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April 2020 Time to make: 2 hours Boys Life "Slide of the Month" May 1984, page 67 Original design: Fritz Hines Leather design: Bill Macfarlane As I understand it, Kachina are friendly and helpful spirits to the Pueblo Indians. Kachina dolls, carved wooden and brightly painted miniature replicas of ceremonial dancers, are given to children…
New Merit Badge for Scouts
________________________________________ Dear Readers, I’ve seen various “gallows humor” emails floating around, and the occasional wry comment on social media, and these have impelled me to consider today. As many if not most of you already know, I’ve been writing special “April Fool’s Day” columns for you since 2007.
Most of you are carrying out your Scouting adventures and fun Scouting activities at home — with help from the resources on the BSA Scouting at Home site. While we know it may be a little while before you’re able to go back to sitting around a campfire with your troop, pack, crew, or ship, it’s…
The JOTI virtual campsite shows some of the activities Scouts can enjoy from April 3–5, 2020. Self-isolation can feel pretty lonely. But this weekend will bring a welcome reminder that as Scouts, we’re never truly alone. From April 3–5, join a special edition of Jamboree on the Internet , a digital event designed to help Scouts…
The Cub Scout Nova award Swing! is a great STEM activity for kids. Learn about requirement 2, and find links to all the other requirements.
This is Unsung Heroes , a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story below, and find instructions for sharing your own Unsung Heroes story at…
April 2020 Time to make: 1 hour each Finishing: 1 hour Original design: Philmont / Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown One of the symbols you can see in almost every patch, slide or any Philmont item is the brands. Heck, you can even brand something you own like a hat, a belt, a piece of…
Social distancing may keep you from physically canyoneering at Zion National Park or traversing unseasonably cold streams at Yosemite. But you and your kids can still take on rugged explorations you never imagined! Every weekday at 2 p.m. Central, Boys’ Life editors are jumping on Facebook Live to share treks, jokes and mind-bending facts that…
Please join us as we congratulate Chuck Brasfeild, who will serve as Scout executive of the Denver Area Council in Denver, Colorado, effective May 1, 2020. Chuck began his Scouting career in 1998 as a district executive at the Central Florida Council in Orlando, Florida.
In our “A Scout is Reverent” series, Scouting Wire takes a look at how Scouting families across the country observe a variety of religious holidays of their own faith and support fellow unit members in theirs. Join us as Bruce Chudacoff, Chairman of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting shares a unique perspective on the…
In our “A Scout is Reverent” series, Scouting Wire takes a look at how Scouting families across the country observe a variety of religious holidays of their own faith and support fellow unit members in theirs. Join us as Steven Scheid, Director of the Center for Scouting Ministries, General Commission on United Methodist Men , shares…
In our “A Scout is Reverent” series, Scouting Wire takes a look at how Scouting families across the country observe a variety of religious holidays of their own faith and support fellow unit members in theirs. Join us as Syed E.
In our “A Scout is Reverent” series, Scouting Wire takes a look at how Scouting families across the country observe a variety of religious holidays of their own faith and support fellow unit members in theirs. Join us as Kavneet Singh, Chief Resource and Advocacy Officer of the American Sikh Council, shares a unique perspective…
So, you’re spending a little more time around the house than normal, but many of you are continuing your Scouting adventures, including making great progress on your merit badge work. Bryan pulled together a list of merit badges that can be worked on from home or your backyard, and, while it might not be possible…
________________________________________ Looking for a new way to talk about Scouting to a friend, a co-worker, or a possible major donor? Here’s a brilliant video that describes the essence of Scouting as an EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION. It’s narrated by a personal Scouting friend of more than 30 years—Mr.
April 2020 Time to make: 1 hours Finishing: 1 hour Original design: Philmont\Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown The Order of the Arrow Trail Crew work on the trails at Philmont in cheerful service. But it's not all work, there is a comradeship of the members of OA and during the second week at Philmont…
Main image: An artist's rendering of the Perseverance rover on Mars. Inset: Alex and his dad, David, at a January 2020 court of honor. Here’s the plan: Alexander Mather will get a NASA internship, graduate with an engineering degree and then land a job at NASA.
A Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary rescue worker holds an injured bald eagle that Scouts spotted. In these uncertain times as the country takes precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we know this is certain: Scouts will continue to help wherever and whenever they can.
Live, from the living rooms, kitchens and backyards of Scouting families like yours, it’s Scout Saturday Live! This new web series , created by Scouts, volunteers and professionals in the BSA’s Western Los Angeles County Council, serves up a fun mix of games, competitions, projects, science experiments and more.
April 2020 Time to make: 1 hours Finishing: 1 hour Original design: Philmont\Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown A no-carve slide but I still like it. The geographic marker was printed on waterslide paper and then transferred to a painted wooden birch thin plywood round. Finished off with a couple coats of Poly.
Sometimes music can say more than words. When a 13-year-old Scout in New Jersey learned that 37 people had died from the coronavirus at a veterans home near his house, he wanted to offer his own kind of tribute. Alex Saldana, a Life Scout from Troop 36 of Oradell, N.J., (Northern New Jersey Council) stood…
Despite our efforts to keep Scouting programs going in the face of the worldwide pandemic, some things just become impossible at the moment. Merit badge requirements that include camping, for instance, and the collaborative nature of Eagle projects when we can’t come together due to social distancing threaten the timely completion of requirements.
Congratulations to Ralph Voelker, who will serve as Scout executive of the Bay-Lakes Council in Appleton, Wisconsin, effective May 16, 2020. Ralph began his Scouting career as an associate district executive at the Denver Area Council in Denver, Colorado. He moved on to become the senior district executive m/p and later camping director at the…
Turn off the TV — there are plenty of cool activities you can do at home. With the help of some of these Cub Scout activity kits, you can keep the Scouting momentum (and fun) going. Birdhouse woodworking kit: This one fits in with the “My Tiger Jungle” required adventure for Tiger Scouts (Requirement No.
________________________________________ The story below is originally from NorthJersey.com and NBC Nightly News, and I’m thrilled to included it here (I was raised in New Jersey and earned my Eagle rank there). Our friend “Bryan on Scouting” also published this. Enjoy! “Sometimes music can say more than words.
April 2020 Time to make: 2.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours Original design: Philmont\Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I was really confused when I saw patches for Philturn Rockey Mountain Scout Camp . Was this some other councils summer camp?
When it comes to serving our communities, Scouts will do whatever it takes. At the BSA’s Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, that means answering the call when local health officials needed a drive-thru testing site for people suspected of having COVID-19.
Patrick Reid describes his elementary school experience as “about normal.” But as he got older, things started to change. “I enjoyed it until fifth or sixth grade, when I got bullied,” Patrick says. Unfortunately, Patrick’s experience is common for children with autism.
Daniel Free earned the Eagle Scout rank in 2017. At the time, the 15-year-old of Troop 489 in Germantown, Md., had earned 54 merit badges. But he didn’t stop there. The night of his court of honor, he made it a goal to earn all 137 available merit badges by his 18th birthday.
April 2020 Time to make: 1 hour Finishing: 1 hour Original design: Philmont\Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown So one of the things I'm looking for when I get to Philmont is getting a tour of the Scouting Museum and hope to see some of Whittlin' Jim's original works.
He’s tried sumo wrestling with Conan O’Brien, farming with Jennifer Garner and jousting with Jason Sudeikis. But Kevin Hart’s latest physical challenge might be his toughest yet. In the April 23 episode of the YouTube comedy series Kevin Hart: What The Fit , the stand-up comedian and movie star will try his hand at Scouting.
Browsing through videos on Instagram of people dancing to songs, Jana Heller thought it might be fun for her family to make their own music video and shared the idea with her husband, Steven. Like many families across the country right now, the Heller family of Maple Valley, Wash., is staying home to help fight…
Article submitted by Deanna Heisler, Norwela Council-Caddo District Director Some Unit Serving Executives may be unfamiliar with the value of Exploring in driving growth for their council; however, by making use of available resources and utilizing key tactics, Unit Serving Executives can make Exploring an integral part of a successful growth strategy.
April 2020 Time to make: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1 hour Original design: Philmont\Bill Macfarlane Days till Philmont Countdown One of the most iconic symbols of Philmont, you can find the Tooth of Time as a part of quite a few of the patches and other items at Philmont.
Learning how to lash together camp gadgets like dishwashing racks , cooking stations and dining fly poles is a fun — and useful — Scouting skill. But learning to tie these lashings at home, in a living room? That’s a recipe for broken lamps.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’m sure this has been asked before, but I just can’t find the answer… We’ve been told that a Scout can’t ask for a board of review until after he or she has been active in current rank for six months.
Scouting U will be holding the newly developed FUNDRAISING ESSENTIALS COURSE December 2 – 5, 2020, at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. This course is designed for 3- to 5-year BSA professionals who aspire to strengthen their development skills.
The Chartered Organization Representative, the Chaplain, and the Chaplain’s Aide are known in their units as the “Faithful 3.” Supporting the work of the Faithful 3 can be one method unit-serving executives can use to further strengthen relationships with units.
Dan Churay is the head of human resources for a major corporation in Houston. He’s also an executive committee member of the board of the Sam Houston Area Council . Churay knows what to look for in a potential employee. At the top of that list: being an Eagle Scout.
Scouts are resourceful. So, while your troop may not be able to go on a weekend campout together during the COVID-19 pandemic, this time could be ideal to learn how to play a new game or work on the car or prepare a first aid kit for the family.
How do you conduct a Scouting for Food drive in the middle of a global pandemic? With a little bit of Scouting ingenuity and a lot of Good Turns. After the coronavirus forced a pack and troop in Wisconsin to cancel last month’s Scouting for Food drive, the Scouts and their families brought back the…
What if a powerful tool to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been hanging from our necks this whole time? That was the simple-yet-brilliant thought that sparked Jacob Finch to act in service to others. Jacob, a Life Scout from Troop 1 of Ballston Spa, N.Y.
Roger Mosby Address from Boy Scouts of America on Vimeo . Today I would like to share some thoughts with you regarding the challenges that all of us are facing in these trying times and how the Scouting community is coping with the many challenges of social distancing, sheltering in place, and working and schooling from…
________________________________________ Hey Andy, How do I search all 638 of your issues a specific topic without having to open every individual issue? (Tony) There’s deliberately no index. That’s because there are rarely “blanket” answers that will apply to every nuance of every situation folks have been writing to me about these past 19 years!
After a few weeks of using video teleconference technology from home, the novelty of seeing your coworkers in their pajamas or one of their pets jump in their lap while they’re talking has probably worn off. You might be looking for other ways to inject a little fun during these stressful times.
Francis Lawrence (top left) met with seven Scouts to teach the Moviemaking merit badge beginning in April. Like other merit badge counselors, Francis Lawrence brings passion, expertise and professional experience to this important volunteer role. It just so happens that Lawrence’s experience is as an accomplished Hollywood director.
Navigating trails is fun — navigating them on an all-terrain vehicle is even more fun, especially when you do it right. Being prepared for an ATV ride includes knowing how to operate the machine safely and wearing the appropriate gear . Through a partnership with Polaris Industries and the ATV Safety Institute, Scouts can learn to ride…
