different areas.
