Day 6 (Friday): The last day of program time was used to wrap up merit badge classes in the morning. The afternoon consisted of free time again which saw another trip to the rifle range and two more sets qualifying for the Dime Club.
Eagle Scouts who want to stop by the National Scouting Museum in Irving, TX, Aug. 15-21, 2015, can get in for free, bond with fellow Scouters, and receive recognition for earning Scouting’s highest rank. The 13th Eagle Scout Heritage Celebration kicks off at the National Scouting Museum on Sat., Aug.
This Wolf den outing covers three of the seven requirements for the Call of the Wild Wolf adventure. The other requirements will be covered in a meeting about outdoor skills and a meeting about safety . Some of you might not have much outdoor experience.
During his lifetime Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, wrote many books and articles directed to Scouters. Each Sunday I'll publish a selection from his writings in the hope that you'll draw inspiration and understanding from his timeless ideas.
August 2015 CPR Training or What Not to use as an AED! Cafe Press Items Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
More than fifteen thousand Arrowmen – Scouting's best – converge on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing starting today to take part in the largest Scouting event in the United States other than the National Jamboree. The National Order of the Arrow Conference, or NOAC, gives these young men the opportunity to
When discussing pocket knife safety with Cub Scouts, I found it helpful to have them demonstrate their knowledge with a fake cardboard knife before putting a real knife in their hands. We made the fake pocket knives first. Then we put some lipstick on the "blade" of the knife.
Our Arrowmen have been on the road all summer spreading the word about Scouting as they celebrate 100 years since the Order of the Arrow was founded. What a great job they’re doing! Check out some of the photos and videos they’ve posted from their ArrowTour stops in 110 cities all over the country.
The 23rd World Scout Jamboree is under way right now in Japan. You can even see live streaming videos on this page (but it's 1:00am right now). The 24th will be held in 2019 at the Summit in West Virginia.
This encore presentation features an interview with author Mike Malone about his book about what it means to be an Eagle Scout, Four Percent. Mike is an award-winning author and experienced Scouter with an impressive resume of leadership. Four Percent is much more than a simple history of the award – it is a significant contribution…
NOAC 2015 is unlike any before it, and it has a trading post to match. Kay Trick and her team accomplished this with what she calls an "IKEA-style flow."
At the MSU Dairy Store, five college-age workers maintain their smiles as they busily serve shakes, scoops, cups and cones to a steady stream of Arrowmen.
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 .
Remember this April when we announced the STEM Scout pilot program was expanding to 12 councils ? Well a lot has happened in the STEM Scouts world since then, and we want to keep you up to speed as the program prepares for recruitment season this fall.
I interviewed several Arrowmen to learn what their favorite patches — an answer that may change during the 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference.
Mike Surbaugh, who on Oct. 1 will become the BSA's 13th Chief Scout Executive, climbed, ran and crawled through the OAWarrior challenge course at NOAC 2015.
When Scouting’s honor society gets together, the camaraderie and collaboration don’t stop. This week Arrowmen are celebrating Order of the Arrow’s Centennial at the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC). The conference is happening on Michigan State University’s campus, drawing 15,000 Arrowmen together for competition, recognition, and plenty of recreation (5Ks, scuba diving, and…
Grandfathers and dads have long shared the memories and experiences of their Scouting days, in hopes of continuing the tradition with their sons and grandsons. So when Priscilla Hedline of The Wheelchair Mommy heard of her husband’s memories and lifelong friendships from Scouting, she knew it would be the perfect program to introduce to her…
A reader has taken the initiative to create a map of inclusive Scouting – they write: Though we may not always agree on the policy, we can always agree that more youth in Scouting is a good thing. So for parents, youth, and volunteers that haven't considered Scouting in the past because of inclusivity concerns, we've…
Ask yourself: is my team built to have a winning recruitment season? Here’s one tool to make sure it is! There are just a few weeks to go before fall recruiting really kicks off. In the JTE Leadership Hour on Aug.
Most of the Arrowmen who watch the jaw-dropping shows will never get to thank the NOAC 2015 scenic design team. But they're not doing it for the glory.
Last night we were challenged by the Order of the Arrow National Chief: "Dare to Do" for the next 100 days. Do an act of unselfish kindness, a good turn, each day for the next 100 days. What will you do? #DAREtoDO http://dareto.do
What's that hash tag doing in the title of this article? It's the latest initiative to spring forth from this year's historic centennial National Order of the Arrow Conference at Michigan State University. Conceived by a handful of Arrowmen and their adult advisors and unveiled by national chief Alex Call during the arena show Wednesday
Here’s a story of Scouting values that is reaching global proportions. There is a troop in Salt Lake City known as the “Jungle Refugee Troop,” or more formally as Troop 1262 . It was formed in 2006 under the direction of Scout leaders and sponsored by the Columbus Branch of the South Salt Lake LDS Stake…
Some 15,000 Arrowmen gathered inside Michigan State's Spartan Stadium for what organizers called the largest emergency evacuation drill in stadium history.
You caught our coverage on what’s happening at the 2015 World Scout Jamboree , but as the fun wraps up in Japan, Scouting associations of North America accelerate toward the 2019 World Scout Jamboree! What’s more, the 24th World Scout Jamboree is landing at the BSA’s newest adventure base right here in the United States from…
The 2015 National Order of the Arrow Conference closed with a show that made Arrowmen think, laugh, scream, dance and maybe even get a little teary-eyed.
This year's Scouting themed Snoopy ornament is now on sale at your local Hallmark store. The 2015 piece features Snoopy the Beagle Scout, or scoutmaster, and three of his "Scouts" racing their Pinewood Derby cars. It is nice to see a Cub Scouting themed ornament this year.
During his lifetime Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, wrote many books and articles directed to Scouters. Each Sunday I'll publish a selection from his writings in the hope that you'll draw inspiration and understanding from his timeless ideas.
This week's batch of 12 projects includes a shade structure with a view, a simple project that turned into something huge, a community garden and more.
School starts in most places in just a few weeks, which means we're heading into our big recruiting season. Packs will be going out into the schools to spread the word about Cub Scouting, enticing boys with the thrill of adventure, exploration and fun, and hoping they'll run home to tell their parents that they
In this encore presentation I interview Les Stroud of Survivorman about his book Will to Live . Will to Live is written with skill and honesty. I've read many survival accounts, accident reports and how-to books, but Will to Live weaves all of these together.
S'mores are awesome, and we know there really isn't a reason to mess with this classic camping dessert. But if you are feeling adventurous and want something new, here are 10 tasty alternative S'mores recipes that you should try. Got another S'mores variation?
Join us in congratulating Doug Brown on his new position as the Scout executive for the East Carolina Council , Kinston, NC. He’ll assume the role on Sept. 1, 2015. Brown is currently a member of the Regional Operations office and began his professional Scouting career as an Exploring executive at the Crossroads of America Council…
Enjoy the perennial Cub Scout tradition of making s'mores even if you don't have a fire! Find out more about these gooey favorites including some fun games.
Scouts from the USA, Canada and Mexico will welcome Scouts from around the planet at the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, held at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.
Find out someone’s an Eagle Scout and you can make a few assumptions about his character right off the bat. He’s probably a leader who can handle a challenge and has a passion for helping others. This kind of quick personality assessment extends into the realm of entertainment and fiction.
Have you checked out beascout.org lately? Well stop what you’re doing and head over there now, because this site has undergone a facelift to help in your council’s recruitment strategy. The site received several major updates, helping in the process of signing up for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing.
Between juggling full-time careers and raising kids, time is a single parent’s – or any parent’s – most precious commodity. So for councils and districts trying to reach these time-strapped parents for Cub Scout recruitment, connecting with them on a personal level is key.
Personal recommendations pull a lot of clout when it comes to trusting a new product or program. In fact, m illennials trust brands and advertising less and less. They increasingly look to friends and other millenials who share their interests for input on buying decisions.
There are moments in your life where vision is realized, made clear, and action set in motion. We have lived moments that have greater meaning, cause us to be moved, and in the words that resonate through out the Order of the Arrow, we "Seek a Higher Vision".
That's the subject line on an e-mail advertisement I received this week from a popular athletic gear company. (I won't say which one.) They're known for making high-quality apparel that keeps athletes comfortable in hot and cold weather, and their lines have broadened to include casual clothing as well. The e-mail pictured a young man,
The BSA Fund Development Department and ScoutingU have teamed up with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) to offer local council staff and volunteers an opportunity to earn CFRE International continuing education credits by participating in an AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising Course.
It’s hard for me to believe that most of the summer has already passed and school is starting in many of our councils — a sure sign that fall recruitment is underway. I really appreciate the many innovative approaches our councils and leaders are taking to reach new audiences in an effort to build their Cub…
Do you know any scouts that like stickers? My son's water bottle is plastered with layers of stickers! I have a bunch of these stickers to hand out to scouts I meet on my Appalachian Trail trek starting next week for those lucky ones that track me down.
I was surprised to find the ways Google is using technology to auto-populate content on the internet. This blog is of course tied to my Google account, which is also tied to my Android phone. And as we may often forget, camera phones attach meta data to the pictures to record the location where the…
When I think about the Scout law, it reminds me to meet my responsibilities and demonstrate to others that I care. Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on these principles and thought the “back to school” season would be a good time for us to give our young people a refresher on the Scout Law…
A reader sent in this question: Hello! I am new to the role of CC and have been told my only purpose is recharter. However, on this site and the BSA site the CC role is much more in-depth. Do I follow the role as outlined by BSA or what the CM has stated?
If you've been involved in the new Cub Scout program over the summer, I expect you've probably come up with some neat ideas for some of the adventures. If your Pack's program year starts in a couple weeks with the new school year, then you're getting ready to lead scouts through their adventures on the…
Plastic Sheet Shelters In the light that Pioneering has been referred to as “Scout Engineering,” many projects can be considered a pioneering-related venture when Scouts are confronted with fashioning and building something requiring intelligent use of their resources, consideration of angles, trajectory, and some campcraft skills.
At the Wednesday show at the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) the National Chief rolled out a social media blitz. Staying with the theme "It Starts with Us", the National Chief challenged.. no Dared each person in the Breslin Arena to remember that to change the world we must first love one another.
To continue our series of articles on unit finance, we'll discuss a couple issues that can be complex: whether your unit holds non-profit status and its implications, including sales tax liability. Bear in mind that I am not an accountant or tax lawyer. The information presented here is from personal experience. Also, rules and regulations
A Scout is courteous, and wearing antiperspirant is the courteous thing to do. But this week I learned I've been using antiperspirant wrong all my life.
This encore presentation features an interview with Kevin Callan, the happy camper, the most famous camping and canoeing expert you've never heard of. Kevin is a Canadian, a famous Canadian on Canadian television and radio, he's a well-known author; a famous canoeist and camper in a country full of canoeists and campers.
Ever wished you could relive the adventures and fun of camping through the rocky, high country trails of Philmont Scout Ranch? Or maybe you’ve never been to Philmont and want to see what all the excitement is about. Thanks to the Philmont Scout Ranch Photo Archive , you can do both!
As a flock of Eagle Scouts prepare to take flight at universities all over the world, now is the time to start thinking about scholarship opportunities. Be sure the National Eagle Scout Association’s academic and merit-based scholarships are on your Eagle’s application list.
Bring the quality your Scouts deserve to outdoor programs by registering for the BSA’s National Outdoor Conference! We’re talking about Scouting’s biggest get‐together of professionals and volunteers charged with delivering the world’s greatest outdoor program for youth. The conference is Oct.
Since Mike Surbaugh was named as the BSA’s next Chief Scout Executive in May, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Mike as he prepares to transition to his new role. Behind the scenes, Mike has tenaciously been gathering facts and engaging countless volunteers and staff across our organization to listen to their thoughts and…
Citizenship. Perspective. Community involvement. Independence. Collaboration. These are the qualities and strengths Scout mom Catherine watches develop in her son as he participates in Scouting. As a Scouting volunteer or employee, you’ve probably witnessed countless similar stories of young men and women who have thrived within the BSA’s programs.
Popcorn sales, car washes and other traditional Scouting fundraisers provide significant support for local councils across the country, allowing countless kids the opportunity to take part in the adventures of Scouting. But some councils are thinking outside the box when it comes to local fundraising and the results are inspiring.
It’s back to school season in Scouting, folks! And no, we aren’t talking about dashing to your first class or memorizing your new schedule. Adult volunteers in Scouting are gearing up for a unique educational experience with Scouting University (Scouting U).
Hey, you are still here reading this blog? I have been away due to work and SUMMER. I wanted to catch-up with a few items related to Scouting. District: Our two District's merged on July 1st. We are now called …
This summer, Lydia Grande spent six-and-a-half weeks as a counselor at Camp T. Brady Saunders in Virginia. She shares her "Lessons from Scout Camp" with us.
We all want our Cub Scouts to be safe especially when we're doing outdoor activities. That's why the Boy Scouts of America has compiled a list of the Cub Scout Six Essentials for Hiking. The essentials can also be used for other outdoor activities as well. If you search online, you'll find many different lists
A question I've heard in Eagle Scout Board of Reviews is "what's the difference between a high school quarterback and an Eagle Scout?" The answer being the quarterback is done when high school ends, but the Eagle Scout carries that with him forever.