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November 2017 Time to carve: 3 hours Finishing: 1.5 hour Boy's Life - October 1996 page 52 Design: Jeff Springer Here is an interesting slide but not because of the design (which I like) but because I can no longer find it online.
The U.S. contingent logo for the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. The theme of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree is “Unlock a New World.” Now you’ve got the keys. Registration for the 2019 World Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve is live.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, My Eagle Scout son earned a total of 51 merit badges. That’s 30 beyond the 21 for Eagle rank. So how does he pin six (!) palms on the ribbon of his medal? (Lynne Ghwieny) That’s an easy one… He actually doesn’t wear six palms; he wears three: one silver, representing fifteen merit badges…
As a Scout or Scouter, how do you demonstrate your Duty to God? At the 2017 National Jamboree, Scouts from all over the globe shared how they observe the 12th point of the Scout Law, and it was all-together inspiring and encouraging.
What is this car doing or thinking? Write a funny caption and it might be printed in Boys' Life! What's going on in this picture? What is that car doing or thinking? If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this…
Thor has superhuman strength. He can summon lightning. And, with the help of his enchanted hammer, he can fly. But can the Asgardian god of thunder earn a merit badge? Technically, no. You need to be under 18 to earn one, which makes Thor, by most estimates, about 1,000 years too old.
One of the most persistent problems in keeping a troop or pack going is obtaining sufficient adult leadership to get all the various jobs covered without causing burnout of the small group of people who usually get stuck with everything.
An app that lets Order of the Arrow members earn points by attending events and completing puzzles was among the technological tools developed at the inaugural OA Hackathon last month. At the Hackathon, held at the Intel offices in Folsom, Calif., participants from across the country joined one of three “leagues.”
Nearly 38 million fire extinguishers manufactured by Kidde and sold between 1973 and 2017 are part of a nationwide recall. Scout leaders should check their unit meeting sites, troop trailers, trunks and garages today to see whether their fire extinguishers are included.
Congratulations to Juan F. Osorio, who will serve as Scout executive of Chattahoochee Council in Columbus, Georgia, effective January 1, 2018. Juan began his Scouting career as a program specialist at Narragansett Council in Providence, Rhode Island. He moved on to become a district executive in 2007 and later district director with Narragansett Council.
New BL game! Play Westy's Monster Truck Challenge! http://media.boyslife.org/onlinegames/monstertrucks/ Make your own Monster Truck! Choose a paint job, customize your wheels and race for victory! Make your own Monster Truck! Choose a paint job, customize your wheels and race for victory! View On WordPress
________________________________________ Here’s a conversation from November 7, 2007—ten years ago—with a fellow online columnist… Hey Andy, As I read your considerable archive of advice, I note that some of the most intractable situations brought to you involve leaders with some serious blind spots—they seem to be caught in a cul-de-sac of their own importance and their…
In a crowded pool full of raucous boys splashing and swimming, the justification for frequent buddy checks appears self-evident. But do Scouts really need to get a friend for a quick trip to the latrine or when they meet with a merit badge counselor?
The values of Scouting are important for both young men and women, and I am proud of the unanimous decision to invite girls to Cub Scouts and to deliver a program that will enable them to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
Nov. 16 update: The Scouting family has stepped up in a big way to support Puerto Rico. In less than two weeks, Scouts and Scouters have purchased more than $32,000 in patches. Area Director Jim Hans recently visited Puerto Rico to survey the damages to the offices and camp.
At first I thought it was a misprint. In several places on the Northern Tier website, participants are told not to bring waterproof boots. The Northern Tier National High Adventure Program involves canoeing around the beautiful lakes and rivers of Minnesota and Canada.
Check out these top 10 most popular gift picks for Cub Scouts! The list is based on recommendations from Cub Scout parents.
Story contributed by Brad Shaw, Eagle Scout and former Home Depot VP of Corporate Communications The lessons I learned in the Scouts set me up for success in my career and in life. Now I want to share our mission to help others make “crazy” good turns in their own lives.
Images via @derekhough on Instagram You couldn’t choreograph it any better: A big-name celebrity using his fame for a pair of great causes. Derek Hough, the Emmy-winning dancer and choreographer known for his work on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and NBC’s World of Dance , is using his talents to support the Boy Scouts of…
Representing an array of faiths — from the African Methodist Episcopal Church to Zoroastrianism — religious emblems encourage Scouts, Venturers and adult volunteers to strengthen their faith-based journey within Scouting. This journey aligns with the 12th point of the Scout Law — reverent — and the “duty to God” part of the Scout Oath.
What do I do now? A Scout misbehaves, makes a mistake, or even consciously does something wrong, and things spin out of control, now what? If you hang around long enough your Scouts misbehave, and you’ll will be confronted by this sort of incident, so what is your plan?
Nov. 2017 Time to make: 2 hours Original design: Bill Macfarlane So back when I was making the Hound Dog slide, I had a few turkey neck bones left that I hung on to for future slides. What struck me is how much one looked like a dinosaur and the other like a dragon.
________________________________________ In this column… • Is Assistant Patrol Leader a qualifying position for advancement? • When to wear your Eagle medal. • What makes for “conservation” service hours? • How to handle “Two-Deep Leadership” and The Buddy System. ========================================================= Hey Andy, I’m a Patrol Leader in my troop and something here has been going on that I don’t agree with.
With Thanksgiving a little over a week away, let’s practice the Scouting motto by “being prepared” for the big day, especially if you plan to incorporate an outdoorsy twist, like cooking and eating the meal outside. Just as you might do when making the huge annual meal indoors, recruit some help for preparing the feast.
These Appalachian Trail Lessons come from Wade Bastian, one of two of my old Scouts hiking the 2200 mile trail. Wade and fellow Eagle Scout Bucky Kellorg started in February. As planned, Wade interrupted his hike to spend the summer employed as a peak steward in New York’s Adirondack mountains Bucky completed the trail in…
An icon of the American West, the longtime president of Coca-Cola and a man who died in the sinking of the Lusitania . Names of these and other fascinating Americans grace BSA camps across the country. The names of Scout camps offer an interesting entry point into the history of Scouting, a particular community or the…
A magic trick can be hard for little Tiger Cub Scouts to do. Here's a super simple one for them to learn using nothing but a length of rope. The Tiger elective adventure, Curiosity, Intrigue and Magical Mysteries, has the boy learning a magic trick and practicing it so that he can perform it in ...
Natalie MacEwan, the 2017-2018 Western Region Area 4 Venturing president, has been named a national finalist for a Wendy’s High School Heisman . The award, presented in conjunction with the Heisman Memorial Trophy for the top player in college football, recognizes outstanding high school student-athletes from across the country.
Thanksgiving has become a speed bump in the marketing cycle that starts before Halloween and continues all the way to Christmas and beyond. In the past, it marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season. In recent years, retailers have been tripping over themselves to attract customers by cutting prices and opening earlier.
Sometimes the desire to support Scouting’s youth-led model clashes with the wishes of parents or your fellow Scouters. That’s happening now in a troop in the northeast. The senior patrol leader wants to shuffle the patrols; some parents and assistant Scoutmasters are against the idea.
Reading about our country’s missions to space? That’s a small step toward understanding the people power involved. Experiencing those missions yourself, seeing the actual rockets towering above you and chatting with people passionate about space exploration? That’s a giant leap toward inspiring a young person for life.
Story contributed by Matthew Tikhonovsky of the Atlanta Area Council Over 60 Atlanta area Boy Scouts completed the Chemistry merit badge at the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the nation’s leading STEM universities, on October 29 th . Organized and led by Tech students, the one-of-a-kind merit badge clinic gave Scouts a 2-hour course in…
Celebrate Campsgiving by spending time outdoors with your loved ones. You don’t have to plan an actual camping trip–just head out your back door! Not long ago, my family decided to spend some time outdoors . We only had an afternoon, so we knew that an actual camping trip was out of the question.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so you know what that means? Black Friday and Cyber Monday online deals are upon us, and the Scout Shop just leaked the deep discounts every family will want to take advantage of. What kind of discounts are we talking?
________________________________________ In this column… • “Co-” Senior Patrol Leaders? Really??? • Under-age drinking. What would YOU do? • Eagle project gone sideways? • How to be smart about Eagle references. ============================= Dear Andy, I’m a Troop Guide and I’m getting ready for our troop’s elections. Last time I ran for Senior Patrol Leader, two other Scouts ran together as co-SPLs.
Almost every month has a designated national health observance to remind people of important health issues. February is American Heart Month; National Breast Cancer Awareness Month happens in October, and November has Movember . This month’s campaign, which has been popular for the past decade or so, encourages men to grow mustaches to raise awareness of…
After the BSA Board of Directors’ historic decision to welcome girls into Scouting , many in the Scouting community had just one question: When can my daughter sign up? Other Scouters had more specific questions about the reasons for the move, implementation and rollout plan.
Here’s some advice from Wade Bastian on the Appalachian trail gear he carried on his hike. Wade set out on the 2200 mile trail with fellow Eagle Scout Bucky Kellorg in February. As planned, Wade interrupted his hike to spend the summer employed as a peak steward in New York’s Adirondack mountains (he’s stewarding a…
Plenty of rumors, speculations, and concerns about the changes we'll have in place starting next year. Rather than fretting and wondering, if you have a half hour to invest, Bryan Wendell reads questions from scouters across the country answered by Mike Surbaugh, the BSA Chief Scout.
In this season of gratitude, service and giving, I’m reflecting on the many things I am thankful for in this organization. First, thank you to all the leaders, volunteers and parents who have given their time and energy to helping young people have once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
Sometimes kids who are bullied don’t know where to go for help. Thanks to an Eagle Scout, that’s no longer the case at a Maryland elementary school. For his Eagle Scout project, Tory Ridgeway built a buddy bench at Windy Hill Elementary School in Owings, Md.
In Tom’s troop, the adult leaders wear nametags. The Scouts do not. But with the troop now more than 100 Scouts strong, it’s getting tougher to know which Scout is Aiden and which is Jayden. That led Tom’s troop to consider nametags for youth members.
Kevin Callan is here, it’s time to go winter camping! Canada’s Happy Camper, our friend Kevin Callan, author of the new Complete Guide to Winter Camping joins us on this podcast with his welcoming way of sharing his knowledge of the woods in winter.
________________________________________ In this column… • Rank- and grade-appropriate “Cyber Chip” earning • BSA Membership numbers—How it works • Keeping your Scout troop “Scout-led” • Lone Scout service opportunity…By a former Lone Scout ============================= Hi Andy, Our troop has a Scout who will be First Class on December 6th.
You’re packing for a winter camping trip. Tent, check. Warm clothes, check. Food, check. Bear bag… Do you really need a bear bag? It’s winter, after all. Aren’t the bears hibernating? Well, first of all, bears don’t hibernate like other mammals.
Escape the chill of winter while acquiring the latest tools to help your Scout unit succeed. That’s the promise of a volunteer training conference at the Florida Sea Base. Pick from five weeklong conferences, each held in January 2018 at the BSA’s Florida home.
Noah Tyler loves popcorn season. The 8-year-old Bear Scout from California was his pack’s top seller last year and was eager to do even better this year. On Sept. 26, he was more than halfway to his sales goal when something horrible happened.
Join us as we congratulate James M. Rees, who will serve as Scout executive of Greater Tampa Bay Area Council in Tampa, Florida, effective January 1, 2018. Jim began his Scouting career in 1991 as a district executive in Evangeline Area Council in Lafayette, Louisiana, before moving up to serve that council as a field…
