Introduction: Drew Hagemann
Andrew Hagemann (hagemann@VISI.NET)
Sat, 11 Jan 1997 22:48:53 -0500
Greetings all,
I just joined your news group, having found it through the JAMBO97 news
group that I've been subscribing to for the past month or so. I want to
let you know who the new lurker is, so here goes....
PERSONAL INFO: I'm forty-four years old, and I became a Scouter about
three years ago after a much-too-long absence from Scouting (U.S. Navy,
college, and a demanding employer). Right after I began working for my
current, much more humanistic employer, I discovered that I could have a
life after five o'clock; so quick as a flash, I returned to Scouting. I
really loved my Scouting experience. I'm an Air Force brat, and I had
the benefit of being a member of three really dynamic Troops in my eight
years as a Boy Scout. Ever since I "graduated" from the boy side of
Scouting, I wanted to give something back before I grew too old to go
hiking and camping.
SCOUTING INFO: I'm an Eagle Scout (Feb. '70), an Assitant Scoutmaster
(Troop 6, Colonial Virginia Council), an Arrowman ('69 Ordeal, '94
Brotherhood), a Wood Badge Buffalo (SR-158, Fall 96; still working my
ticket), and the Metal Work Merit Badge Booth Coordinator for the '97
Jamboree. I get a real kick out of teaching kids; therefore, I wanted a
Troop-level job. Right now I'm the Asst SM who's responsible for the
New Scout Patrol in my Troop, and I love every minute of it. I've got
nine Scouts and three Guides in my Patrol. I also have three capable
adults helping me with things. And, if they have fun with us on our
Klondike Derby, we're looking at bridging over maybe six to ten Weblo
Scouts into our Troop in February.
NEW SCOUT PATROL - MY BRAINSTORM IDEA: I've "invented" a thing I call a
"Scout Spirit Monitor", a simple Excel spreadsheet and histogram that
tracks each boy's Scouting Health against the current month's standard
of performance. (Fellow Wood Badgers will be grining right now and
shaking their heads in fond recollection.) It's worked real well with
my Scouts, helping me galvanize a bunch of "part-time" Scouts into
near-full-time action. Where I only had two or three (out of nine) who
were "good" Scouts, now I have eight (out of nine) who are "good"
Scouts. I've posted the tally sheet to show the boys what I'm watching
for, as well as posted the cumulative graph that shows their
month-to-date performance. Now they pretty much know what I think Scout
Spirit means.
We really can't tally how they live up to the Scout Law, but I'm looking
at the outward mainfestations of good Scout Spirit such as:
working to advance
attending all Troop and Patrol meetings
wearing the uniform correctly
bringing their Scout Handbooks to everything we do
carrying little notebooks in their shirt pockets
going camping regularly
paying their food money on time
bringing permission slips on time
participating actively in our Troop and Patrol service projects
If you're interested in my "magic" spreadsheet, let me know, and I'll
e-mail you a copy of the one that I'm currently using. All you'd have
to do is replace my Scout's mames with yours, establish your Troop's
standard and away you go. I takes me about ten minutes to update and
reprint.
I used to be a Buffalo...
Andrew Hagemann (hagemann@visi.net)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
