Exploring/Venturing

If you haven't checked out the NELC website, do so ASAP, because we have each
day's newsletter up on it. And a fair and honest article on the switch between
Exploring/Venturing is in issue 4. Even the pros missed the one error in it
(CO becomes a PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION) and it contains your new logos.

http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/explorer/nelc/

What the story DIDN'T cover, was that there were no emotions left hidden at
the Advisors meeting on the topic. Explorers felt they were left in the cold,
with no awards, unable to attend BSA High Adventure bases (unless they already
have a reservation on 8/1 or double register - and hey, doesn't that just
incidentally sound like an excellant way to increase slots at Philmont?),
unable to attend Disney's discounted Scout day, etc., etc. We even got into
stinkin' popcorn sales and whether or not they'd be able to continue to do it
(LFL has done them for years). And how could single parents with youth who
grew up in the one program afford to pay double registration fees so they
could participate on both sides?

The panel asembled was excellant, even showing the same program given at the
National meeting, but the room was hot and unprepared for something that big
and while it kept every Advisor away from the elections, it also showed that
the units being sent to LFL are taking it personally at the adult level. Even
with all I already knew, I took five pages of notes, none of which were used
to write the article (Hey, if the youth had to be voting the one adult had to
be at the meeting doing the reporting, right?).

For those who think it was done suddenly because of the legal decisions in
Chicago---wrong. The program started to be looked at two years ago and the
ideas were developing in 1996. They were to the point they were testing the
program in 1997 just after Jamboree (Yes, I actually met one Explorer who was
part of the beta test group, the only ones who will be allowed to complete
Ranger, etc., before the actual Ranger manual is ready). Then the decision was
made to fast-track it and try to produce everything we normally put out over
years in about 12 months. We've known about it for 6 of those.

And they DID decide to jumpstart it because the ACLU had changed tactics and
was attacking our CO's instead of BSA (and succeeding), but not because of a
specific case. And the first three years councils are developing their own way
to handle things and its like a giant field test before some things get locked
in stone (and if you want to know my personal way of handling it, send a
separate message to me and I'll tell you how to cover everything I know
about).

But for all of us to consider: Many of the Advisors attending had no
information and no idea what was occurring. Strange. I know only two groups
that stand around and gossip as much as Scouters, why didn't these people get
the word over the last six months? Why didn't their councils provide
information? What is the big stinking secret?

Most importantly, this is the chance for your youth to step forward and form a
program that will be of use to all youth from 14-20 in their Council, Area,
Region, and Nationally. So whichever side your unit will be winding up on,
make sure that you put in the extra effort to keep up interest above the local
level programs.

Tom Petrik

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