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As a Scout, I loved every chance my Troop and I got to spend time in the outdoors. I even loved studying different topics related to camping. Nevertheless, there was always one section of outdoor books that I flipped through as quickly as possible: wild plants and animals.
When Villanova Wildcat Josh Hart steps on the court this March for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, he’ll be doing so as a young man who has already achieved something great. No, we’re not talking about how Josh and his team became national champions when they won the tournament during Josh’s junior year in 2016.
Interview with Abe Lincoln? March 2017 Cafe Press Items Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
Great news for jamboree attendees, Scouting memorabilia collectors, and anyone else looking for the latest Scouting gear: the 2017 National Jamboree online catalog is now available. While anyone can head to scoutstuff.org and buy a range of jamboree-branded merchandise, only those who are attending the jamboree — as either a participant or staff member — can purchase…
Utah’s state motto is “Industry,” but I’m going to propose a new one: “Home of Eagle Scouts.” That’s because no state produced more Eagle Scouts in 2016 than Utah. Thanks in large part to the strong support Scouting receives from the LDS church there, 5,664 young men became Eagle Scouts in Utah in 2016.
Before Josh Hart wore the navy and white uniform of Villanova, he wore the khaki and green uniform of Scouting. Finding time to be a student, a Scout and an athlete wasn’t easy. Josh even dropped out of Scouting for a couple of years, but he returned to finish what he started — and to fulfill…
Bennett earned Scouting’s highest honor in 2015 as a member of Troop 216 of the Fort Worth-based Longhorn Council. The great power of the Eagle Scout badge comes with great responsibility. Once you first wear it, you never really take it off.
Whether we’re talking about Scouts or adult leaders, Boy Scouts of America always encourages personal and professional development through learning and leadership opportunities. Luckily for Scouting volunteers and professionals, we have three exciting advancement education conferences taking place at the Summit Bechtel Reserve and Philmont Training Center.
Eagle Scouts are getting older, and that’s not a bad thing. In 1949, the average age of Eagle Scouts was 14.6 years. In 2016, that number was 17.35 years old . (That’s 17 years, 127.75 days.) I see two explanations. First, young men are staying in Scouting longer, meaning they’re enjoying the program and not feeling…
The jamboree will be full of opportunities to exercise a Scout's body and to challenge themselves physically. But did you know that there will be opportunities to challenge your mental capacity as well? Those with interest in a mental challenge will be pleased to know that an award achievement opportunity will be available at the…
At the 2017 National Jamboree each Scout will participate in a program activity called Messengers of Peace Day of Service (MOPDOS). MOPDOS is an opportunity for each Scout to make a meaningful impact on the lives of residents in the 9 counties that surround "The Summit".
When the Scouts of the San Diego-Imperial Council wanted to inform the members of their community that it was time for the annual Scouting for Food drive, they did what a lot of Scouts around the country do – they contacted their local media.
Informing key leaders in our nation’s capital about all the good things Scouts did last year isn’t just a smart idea. It’s congressionally mandated. When Woodrow Wilson signed the Boy Scouts of America’s charter on June 15, 1916, he made it official that “on or before the first day of April of each year the…
I told you all about this year’s tremendous delegates in my 2016 Report to the Nation preview . But seeing, as they say, is believing. So now’s your chance to meet these 10 terrific young people. On Saturday at Goddard Space Flight Center, I chatted with all 10 delegates to learn more about their stories and…
Also at Goddard, the delegates participated in some get-to-know-you games — a surefire way to strengthen a team. At NASA, the future is all about looking deeper into the past. On the first day of the BSA’s Report to the Nation trip, the delegates got a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where astronomers…
January first is usually a significant day in the advancement process. Most rank and merit badge requirement changes become effective as of the first of the year. New Year’s Day in 2016 marked significant and sweeping changes in Boy Scout requirements.
There was a moment when Dr. David Hunt worried he was losing his audience’s attention as he discussed his job studying bones at the Smithsonian Natural History museum. He had shown the Scouts and Venturers a femur fractured by a 50-caliber bullet in the Civil War.
With 190 registered members, Troop 755 of Northville, Mich. — just outside of Detroit — is almost eight times the size of an average 25-member troop. In fact, it could be the biggest troop east of the Mississippi. With such an impressive number of boys, what better source for learning how the troop recruits and retains members…
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has been making a major effort toward community policing by recruiting new officers who reflect the neighborhoods they serve. These young minds not only have first-hand experience in policing, they have also lived as members of the very communities they serve.
Dr. Thomas Starzl, an Eagle Scout who performed the first-ever liver transplant in 1963 and pioneered transplant surgery and anti-rejection drugs, died on March 4 at age 90. Dr. Starzl’s research advanced organ transplantation from a risky and rare procedure to a surgery accessible to patients in need.
The Eagle Scout badge is extremely rare, but the U.S. Army has a badge that’s even rarer. It’s the badge worn by members of the Honor Guard who keep 24-hour watch over the Tomb of Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
Ron K., an Eagle Scout from North Carolina, opened the lunch by saying grace. “Please let us have fun in Washington,” he said, “but do our business, too.” On Monday, in a special dining room deep inside the Pentagon, the Report to the Nation delegates had lunch with Gen.
Though a youth’s time as a Scout typically doesn’t extend past age 18 (or 21 if you’re a Venturer), the Scouting program is something that sticks with its members far beyond their childhood years. Eagle Scout Alex C. explained this phenomena in an article he wrote for the Odyssey Online where he shares the “5…
________________________________________ Dear Andy, Can the Hunter Safety certification count for the Rifle Shooting merit badge requirements 2K and 2L? (Alison Sunderland) The very best answer to your question will be from a qualified and currently registered Rifle Shooting Merit Badge Counselor.
A delegation of Scouts from across the country is participating this week in an annual tradition that the Boy Scouts of America has observed since we were given our congressional charter in 1916: the Report to the Nation. Each year, as part of that charter, we are required to present a report to the Speaker…
By the time they made it through metal detectors, past gates that required both an ID card and a security code, up a manned elevator, and through a heavy door that required a second secret code, the Report to the Nation delegates had to be feeling pretty special.
On Tuesday, one Cub Scout, one Explorer, one Sea Scout, two Venturers and five Boy Scouts visited the White House to present the Boy Scouts of America’s Report to the Nation to President Donald Trump. The report summarizes the BSA’s many accomplishments from the previous year, and presenting it to the president is a tradition…
As a Boy Scout, BSA Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh spent time in national parks to complete service projects. He was the owner of a well-worn National Parks Passport book and was proud of all the stamps he collected. The story of a young person who developed a lifelong appreciation of national parks through Scouting…
Find out how to print the new Cub Scout requirements modifications documents so that they'll fit inside your son's Cub Scout handbook.
If you’ve been keeping up with what’s coming to television this spring, you’ve probably heard about the latest outdoor survival show, Kicking & Screaming (Fox) . You may have also heard one of the reality show’s participants is Scouting’s very own Terry Fossum , a regarded author, speaker, philanthropist, and Scouter.
Serving youth in the northern suburbs of Chicago, the high-functioning team at Northeast Illinois Council has hit upon a two-pronged approach to uniting behind a shared mission: Fun and Feedback. Cynthia Gentleman , who serves as the council’s Potawatomi District director, provided some insights into the simple yet effective methods their team uses to keep everyone…
Setting the Stage (Moviemaking) It was the end of January. My Troop and I were going through the last few hours of an event called “Merit Badge College”. This was an annual event held at a local community college where experts in various fields came and taught different merit badge subjects over the course of…
When the Report to the Nation delegates described their Washington visit to the Secretary of the Senate, she was floored. “That’s not a routine week in Washington by any stretch of the imagination,” said Julie Adams, whose office handles the Senate’s day-to-day operations.
Four meetings with cabinet secretaries yielded four strong responses to Scouting and the ways in which it prepares young people for life. It’s safe to say that, thanks to the 10 terrific Report to the Nation delegates who represent 2.3 million outstanding youth participants nationwide, the BSA’s approval rating is high.
FOX’s new show, “ Kicking & Screaming ,” airing tonight at 8/9 Central, pairs survival experts with Average Joe-types to see how they fare when facing wild animals, hunger and extreme weather in the jungles of Fiji. Except competitor Terry Fossum — a businessman, author and public speaker — isn’t your typical Average Joe.
Congratulations to Brian J. Nastase who will serve as Scout executive of Quivira Council in Wichita, Kansas, effective April 1, 2017. Brian began his Scouting career in February 1994 as the Exploring executive with Sioux Council in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“Things went pretty well. I only had three boys cry.” That’s an actual quote from an actual Cubmaster following his pack’s annual Pinewood Derby race held last week. If you’re a Cubmaster, I’m sure it has happened to you as well.
Looking for some service conservation projects for 2017? There are TONS of opportunities for volunteers to help out, from computer data entry to banding woodcock chicks - whatever your ability or interest. Here's a few from MN DNR : Eagle Project? Field desks for kids to use in outdoor classrooms.
The BSA’s 2017 Boy Scout Requirements book, detailing major and minor changes to Boy Scout ranks and merit badges, is now available. Inside you’ll find: Modifications to the Second Class and First Class ranks The new Exploration merit badge Major changes to four merit badges Minor changes to 32 merit badges The changes are the…
________________________________________ Hi Andy, Can a Life scout start working on his Eagle packet and project before he’s finished all his required merit badges. (Paul Horwitz) You betcha! In fact, he can begin working toward his Eagle project the morning after his Life board of review.
It’s March, which means that the minds of many turn to college basketball as the NCAA hosts its annual championship tournament. This year, you can see an Eagle Scout in action on the court – Villanova’s star senior player, Josh Hart.
Following up on my post from yesterday about Boy Scout projects, here is a fun one for Cub Scouts. There are around 20,000 species of bees worldwide and they are very important for the pollination of plants. Since WWII, bee populations have been declining due to pesticides, disease, parasites, and habitat lose.
Twelve-year old Scout Frank C. has suffered from desmoid tumors his entire life. The tumors have kept him in near constant pain for years, and now, the terminally ill young man has been put on hospice care. Even so, Frank hasn’t let his disease stop him from experiencing life.
Last September, Boys' Life ran a MacGyver Challenge sweepstakes. Today, I received this photo of the patch from a participant in the contest. Doing a bit of research on the net, it looks like 1,158 people entered so all of them should have gotten a patch, 10 should have received a swag bag of stuff…
Last week, a group of 10 youth delegates from across the United States traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent the BSA and deliver our annual Report to the Nation to elected officials and agency heads throughout the nation’s capital. The report, which is required as part of the BSA’s congressional charter, highlights our achievements in…
The latest episodes of CubCast, ScoutCast, and ExploringCast are now available! These monthly podcasts are chock-full of fresh tips and how-tos you’re sure to love, whatever your role in Scouting may be. March brings a podcast lineup you won’t want to miss, so get the details below: ScoutCast: Generational Diversity What does generational diversity have…
Story contributed by Emily Elliott, Marketing & Public Relations Director of the Crossroads of America Council Every winter, Cub Scouts around the nation prepare their Pinewood Derby cars to race down tracks in hopes of being the fastest. They learn how to add weight to make their cars faster and what it means to be a…
If you have Scouts on your council’s 2017 National Jamboree waitlist, but not enough to constitute a full contingent, the Jamboree Team may have a solution for you: “half troops,” consisting of 18 youth members and two adult volunteers! Due to high demand in some councils across the country, those Scouts in your council who…
Royal Robbins, the climbing legend, clothing company founder, former Scout and lifelong friend of Scouting, died March 14 after a long illness. He was 82. Robbins, in a 2009 speech to a group of Scout volunteers and professionals, said Scouting saved his life and introduced him to rock climbing.
When top-seeded Villanova takes the court in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, they’ll have more than Nova Nation behind them. They’ll have Scouting Nation, too. That’s because Josh Hart, the leader (and leading scorer) for Villanova, is an Eagle Scout. Even if you don’t bleed navy and white, there’s plenty of reason to cheer for the…
Eagles and Tigers and Bearcats? Oh my! A look at the nicknames of all 68 teams in the 2017 NCAA Tournament reveals some great ideas for patrol names. Here, the 10 best patrol nicknames taken from this year’s March Madness field.
As a Scout, my favorite merit badges were earned as a byproduct of Scouting fun. We’d go camping or visit the Texas Capitol or cook a gourmet dinner and — boom! — merit badge done. But sometimes you have to be more deliberate about merit badge instruction.
Hello out there in the ether...Is there anyone still out there? Well the time is right and I have finished my quest completing all the Whittlin Jim slides I am aware of. In the next few weeks I going to blog the ones I've yet to blog.
July 2010 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1 hour One of the last wood carving projects I remember seeing at Chesterfield Scout Reservation during summer camp was a slide I had carved just a few days before going to camp.
Picked up some time at Chesterfield Scout Reservation July 2010 Left to dry out and finally carved in the fall of 2016 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours I had some time to think about these and I really was unsure have how I wanted to finish these looking at the original Whittlin…
Orginal brand: October 2010 Build: 2016 Time to build: 1.5 hours While I was at Wood Badge the staff had a brand and I just happened to have a piece of leather. The result was a great start to this slide.
Around Thanksgiving 2011 Time to make: 2.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hour "You want what?" my wife said when I asked for the turkey neck as she was preparing the Thanksgiving meal. This slide was made from a bone in the turkey neck, a couple of small pieces of wood, and a couple of beads.
Some time between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 1 hours Finishing: 2 hour The squirrels around my house find black walnuts somewhere around here (I've never been able to find it) and bury them in my yard. So when I saw this pattern, it was as easy as picking one off the ground in…
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: .5 hours Finishing: 2 hour So a quick drilling a 3/4 inch hole in a dowel and cutting it to size. An old golfing glove for the leather (I golfed?) and some nylon cord for threading.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2.5 hour Knot slides were an interesting addition to my woggles. Worn at the bottom of the neckerchief, in place of trying a knot like some do, these are a nice compliment to the "top" knot.
Spring of 2016 Time to make: 2.5 hours I had some bead left over from some earlier projects so there was nothing to pick up. Just a needle, thread, and piece of white cloth and I was on my way to beading.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve/make: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour This one took a bit of time to procure as palm trees don't grow up north and my mother-in-law had gotten rid of her palm tree in Florida.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour One of my favorite pieces! Carved from red maple it was made using a rotary tool with a saw bit and my knife. Lots of sanding in this one too.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Another slide carved during Merit Badge Uninversity at UMASS Amherst I think a couple of years ago. I had a couple of adults ask me about what I was carving while I was chipping away, well here's the result.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: .5 hours Finishing: 2 hour It's interesting to me that this slide is called the Milkweed Butterfly and not the Monarch. Was this because the larva eat milkweed? Anyway the body was carved from a piece of scrap wood and painted with craft paint.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 4 hours Finishing: 2 hour An odd slide for me to make. I chose not to include a face because I wasn't happy with the way it was coming out so here is the result.
Fall of 2016 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 1 hour So I avoided these slides for a long time because I'm not much of a metal worker but my discovery of an affordable doming block got me started on these.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour A couple of slide that took some time to procure (well at least the second one). The first slide was made from a piece of thin hobby plywood as a background, the tube from a dowel, and the bulb is made from…
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 4 hours Finishing: 2.5 hour Another set slides that took some time to find just the materials. In the end, I ordered a couple of dipper gourds off of ebay. Now this really surprised me when it came to carving because it was one of the hardest…
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour Carved from red maple and whipped with some heavy black thread. Finished with poly. This type of slide could be carved from almost any kind of knot that could be tied!
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Made from a couple of black walnuts the eye sockets were filed flat with file as were the bottom of the head and top of the body.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 2 hours Finishing: .5 hour Made from a cow horn (ordered off ebay), I sawed the basic shape and carved out the eyes and ears. Boiled the slide in water for an hour or more to make the horns pliable so I could bend them back.
Easter time sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 3.5 hours Finishing: .5 hour When looking for a bone for this slide you never know where you are going to find it. After looking in the woods and hitting up hunter I know, I finally found the one I used in an Easter ham.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 3 hours Finishing: 1 hour Another cow horn (from an earlier ebay order) project. This project took some prep as the horn I use needed to be sanded smooth as it was a bit hairy to begin with.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve/make: 3 hours Finishing: 2 hour There was a couple of versions of this slide, one wooden and one metal. The wooden one was carved from maple with leather and painted with a chrome paint. The metal one is made from aluminum, some small chain, and leather.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Found a jelly or cream cheese container at a restaurant for the pie tin and used whole black peppercorns for the cherries. The filling was spackle and I cut out a piece of pie before painting it red.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour The horns are carved from a piece of maple and painted with craft paint. Center is red felt with black thread on the ends. The plaque is also made from maple with an one step staion/poly.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 4 hours Finishing: 2 hour Made from some horns I bought from a pet supply store and a deer bone a friend gave me. I cut the pattern using a saw and carved the design with a file. I shined up the slides with polishing compound.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 4 hours Finishing: 2 hour Made from some horns I bought from a pet supply store and a deer bone a friend gave me. I cut the pattern using a saw and carved the design with a file. I shined up the slides with polishing compound.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Having just awoken from an afternoon nap, its funny that the next slide to talk about was the Siesta slide. Carved from maple and painted with craft paints, this was a quick slide to make.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour Corn on the cob, some burgers on the grill and a cool ice tea in the warm breeze of a summer day. Easy to dream about it on a cold March day.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 3.5 hours Finishing: 1 hour For a couple of years I tried to find a suitable material for the wooden frame and it struck me one day during summer camp watching the Scouts at Basketry Merit Badge that basket reed would be the perfect material.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 1 hours Finishing: .5 hour Made from bamboo and thin leather this was a quick slide to make. Somehow I can't think about this slide without thinking about a classic scene from Big Bang Theory
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour There is something really pleasant about the simplicity and elegance of these bamboo slides. All that is really needed is a saw and some sandpaper (also some cord for one) This one had additional ears, nose and eyes.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour Coming on the heels of the showshoe slide, I knew that I would use basketry reed to complete this slide. I glued a couple of reeds together using super glue and soaked it in water to make it pliable.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Carved from maple, its a funny little creature. Painted with a light covered light colored paint then rubbed with black shoe polish. Finally given a couple of coats of poly.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: .5 hours Finishing: none Got a spare patch hanging around? This is a quick and easy slide to make! Glue the patch to a heavy piece of cardboard and glue a loop to it.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour Carved from red maple this is a chip design so there is very little sanding involved. Finished with a couple of coats of poly.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour Fun little slide to make. The time listed was for carving all the little parts that will be glued together to make the finished slide. Some parts were painted with craft paints and some were left the natural red or white maple.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour A two part slide, the head wobbles as you move. The body has a hollow area drilled into it and the head has a heavy bolt glued into it which extends into the body hole.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour My first thought was when was the last time goal posts like this was used? So it's a bit dated but the idea is there of kicking a field goal.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour A seahorse carved from maple and painted with craft paints/finished with poly. I remember asking my parents about ordering seahorse out of the back of Boys Life Gift and Gimmicks section. They would never let me but I'm over it (kinda).
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hour Another slide I really like! I seem to remember carving this at summer camp in between lunch and Scoutmaster nap time. Carved from maple and painted with craft paints.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to make: .5 hours Finishing: 1 hour A quick and easy slide to make. The best part of this is picking up a pine cone some time when your are attending an event you want to remember.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 3.5 hours Finishing: 2 hour A great slide to carve with lot changeling parts. Carved from maple with a sharp knife with lots for breaks for sharping the blade. Painted with craft paint and sealed with poly. I understand the word Aumakuas means "family god" in Hawaiian.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 4 hours Finishing: 2.5 hour Funny story about these two slides, I carved these slides while traveling for business as my company was a "go-live" of a new system a couple of years ago.
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hour Carved from red maple I like how the slide came together. The tusks are made from some plastic scrape and the eyes are pins that have been cut down. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.
One of my jobs as a unit commissioner is to keep the leadership of my troops and packs informed about happenings around our council. Most events are pretty well publicized and advertised in newsletters and at Roundtable, but we often get inside information at commissioner meetings that can help our units when it comes to…
Guest post by Sgt. David N. Beckstrom, 5 th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Reprinted with permission JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – The smell of sawdust wafts through the air. Power tools whine. It’s mid-February, and inside the Scout Hut on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the boys and parents of Pack 462 are preparing for the annual Pinewood…
Sometime between 2012 and 2015 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 1.5 hour There is something about this slide that makes me smile. Maybe it's the simple expression or slight smile. Carved from maple this is a chip design so not much sanding but that just adds to the weather look of a wood chopping…
