Leaderboard

From this Scoutmaster's point of view, it's a shame that your OA experience has been so negative. The scouts in our troop who are active in the OA are by far our strongest leaders, and bring fresh new ideas to continually develop our program, which leads to better scout retention (and continued interest in the OA). Done properly, the OA is far more than free council labor...

Paying it forward.... I've got a bunch of books accumulated over the years that are looking for a new home. Mix and match however you want. Im just looking for a couple bucks to cover shipping. https://photos.app.goo.gl/EthHY7Ql1Kr8fMEA3

Some people used to pay to keep their phone number and address private (and some still do) for a variety of reasons. I think the reason they don't make the list available to Scouts is because they want the Scouts to have a discussion with their SM. And sometimes Scoutmasters know the MBCs, and might know that this counselor is a really good one, this other one doesn't return calls, etc.

That is why any issues, concerns, or problems a SM has with the Elections Team and/or Advisor need to be dealt with privately and calmly. I know I have had a few of those over the years. But when a SM starts yelling and berating the youth election team members, that is when an advisor needs to step in. And if a SM continues to make a public spectacle by yelling and berating the youth and the advisor who is trying to calmly and privately discuss the issue, then it is time for the OA election team to calmly leave like I did.

@silent-warrior, ditto the welcome. Form any nomination scheme you like (including the one that many of us experienced in the 70s), and I can show you examples of disappointments. The question is, are there more disappointments than successes? Take my family for example. By the books, both I and my sons are what you would call sash-n-dash. Our lodge saw nothing of us after the ordeals. On another, very few would doubt our commitments to scouting, supporting camps, being of service to scouting activities, respect for native tribes, and introducing people who've never gone camping or h

Agreed, and even more. For me scouting (all scouting) is about growth in behavior. Parents are shocked to learn that I don't care much about their little Johnny getting Eagle. My passion is for their son to learn habits that give him the tools to get his Eagle on his own initiative. Rank is fine I guess while he is a scout in his youth, but I want to teach life Habits of setting goals and building a plan to achieve those goals. Part of that process for us was to guide the new scout in how to initiate working a MB. We teach him to ask for the SM counselor list, call the counselor to learn