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One Connecticut Scoutmaster's journey to the top of the world started much closer to sea level. Mark Milewski, Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster of Troop 25 in Manchester, Conn., reached the summit of Mount Everest in May, and he says Scouting gave him the character and grit he needed to get there.
Pumpkin-spice fanatics, rejoice! #PSL season is upon us and it’s here sooner and in more unique ways than ever before. But you know what? The holiday coffee craze is so mainstream and unoriginal nowadays that we’ve decided to take the feel-good taste from the traditional fall drink and spice up breakfast using a Scouting hack…
How to Make Dutch-Oven Baked Apples Servings: 9-12 Total time: 1 hour What you'll need: ½ cup rolled oats ¾ cup brown sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup) 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature) 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon lemon zest, fresh ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ cup diced dried cherries ¼ cup…
_______________________________________ This issue is an extension of my earlier column this week (No. 499-8/30/16), thanks to four dedicated Scouters who have information expanding on or fine-tuning answers to three issues in that column: Bob Elliott, Bob Firriolo, Mike Walton, and Robby Wright.
I've been contemplating having badges made, which would be available for sale here on the blog. Some designs are shown above, featuring various projects from the blog archives , and I'd like your help choosing the first one to have embroidered.
There's a lot to love about the 13th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook. There are the 13 things I listed here , and there are many more that didn't make my list. But one bit of feedback the BSA has heard about the Handbook is that the rank requirements section (beginning on page 438) doesn't…
Join us in congratulating Don Olsen as Scout Executive of the Far East Council in Okinawa, Japan, effective October 11, 2016. Don began his Scouting career as district executive and senior district executive at the Utah National Parks Council in Provo, Utah.
Boys' Life magazine now has a cool smartphone app! Download it now and check it out. Your Cub Scouts will be glad you did. :)
I happen to be doing some cleaning today in the basement family room. When I opened the cabinet to put away the latest Hallmark Snoopy Scout ornament I decided instead to take them all out for a picture. I now have ten years of the Beagle Scout Snoopy ornaments.
In one memorable passage from The Boys in the Boat , Daniel James Brown compares the 1936 U.S. Olympic rowing team to an orchestra. "If one fellow in an orchestra was playing out of tune, or playing at a different tempo, the whole piece would naturally be ruined," he writes.
I hope you are enjoying Labor Day! Podcast 327 will be published next week.
Do you cook with dutch ovens? Which state has the highest dutch oven usage for cooking? Do scouts in Alabama use dutch ovens more than scouts in Wyoming? I've sent out 200 orders of my signed dutch oven cookbook this year, so I thought it would be fun to map the orders to states.
Have you ever joined something – a club, team or organization – and had to cross a hurdle in order to be a member? Clubs have membership requirements. Most sports teams have tryouts. You have to meet the job requirements as a step in getting hired. Scouting has its membership requirement. For Cub Scouts, it's
Chuck Eaton grew up in a single-parent home. His mom enrolled him in Cub Scouting because "she wanted neighborhood dads to teach me things she didn't know about," he says. "How to change the oil, simple home repairs, how to camp, how to fish, probably even how to talk sports.
The National Membership Update will help you discover how you can boost your fall recruitment efforts like never before! Watch the National Membership Update broadcast at http://livestream.com/bsa/nationalcouncil or in the video below . Councils were encouraged to show this webcast during their August staff meeting to inform and inspire their teams to have a strong finish…
________________________________________ Today my 500th issue coincides with my very first, published 15 years ago this month. That first issue was published in the monthly newsletter of a single council. Today, these columns are regularly read in every one of the BSA's nearly 300 councils, including the Direct, Far East, and Transatlantic.
Do you have a unique story about a Scout or Scouter doing something great? Or has an employee or volunteer gone above and beyond in some way or another? We want to hear about it! At the National Service Center we’re eager to hear what’s going on in your local councils and how Scouts are…
Write a Funny Caption For This Photo What's going on in this picture? What is that dog doing and what is it thinking? If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page.
It's been quite here for a while, sorry about that. I've been a little less focused on scouting this summer (hopefully it doesn't impact my troop too much). While I come up with new content, have a look at this video blog the local district executive has started.
If not for Camp Birch near Springfield, Ohio, John Lithgow might not be the award-winning actor he is today. Lithgow is a star of the big screen ( The World According to Garp , Terms of Endearment ); small screen ( 3rd Rock from the Sun , Dexter ); and stage ( The Changing Room , Sweet Smell of Success ).
Jr. KNOTS Scouts - The Adventure Begins! September 2016 Cafe Press Items KNOTS Cartoons Books, e-Books and CDs and Merchandise Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
In case you haven’t heard the news, BSA has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help bring career possibilities to youth across the country. BSA and the Chamber of Commerce dropped the big news in a joint press release, explaining the decision to team up to help foster the skills of future professionals.
The methodology presented in the Unit Performance Guide is the BSA’s nationally approved process for starting and sustaining new units. The Unit Performance Guide – Volume 4 Gold Edition was recently introduced by the National Alliances – Membership Group at the Top Hands meeting in New Orleans.
You often hear me speak about character and leadership . Not only are they the cornerstones of our movement; our commitment to these principles is what differentiates us as a youth-serving organization. But what is character? Merriam-Webster defines it as the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person.
Join us in congratulating Eric Magendantz as Scout Executive of the Central Florida Council in Apopka, FL, effective October 1, 2016. Eric began his Scouting career as district executive at the Gulf Ridge Council in Tampa, FL. He moved on to become a senior district executive and later finance director with the Pine Tree Council…
This picture of Scout 1 was taken almost 6 years ago at a pack meeting. We had intended to liven up the pack meetings with a slideshow to promote upcoming events, make announcements, and recognize the scouts receiving awards each month.
Turns out Casper, that friendliest of friendly ghosts, was pretty friendly to the Boy Scouts of America, too. He joined the Cub Scouts, marched alongside Boy Scouts in a New York City parade and even starred in his very own Scouting-themed cartoon called "Boo Scout."
Photograph copyright Baerbel Mueller This bamboo stage pavilion was built for The Haduwa Arts and Culture Institute in Ghana by [applied] Foreign Affairs , an architecture lab at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna . A group of students built the project as part of their architecture classes, after researching the project in Austria and on…
We’ve been doing a lot of hiking this summer and felt that maybe parents needed to know why in order to help support their boys from home, so here’s what I sent to them in email: 10 miles in Coyote Gulch (Jun) 5 miles at Camp Steiner (Jul) 4 miles on Red Butte / “The Living…
A few days after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a producer at The Tonight Show With Jay Leno received a call from the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Joe Allbaugh had a message from President Bush for Jay Leno and his staff: Help the country get back to normal by putting The…
Hey, thanks to the folks that took a chance at guessing which state has ordered the most copies of my signed dutch oven cookbook . A winner has been chosen! I know I said that figuring out the books per capita would be too much work, but I was wrong.
Teaching and developing others, particularly young people, can be a challenge. We try to organize a set of facts in a logical manner and deliver it to the receiving parties coherently, so the transfer of information is correct and goes smoothly. But does it? Sometimes it seems like we can talk and lecture until we're
The Philmont Photo Archive now stretches back to 1966, the year U.S. troops in Vietnam numbered 250,000, the American Football League and National Football League agreed to merge and the Beatles performed for the final time in the U.S. If you served on staff at Philmont or attended for an expedition, individual trek or Philmont…
Quiet is not the Word Ok so July saw a daily post from me in the form of a photo and a bit...
Here's an email I got from a couple who were just called to be Eleven Year Old (EYO) Leaders of an LDS unit in Sacramento, California. Sheri wrote: My husband and I have been called to teach 11 year old scouts in the LDS church.
Ok….. Umm…. Yea….. Well….. These are maybe not the best way to start anything really. However over recent months theses seem to be the...
Joshua Allen and his family were on vacation in the Stanislaus National Forest near Yosemite National Park when Josh fell over a waterfall and needed to be rescued. He later learned he had broken nine ribs and punctured his lung.
Adventures in science are in store for STEM Scouts of the Middle Tennessee Council. Thanks to a new partnership with the Adventure Science Center of Nashville, these young innovators will get to explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) on a new level.
The Super Zoomed-In Car Photo Quiz...
2001 National Jamboree Gateway In 2001, I served as the scoutmaster for Troop 1417 of the Central Minnesota Council for the National Jamboree, which was held at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. I had a great time. I also had great assistant scoutmasters, great junior leadership, and great Scouts.
Everywhere David Blair goes, he sees people staring at his club foot, which he calls his "skinny, atrophied leg." "It's humorous for me because they don't know I can see their eyes, because they are busy looking at my leg," he says.
Who knows better than a Scout parent why other parents should consider Scouting for their sons? In the case of mom blogger and Scout mom Scarlet of Family Focus Blog , the commonly known adage “mother knows best” rings true as she describes her family’s meaningful experiences in the program.
A national jamboree is a once-in-a lifetime experience for most Scouts. Don’t miss the opportunity let your Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers be part of the best jamboree ever! It’s not too late to sign up! Here are 10 things you can do support the national jamboree in your council TODAY: Find everything you need to…
Perfectamundo! A short story by Henry Winkler, originally published in the August 2016 edition of Boys' Life magazine, is becoming the basis for the next Here's Hank novel. The Happy Days star announced last week on Twitter that he and co-author Lin Oliver had so much fun writing the BL exclusive short story " Robot on…
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Thomas J. Donohue speaks on the value of Exploring. If you attended Top Hands this year, you already know that U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue has a fondness for Scouting.
Today marks the first day in a 30-day celebration of the culture and history of Americans with Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, and Central and South American heritage. Boy Scouts of America is proud to celebrate the thousands of Hispanic volunteers, youth, and employees that contribute to the success of our organization every day.
Thanks to everyone who voted in my earlier poll to help me choose a badge design for the blog. As you can see below, the Hy-par pavilion was by far the most popular design. I have sent the badge off for quotes and will have news soon about where and how you can purchase the…
Eagle Scouts become CEOs, scientists and soldiers. They also become Broncos, Ravens, Dolphins, Redskins, Chiefs, Texans and Chargers. A search of the NFL's 2016 active rosters - nearly 1,700 players in all - turns up a number of Eagle Scouts. These guys are living proof that great things start in Scouting.
In a way, all Scouters are teachers. All Scouters shape the lives of America's youth and introduce them to new ways of seeing the world. But some Scouters are paid (though not nearly enough) to teach for a living. If that's you, the Boy Scouts of America needs your help.
New Award for Boy Scouts
Back in 2014 I was contacted and asked if I would carry out some technical reviews of products to be included in a website
I am a man of many Jackets; I have hard shells, soft shells, fleeces. all taking up space in my cloakroom. Could I have just one
It's not likely that many, if any, readers of this column were around during World War II, but perhaps your parents or grandparents were. If so, then they most likely remember a show on the NBC Radio Network called I Sustain the Wings.
Eagle Scouts, Scouting professionals and volunteers celebrated 92-year-old John Prince with an Eagle Scout court of honor 75 years after he earned Scouting's highest honor. Price achieved the rank in 1941, just as the world was erupting in war. His Scoutmaster, John Mehltretter, came to Prince's Bayonne, N.J., home, congratulated him and handed him his…
The Boy Scouts of America is launching its largest pilot program in response to parents’ increasing desire for more options for after-school programs that help kindergarten-age boys learn new skills, build character and experience new adventures. Available this fall in 198 local councils, the new Lion pilot program will introduce families to the adventures available…
Note: This is the 17th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That's why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos - the same photos prospective Eagles…
Double A-Frame Monkey Bridge Constructed using “Sandwiched” 2x4s Yes. That’s how Venture Crew 140 out of Houston, Texas put some newly-learned lashing skills into action. They also experienced, first hand how rope tackles can put the necessary strain on thick lines used for hand and foot ropes.
Eagle Scout David Blair won a gold medal and extended his own world record in the men's discus F44 on Friday at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Blair, whom I profiled last week , hurled the discus 64.11 meters - breaking his previous world record of 63.61 meters, set in May.
The true reward of becoming an Eagle Scout isn't the fanfare at the finish but the experiences along the way. That's why Cameron, a Life Scout in Troop 424 of Katy, Texas, wrote a letter encouraging his fellow Scouts to slow down and enjoy the journey.
Based on the success of Exploring Summerfest during the summer of 2016, we know Explorers are interested in experiencing the history, adventure, and excitement of the jamboree. As a result, this national celebration of youth — which will run from July 19–28, 2017 — now includes Explorers.
Sign-up nights have been a keystone for Boy Scout recruiting for years, and for good reason: they work! Sign-up nights give parents and youth an opportunity to get to know Scouting at a personal level, face-to-face. What Is Sign-Up Night?
You'll often find Mike Walton at his nearby Wendy's restaurant - but not because the Tennessee Scouting volunteer is a fan of the Baconator. It's because Walton sees Wendy's as a safe, public place to meet with Scouts about their Eagle Scout service project.
Some troops take a break between summer camp and the resumption of school. That's fine, but what about those Scouts who are serving in a position of responsibility when this summer break occurs? Does their time still count even if their troop isn't meeting?
I discovered this awesome printable Cub Scout cards on Etsy! It is so cute, but in a rugged, Cub Scout way. When I saw them, I knew they would be perfect to give to our Cub Scouts as we started the new year–especially the new Cub Scouts. On a single page, you'll find the Scout
“Veterans. Defense. Youth. Americanism. Communities.” That’s what you see when you visit the American Legion website . This description closely aligns with Scouting. And that’s only where our similarities begin. In addition to being the nation’s largest veteran’s service organization, the American Legion also has been an active supporter of Scouting since the American Legion was…
Sponsored post courtesy of CBS Duct tape, gum wrappers and paper clips. Their silver hue may be the only obvious thing these objects have in common, but in the hands of a particularly skilled person, those everyday objects could transform into an extraordinary hack that can do extraordinary things.
Making things from old junk stretches the imagination of a boy and gives him freedom to invent, explore, and learn. I had access to lots of old equipment, building supplies, and junk while growing up on USFS ranger stations. I made some awesome things, from forts to kites to bombs - even electric motors .
There are more than 400 National Park Service sites across America, including national parks, national seashores and national battlefields. The Rice family of Atlanta - a proud Scouting bunch - is on a mission to visit every single one. In celebration of this year's 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, it seems an appropriate time to…
We hadn't gone more than a hundred yards or so when an enemy rose up in front of us and started spraying us with a Schmeizer machine gun or ‘burp gun' as we called them. We hit the ground and I, for one, just tried to get closer to the earth without returning fire immediately.
Scouts and Smokey Bear have been allies in the cause of wildfire prevention ever since the mascot's 1944 debut. Scouts have made Smokey conservation posters, sold Smokey Bear litter baskets for fundraisers and posed for photos with Smokey at National Scout Jamborees.
Trapped on a roof, MacGyver bent the steel shaft of a TV antenna and held on as he zip-lined down a rope to the ground. When he needed a plane, MacGyver built his own using bamboo poles, a tent, a lawnmower engine and - naturally - duct tape.
Inside the October 2016 issue Here's what you'll find inside the October 2016 issue of Boys' Life magazine. Remember, many articles are only available to subscribers and are not available online. To subscribe to the print or digital editions of Boys' Life magazine, please visit http://boyslife.org/subscribe .
Sean from Mosta Scout Group in Malta shared these photographs with me- of a raft sitting in this stunning location against the cliffs in the Mediterranean. Sean says: "With 100 lashings, 40 staves, 30 barrels and 10 Marine Ply, a massive Double Floating Raft Camp served as our home for the past weekend.
In a new interview with Eagles' Call magazine, Distinguished Eagle Scout and former defense secretary Dr. Robert M. Gates shares his thoughts on leadership and the value of Scouting. Read the full interview in the Fall 2016 issue of Eagles' Call , the official magazine of the National Eagle Scout Association.
The troop trailer Jim Rosensweet inherited when he became Scoutmaster had seen better days. The year was 1987, but this trailer must have been from the 1950s or 60s. Inside the rickety old thing, Rosensweet found heavily used gear that needed replacing, too.
As the annual School Night To Join Scouting approached I told the current Cub Scouts that we should try to double the size of our pack, which is currently at 17 members. I explained that they are our best recruiters and that they should talk to their friends and bring them to the event.
Scouts and Scouters are always on the go – in public places, in our communities, in parades, at service projects, and at camp. Unfortunately, acts of violence, including what is known as an active shooter or ambush attack, could occur at or near some of these activities.
I remember the early days of the internet, before everyone and everything could be found there. Back in the days of dial-up modem and mobile phones the size (and weight) of a typical office stapler, webpages were much simpler and very static.
After about a year off.. The Blog is back!.. Now I don't expect you all to jump up and down and praise the Scouting gods. And.. I'm not going to give a long explanation as to why I took some much needed time away..
Much is made of earning Eagle Scout, and for good reason. However, each year, thousands of young men in Scouting age out of the program without reaching the rank of Eagle, and many of them have an experience in Scouting that is just as valuable, if not more so, than others who make it all…
Drop in on any conversation between commissioners and you're likely to hear something like this: So I was at Pack 123's JSN. The CM was hoping for twenty new members but the CC said they only got fifteen. That's good, considering the TAY at that school. There were a couple adult apps so the COR
Derek Hough sent his dad a text a few weeks back. "Dad, check out my Instagram." Bruce Hough opened Derek's Instagram page , where the Dancing With the Stars star shares photos with nearly 2 million followers. And there was Derek, wearing his Cub Scout shirt and holding up the Scout sign at a pre-Emmys dinner.
You asked for it and here it is—the recipe for Scouting Wire’s pumpkin spice pancakes à la Dutch oven! In our latest Handbook Hacks video, we showed you how to bring the delicious luxury of pancakes to the great outdoors.
For more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in conservation education and environmental stewardship. Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with being a good Scout. Reducing what we consume and recycling, repurposing, restoring, and repairing what we own all are parts of being thrifty — a key point of the Scout Law.
Looking For a Lightweight, Packable Electric Lantern Q. I am looking for a lightweight, packable and budget-friendly electric lantern. Suggestions? - Jasper Inthedark, Los Angeles, California A. I think this is exactly what you're looking for: the Luci Outdoor Inflatable Solar Light ($14.95, scoutstuff.org ).
Note: This is the 18th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That's why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos - the same photos prospective Eagles…
This hike has been on my “to do” list for a long, long time – as long as when my own sons were working on their Hiking merit badge and completed the Smith & Moorehouse Trail back in 2010. I don’t know why I haven’t done this trail before now, but I finally did it with my…
The BSA's Lion pilot program for kindergarten-age boys has reached a new level: full roar. Families have been telling the BSA they crave a Scouting program for younger boys, and the organization has responded with an expansion of its Lion pilot to nearly 200 councils.
Sometimes your past comes back to haunt you. Other times it greets you with open arms. It was the latter for Kevin Dowling this summer at Philmont Scout Ranch, where he serves as general manager. In 1971, Dowling started Troop 918 in the Baltimore Area Council for his Eagle Scout service project.
Back to school season means it’s time to start signing the kids up for extracurricular activities! But what activity will mean the most to your family? Scout mom and blogger Heather of A Southern Mom describes on her blog how Scouting was the best choice she made, not only for her son, but for the…
Y et A nother E agle P roject was completed this past weekend in our community. This one was interesting, useful, and fun to help with. Our elementary school just invested in an outdoor classroom this summer, spending tens of thousands of dollars on landscaping natural seating into a bowl-shaped area of the forest on…
They're natural leaders with empathy for others and a resourceful approach to problems. Those are just a few of the reasons why employers have eagerly hired former Scouts for as long as there have been Scouts. For more, check out this fascinating post , originally written in Spanish for Forbes.es by Ana Sáenz de Miera.
The STEM Scouts of Hartford, Conn. are one lucky group of scientific surveyors. Not only do they get to participate in cool, hands-on experiments and learn alongside STEM experts—they get to do it in a pretty sweet ride! The Connecticut Rivers Council is one of several councils throughout the country to have a Vortex– a…
Troop 1 of Sacramento, Calif., celebrated its 100th anniversary with a powerful, well-made video and a special neckerchief . Troop 1 of Wichita Falls, Texas, reminisced about a century of existence at a reunion banquet attended by Glenn Adams, then-president of the National Eagle Scout Association.
Halloween is just around the corner! Have your Cub Scouts decided what Halloween costumes they want this year? Some years, pop culture gives them fun choices. In 2015, I'll bet the summer release of the Star Wars movie inspired a lot of Kylo Rens. Kids will probably want to dress up in Pokemon Halloween costumes
Last October, I shared a Chief’s Corner blog post that detailed our “Game Plan” for growing Scouting. A key focus of that plan was on growing our Exploring program. Nearly one year later, the program continues to expand through a unique partnership.
Tonight I had the pleasure of sitting behind a young man as his advocate at his Eagle Scout Board of Review. I have sat behind many young men as they answered questions and talked to t he board about leadership and their Scouting experience.
He could’ve spent his bar mitzvah money on the typical things that interest 13-year-old boys: videogames, candy and comic books. But Jacob Finch isn’t a typical boy. The Second Class Scout from Kent, Conn., gave the money he raised to his Boy Scout troop.
As this new Journey begins I thought it was time for a new look.. a fresh start.. that feeling you have when you change your socks before a long hike, you know, it feels warm on your feet, clean, and cozy.
