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Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Posted in Nature and the WorldBoy Scouts who want to learn more about reptiles will enjoy the Reptile and Amphibian Study merit badge. They will learn how to classify reptiles and find out about their habitats and how they live.
One of the easy bird feeders for kids to make is a craft stick platform. It can be made without peanut butter by substituting shortening.
With some teens, you might as well give their allowance directly to Best Buy, GameStop, or Cinemark, because it's going straight there anyway. There's got to be a better way. And now, there is. Harness the power of the Boy Scouts of America Discover prepaid card, which lets you monitor your kid's daily spending, teach…
Click to open May 15 issue The May 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read about how one of our local councils, the Capitol Area Council in Austin, Texas, is using Blackbaud Sphere for its peer-to-peer fundraising.
From the Ropes and Poles archives : In 2007, a the Senior Scouts of Scouting De Veste Hasselt built this fire-heated pioneered swimming pool .
A new template is available for planning and implementing board diversity: Click here for the template or go to our website at www.scouting.org/jte and scroll to the Council Tools section.
If you are looking for a reliable way to re-charge portable electronic devices on extended camping trips the Brunton Restore is a solid choice. When at full capacity the Restore's internal lithium polymer battery will recharge virtually any USB compatible device.
With the new permanent home of the national Scout jamboree set to officially open in July, questions abound. We've sent roving reporter Haynes out in the field to answer the most common questions we've received on Facebook and here on the Summit Blog and captured the magic on video.
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…
BSA Tiger Supplemental Den Meeting Plan L – Feed the Birds Posted in Nature and the WorldBSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans. In this Tiger Den meeting plan, Tigers make bird feeders to fulfill Tiger Elective 32 – Feed the Birds Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and...
Please join us in congratulating the winners of the 15th Annual National President's Awards for Marketing Excellence! These awards recognize councils that are doing outstanding work in the areas of Best Positive Public Relations, Best Website, Best Marketing Campaign, Best Finance Support Materials, and more!
There's tons to see inside the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum near Portland, Ore. But it's what's outside that caught my eye. The museum, located in McMinnville, just opened a new designated Scout camping area. That means Scouts can set up their tents among oak trees right off the museum's parking lot and then walk over…
Published by Scouts UK with a forward by Bear Grylls The Outdoor Adventure Manual is packed with practical Scout skill tutorials ; tents and camping, fire, food and cooking, tools and gadgets, knots and lashings, navigation, first aid and survival, and more.
After reviewing this BSA Membership Standards Review Information on Thursday, May 23, approximately 1400 voting members representing 265 local councils will vote on a resolution that, in short, removes the stipulation that boys can be excluded from membership in the BSA based on sexual orientation alone.
Our council held a series of round-robin Jamboree training sessions this weekend as we count down the last 50 days before our east coast adventure. We learned a lot about what to expect on this trip including packing requirements, the Do's & Don'ts of patch trading, tips on personal hygiene, travel etiquette, restaurant manners and uniform…
Today was a good day. Debora and Rachel were off at Girl Scout Camp for an overnight. That left Elliot and I to ourselves. Saturday was about Baseball and Iron Man 3. Though Baseball got canceled due to rain, we adjusted and had breakfast at Fat City. I told Elliot that we were going for
Well, Camporee is over once again for another year. Here are some thoughts on the weekend… First and foremost I need to tell you that pride is just one word that comes to mind when it comes to how I feel about the boys of my Troop.
Where can you get professional quality leadership development training, worth many thousands of dollars, for a bargain price? One of the perks of our serving as Scouting volunteers is the opportunity to learn and improve our own leadership skills as …
The 2013 National Scout Jamboree still needs staff. It's going to take a bunch of dedicated people willing to help out to make this year's event shine. That's where you come in. We're putting out another call for dependable Scouts to join the ranks of the jamboree staff and be part of the first-ever jamboree…
Venturing Ranger Award Elective – Scuba Posted in Outdoor RecreationTo complete the Venturing Ranger Award requirements for Scuba, a Venturer must learn all about scuba diving and then assist in teaching others about scuba diving through the Discover Scuba program. Copyright Scouter Mom - A...
Anticipation and emotions are high as we prepare for the membership standards vote this week. Regardless of which way the vote goes, the important question for each of us is, where will we stand after the ballots are counted? To help provide some perspective, I'd like to share a letter from Ray Capp, chairman of…
This edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast the mailbag is overflowing and we'll discuss the Membership Standards Review information and this week's vote at the BSA national meeting. Links in this Podcast: Membership standards review information – (the PDF and Video mentioned in the podcast.) ScoutCircle ScoutmasterCG YouTube Channel Scoutmaster Podcast 172 – Membership Review
________________________________________ Want to visit the 2013 NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE at Bechtel Summit in July with a group of other fine Scouters? Long-time Scouter David Cooper, of the Cradle of Liberty Council, PA, has put together a wonderful four-day special trip and tour that may be just what you're looking for!
It's officially race week. Yes, the Indy 500 - aka "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" - roars to life on Sunday. Fans of racing, fast cars, or major sporting events are probably already planning to tune in and watch the Indianapolis 500 (noon Sunday on ABC).
Video Games Pin for Cub Scouts Posted in A Game with a PurposeI remember a couple of years ago when this recognition was introduced. There was a lot of buzz about an award for video gaming. Hopefully your Cub Scout will learn to use video games responsibly by earning the Video Games pin from the...
Camp Watchamagumee was the place to be for the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 during the weekend of May 17-19. The six Scouts, including four new members, and two adult leaders may have got a bit damp during the evening hours but they had a lot of fun during the day.
Simply heart-breaking. theatlantic : See More Photos From Our In Focus Gallery of Tornado Damage in Moore, Oklahoma [Images: AP, Getty, Reuters]
Some rights reserved by NASA Goddard Photo and Video Eldon Fossey, Scoutmaster of Troop 75 in Moore, Okla., was at work when the deadly tornadoes passed through yesterday, killing at least 24 and leaving horrific damage. As soon as they got the all-clear, Eldon's boss told everyone to leave.
After it's founding Scouting quickly and spontaneously spread around the world. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of this burgeoning worldwide movement, would look back at those years and recall*: Scouting was not a year old before other countries had formed their branches.
The Scout Association and B&Q have bagged an award for best charity partnership: retail and leisure, at the Business Charity Awards 2013.
You know that dream you have of flying? If you're coming to the 2013 National Scout Jamboree , you'll have a chance to live that dream at The Canopy. Seriously. Check out the video above for a taste. Built by Bonsai Design , the eight courses of The Canopy feature more miles of zips than any facility…
Last week, I introduced a new series on Scouting Rediscovered called, "The Wilderness of Scouting." In this series, I want to explore what the wilderness is and what its role in Scouting is. I would also like to explore how technology fits into that picture.
Here's Arlen Ward and I discussing Kandersteg International Scout Center on the most recent ScoutCircle . I'll be returning there next Summer and I encourage you to look into the possibility of taking your Scouts. If you are interested in arranging a trip I'd be happy to help.
The ongoing rolling review of the governance and guidelines of activities continues this month, focusing on cycling and motor sports.
Highwayman’s Hitch This is a neat quick-release knot that can hold a considerable strain. It’s also known as the fireman’s hitch and the highwayman’s hitch. Though there is no verifiable evidence that it was ever used by robbers on horseback to unhitch their horses for a quick getaway, it is ideal for reliably securing a…
During our last camp out I was forced into a situation that I am sure most if not all Scoutmasters hope that they never have to deal with. I was sitting with the Assistant Scoutmaster when from over in the Scout area of camp I heard a word that got my attention.
Okay, okay, okay, I am pretty bad about this regular posting thing but I'm hoping to write more often, as Scouting for me has been extremely complicated and extremely busy. However unlike normal where I promise to do better, I'm not going to promise anything about post frequency as that seems to detract from the…
Rowing Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Posted in FitnessRowing merit badge is often completed at Boy Scout summer camp. I always enjoy seeing their skill level improve over the series of days. The first day they are often rowing around in circles, but by the end of the week they have the hang of...
A vote will be held today about the future of the Boyscouts of America. It centers around if the BSA should allow the LBGT Youth in as members. I wrote a blog post in July 2012 about my feelings then. My feelings are still the same. I have watched, seen and talked to many people
National Executive Wayne Brock's message on the policy resolution; Anticipation and emotions are high as we prepare for the membership standards vote this week. Regardless of which way the vote goes, the important question for each of us is, where will we stand after the ballots are counted?
After an extensive discussion within the organization, the Boy Scouts of America's approximately 1,400 volunteer voting members chose to adopt the membership policy resolution and remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone. The final vote breakdown was 61.44 percent for the proposal, and 38.56 percent against.
The Boy Scouts of America Statement: "For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, with a focus on working together to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Sir W Garth Morrison, KT, CBE, RN Vice-President of The Scout Association and former Chief Scout went home earlier today
If you could only choose three to describe the adventure...what would they be? We want you to tell us!
The BSA membership resolution has passed today. See the BSA statement for details. Over the next 6 months, I expect we'll see changes to logistics policies and training, especially Youth Protection. As those changes are being planned, designed, and implemented, all of us Scouting volunteers can continue the program we've promised boys in our communities.
The theme at KonTiki this year was the Wild West, and my troop, Ninth Benoni, decided to lean towards Indians rather than Cowboys. One of our Assistant Troop Scouters, Greg Gardiner, designed this gateway, and led the Scouts in harvesting the materials and building it over the course of a few weekends.
In the wake of many disasters, Order of the Arrow Lodges have issued special flap patches for sale to raise money to help victims and families recover. Following the disaster in West, Texas, that took the lives of so many first responders and severely impacted the community, the local Order of the Arrow Lodge responded…
Did you know that you can get all of the Cub Scout books online in an electronic format?
Summit high adventure programs -why waste words telling you about what's coming in 2014 when you can see it with your own eyes? We dare you not to be fully stoked. Ready to get your high adventure on?
BSA Arrow of Light Den Meeting Plan 6 – AOL Hike Posted in HikingThe sixth in the Arrow of Light series of Webelos den meeting plans covers requirement 5 for the Arrow of Light emblem, which is a hike. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting [ This is a content summary…
As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, the BSA has voted to change its membership policy. For those interested in reading the official BSA statement, click here . Also useful is the BSA's " Points of Clarification " page regarding the membership resolution.
With the passage of the vote that was held to allow the LBGT Youth to officially be in the Boyscouts of America, there are a lot of hurt feelings of my fellow Scouts and Scouters. This is hard for them. Their belief of what Scouting is and should be isn't what it is and
While my favorite external frame backpack for Scouts is the Outdoor Products Dragonfly some prefer an internal frame backpack. Finding an internal frame pack for Scouts that has the right combination of features for a reasonable price is a challenge.
Dear Parents, As you may be aware, the Boy Scouts of America voted the other day to change its policy to allow boys that are homosexual to join the organization. This decision, even though it has been debated for the better part of a year continues to draw much discussion.
This past week Elliot and 19 other Scouts from the Troop went to the local swimming pool and worked on the BSA Swim Test. All the Scouts passed the BSA Swim Test. 7 Scouts also worked off their 1st Class Swim Requirements. It was good to note that these requirement that Elliot and others passes/demonstrated
FULL CAMPCRAFT REVISIONS HERE Page 304 , Tarps, top right drawing — INCORRECT: Use a pair of actual photos illustrating a double half hitch at the grommet and a correctly illustrated double half hitch to secure the stone! (These photos are accurate): TOOLS Chapter 12, Page 378 , improve the illustrations — I’ve got excellent action photos that are…
How about a short story for your next troop outing? – - - A Grandmother, a Boy Scout, a Teacher, and the smartest man in the world were on a plane. After a while, it became known that plane was failing and was about to crash.
Enjoy Memorial Day the Scoutmaster Podcast returns next Monday! We will be reminded many times today that Memorial Day is not about picnics, ballgames and the first day of summer. But it really is. Picnics, little league, trips to the beach or lake will all happen in a country where most of us are free…
Many troops scale back a bit during the summer months, so in the coming weeks the list of things to pay attention to will shrink somewhat. There are still several things you need to ensure get handled before the break. …
I do not know if you have ever read this poem but I thought you may enjoy it. It is a poem by Bill Chiappi about the adult Boy Scout leader. It is called "The Scouter". I happen to come across this many years ago.
Whether you're heading to the Summit as a jamboree participant , staff member , or visitor , the Jamboree Summit App is one of the smallest items you need to pack. If you're an Apple iOS or Android user, here are three reasons to download the app today: Scouts and Venturers participating in the jamboree can view their…
Memorial Day Posted in CitizenshipToday we honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. This poem by American author Francis Marion Crawford would make an excellent reading for any Memorial Day ceremony. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting [ This is a content summary only.
The BSA is offering Naturally Slim to you and your spouse at no cost! Naturally Slim is an online health improvement program that can help you lose weight, reduce stress, increase exercise, and improve your overall health-all while eating the foods you actually like to eat!
Be prepared! The Emergency Care & Safety Institute ( ECSI ) and the Boy Scouts of America both understand the importance of developing the skills necessary to be prepared for emergencies. A new training agreement will assist your council in developing instructor trainers and instructors.
Wildlife Conservation Pin for Cub Scouts Posted in ConservationWorking on the Wildlife Conservation pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program helps Cub Scouts think about how they can protect wildlife habitats. By understanding what wildlife need to live, they can help with...
Many of today's Boy Scouts have never heard of Victor Borge. Borge was a great entertainer. He was a superb pianist and a fantastic story teller, and somehow was able to put those talents together and create a humorous musical show.
To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labor. Robert Louis Stevenson Why should you be a Scouting volunteer? Through three decades of guiding my Scouts as a volunteer Scouter I've camped and hiked and canoed my way through some beautiful places, shared a thousand campfires and…
At age 15, the Venturing program is beginning to show its age. Membership has declined since 2008. Venturing has the lowest retention rate - 53 percent - of any BSA program. And advancement hasn't caught on with teens; just 0.66 percent of Venturers earn any awards.
The "feel-good story of the year" isn't playing at your local theater. It's found in videos like the ones below, showcasing the winners of 2013′s three biggest National Eagle Scout Association scholarships. First meet Elijah LeCroix, winner of the Glenn A.
Excited for the 2013 National Scout Jamboree in July? You should be! It's the first ever jamboree at the Summit. To celebrate, we're looking for the best pictures from your archives of any awesome Scout gathering. If you've got old jambo shots, great.
Wow! What a month for me to take off from the Blog! My hour a week left over after Scouting has seemed to vanish lately, and the last thing I've wanted to do was think about Scouts more and post …
I think one of the coolest things about the Bear Lake Aquatics Base is what they offer for the Aviation Merit Badge. In fact, it's one of the reasons we're going to BLAB again this summer. Boys who register for this merit badge get to complete requirement 2 by actually going up in an aircraft!
More than 1,200 Cubs are all aboard for a week of swashbuckling fun at Cubjam in Gilwell Park.
To provide the best youth program, the Research & Program Innovation Department surveys membership from time to time to learn members' opinions on various Scouting issues. Please encourage your youth members (14 years of age or older), volunteers, Boy Scout parents, and Cub Scout parents to join our research panel by including the following wording and…
You may have heard about a recent policy change in the BSA on the 23rd of May to remove the restriction based on sexual orientation alone
Here is a story for your next troop campfire. I do not know who wrote it, or even remember where I picked it up, but it is a good story. Iy is a story about a promise made by two Eagle Scouts who were best friends and even worked at summer camp together.
This Memorial Day a rather large group of us made an attempt at climbing Mt. Saint Helens. You know that mountain here in the northwest that one morning in 1980 blew it's top. I stare at that mountain every day.
When the going gets tough, Scouts shift into high gear. And as it turns out, so does the Boy Scouts of America IndyCar team. Justin Wilson, driver of the Dale Coyne Racing No. 19 car, overcame a tire problem that dropped him to 24th midrace all the way to a fifth-place finish in Sunday's Indianapolis…
Start Your Engines – STEM Award for Boy Scouts (Technology) Posted in ScienceThe technology Nova STEM award for Boy Scouts is called Start Your Engines and is designed to help you explore how technology affects your life each day. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth...
There's no way to compel Scouts to respect you (or anything else for that matter). We can make them act respectful towards us or the things we say but acting respectful towards someone or something and having respect for someone or something are two very different things.
The purpose of the "Get Kids to Camp" partnership is to get Scouts to camp by providing trained, qualified adults to serve as unit leaders for units (chartered or provisional) that would otherwise be unable to attend council summer camp.
Walking is the way to go at the Summit. Here are a couple of pointers for taking care of your feet while getting around the 2013 National Scout Jamboree: It's All About the Shoes While hiking boots provide more support and warmth, a pair of trail runners or low cut boots will best suit you…
Sign up for a practical training session and improve communications.
I once heard a quote somewhere in which supposedly Baden-Powell said, and I am paraphrasing "the mark of a real Scout troop is one that sings." I can't remember where or when I heard that but when I think about my Scouting experience as a youth some of my fondest memories are of us singing.
Employment applications and fillable supporting documents for the new recommended council employment processes are on the HR Gateway, accessible through MyBSA. HR Gateway Path to Processes: HR Gateway > Manager Resources > Council Employment Recruiting These steps for the hiring of council employees are recommended for your use.
Scuba Diving Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Posted in FitnessThe Scuba Diving merit badge gives Boy Scouts the opportunity to learn all about scuba. Your local scuba shop might be a good resource. One in our area has chartered a Venture Crew with a scuba specialty.
As I continue a campfire theme this week, I thought it would be fun to post at least one skit that would be easy for two Boy Scouts to learn for your next weekend camping trip. The only prop needed is a flashlight.
…the business of the Scouter - and a very interesting one it is - is to draw out each boy and find out what is in him, and then to catch hold of the good and develop it to the exclusion of the bad.
The new design for the Science program feature (above) and the old design. In Scouting, one size doesn't fit all. So suggesting a month-by-month troop planning calendar on a national level, as in the past, just doesn't work. For example, take the Fishing program feature.
Data from the Spring 2013 Voice of the Scout survey is now live on the JTE dashboard. Access the VOS dashboard from MyBSA (employees) or MyScouting account (volunteers). The spring infographic and executive summary are posted on www.scouting.org/jte in the VOS section, along with fall campaign materials for program kickoff packets.
Just met this week with the Committee Chair and the Treasurer for the Pre-Planning Meeting for the Pack's Annual Planning Meeting and I feel a lot better about the process going into this year than I did about going into …
SketchUp 2013 was released last week. Most of the drawings on this blog were produced using SketchUp, and many of them are available for download here . In 2013, there have been many tweaks to usability and appearance of the basic tools in SketchUp, as well as a new Extension Warehouse , a place for extensions and…
The Council Market Analysis report provides demographic and lifestyle information specific to each council. The analysis provides information about the cultures, values, and attitudes of a council's members and community. The maps and tables in this report include numbers, percentages, indexes, and lifestyle information.
Welcome back to Scouting Rediscovered! In this post, I'd like to continue a very interesting series I'm working on about the wilderness and its important role in Scouting. In the first post of this series , I defined the current dilemma of the wilderness's role in Scouting and laid out what this series would be about.
The folks at Paddling Light have published this decision tree for canoeists and kayakers faced with the eternal question; "is this the perfect campsite or should we look for another one?". If you have no idea what this is all about you haven't been in a canoe trying to decide if it's time to find…
BSA Bear Supplemental Den Meeting Plan G – Nature Crafts Posted in HikingNature and the WorldCub Scout Bear den meeting plans are step by step guides to carrying out a den meeting. This Bear den meeting idea covers Bear Elective 12 – Nature Crafts Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for...
Scouting isn't free. Yes, it's a heck of a lot cheaper to be a Scout than to participate on a club soccer or lacrosse team. But there's still a cost in Scouting - dues, uniforms, gear, activity fees, travel expenses, printed materials, and more.
After an extensive discussion within the organization, the BSA's approximately 1,400 volunteer voting members have adopted the membership policy resolution which will result in the removal of the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone.
Well, it looks like our customers have had a fun-filled Spring so far, gearing up for an amazing Summer ahead! We don't know how you've had the time to send in your photos; but, we sure do appreciate it! We've received tons of great pictures this month and couldn't wait to share them with you…
Get ready to roll because The Trax BMX activity area is going to be off the chain at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree . Still not convinced The Trax will be ready? Check out the video above. If you listen closely to Tom Wagner in the video, you'll realize that The Trax was pretty well finished…
