Re: What to do with Previous SPL's

I second Mark's response. High School age Scouts need a "place" in the
Troop with Scouts their own age, which is not as a member of a patrol. If
they choose to be a patrol member, so be it, but if they have served as a
Senior youth leader such as SPL or ASPL, it is difficult and perhaps
somewhat unfair to them to place them
back in a patrol with no authority or responsibility. They need a way to
continue their leadership skills, so having a "Senior" Patrol, or "Eagle"
Patrol, or even the "discarded" leadership corps concept still has merit.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have also operated an Explorer
Post concurrently with our Troop and our 14-18 year old Scouts are
registered in the Post so they have opportunities in a teen-age program
that challenges their imagination and creates enthusiasm. They also get
to wear the dark green Explorer shirts, and this provides them with a
unique identity as Senior youth leaders in the Troop.

In addition to SPL, ASPL, our explorers serve as Troop guides,
instructors, or when they turn
16, as Jr. Assistant Scoutmasters. So long as they have a productive and
worthwhile assignment in a leadership position, they are very positive
contributors, and the younger Scouts really appreciate their attention and
help on rank advancement, camping, and many other areas.

Younger Scouts view
this as a future opportunity and are excited about being able to join
Explorers when they get to be 14, so it also helps membership retention
for Scouts as they get older. As many have mentioned, retaining older
Scouts is tough due to so many conflicts for their time and interests, so
anything we as leaders can do to enhance opportunities and provide
exciting and appealing programs should by all means be attempted.

Best wishes...

Bob Amick, Explorer Advisor, High Adventure Explorer Post 72,
and Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 72, Boulder, CO

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