IM_Kathy

we had this happen to a boy a couple of years ago. He even had a fundraising event (pancake breakfast). The boy had a coach, but the coach volunteered before realizing it was all going on during their busy family travel time... and yep it got missed. SO... we called in the our district person that handles our eagle stuff. Seeing as he followed all the rules and it was just an oops of not filling out a form she did agree to have him fill out the form even after it was done. So basically I would say check with the person from the district that handles your eagle paperwork and boards.

if the scout can't tell me how he did something then he must not have done it well enough to have learned it and does it again. If he can tell me well enough then I'd sign it. The only boys that sign off in books for us are Junior Assistant Scoutmasters - scouts teach, scouts watch, scouts say go do it for "___adult or junior asm_____" While I would love to have patrol leaders or say a 1st class or above sign off, but that isn't the way the troop was when we joined and I can only see more headaches from it than benefits. I don't want a boy getting signed off that really doesn't know his s

my boy scouts still love this stuff. About every 4 months we do a "first aid challenge". Sometimes it's relay of treating different things. Once we staged a car accident in the church parking lot (no cars damaged in the process just parked like they had hit) Ketchup packets make for good enough blood although the boys got to see real squirting blood when one of our adults passed out and smashed open his head one meeting. we have patrol award ribbons that are home-made that go on patrol flags just like troop/pack flags and first aid challenge is one of them.

sorry you had a bad experience. Visit multiple troops both meetings and campouts. You mentioned the adult kept saying it's boy-led, but in what you wrote I didn't actually read any form of leading. There is adult-run, boy-run, and un-lead where they say it's boy-led but none of the boys are doing any leading they're just doing and those are totally different. Was their a scout or maybe a couple that was instructing the other scouts what to take and put in the trailer? This should be the job of the quartermaster Was there a scout that was gathering other boys together and as

hmmmmmm... just my opinion.... since it's been approved here's what I would suggest: a sign at the check-in saying something like: Alcohol is provided by golf club house only. If you drink please drink responsibly as Scout youth are around to help with their portion of the fundraiser. I would also suggest putting a sign by your dining area for those that go to the bar area that just says something like please confine drinking alcohol to the bar area as it is part of the club and not part of the Scout fundraiser. Just lets them know that it is there but is NOT part of your acti

ok so just my opinion... a boy that has been an active scout all the way through the age of 18 and has earned the rank of Eagle should NOT have to go through IOLS training. Yes I can see the classroom part where they learn all the paperwork and rules stuff. But the going camping with a group of adults and work as a patrol and sit through lots of classes that teach things that he learned as a scout as well as has been teaching these things as part of being an older scout should NOT have to go through this. I have 2 scouts that are ageing out and are soon to be awarded eagle that are want

as a SM I like to promote OA. We hold elections, we try our best to make sure a troop campout is NOT the same weekend as an OA event (but sometimes it does happen). The way I look at it if a boy is eligible, I feel is ready for the Ordeal, and the scout is willing to be put up for a vote then let's have the vote. If the boy is voted in and becomes an arrowman then leave it up to that boy what he does with the lodge. Just the same we do with troop - a boy can be a member of the troop and still decide what parts he wants to be involved with. Last year we had 4 eligible and all were elec

oh yeah talk to the park rangers about service projects and may get free camp ground use. We have a few places that will do that. We also have a couple places that offer youth group site for free to scout unit; one of which I really like because it has a big area but also has a trail area that goes into a few patrol spots to keep them separated.

We haven't had any issues with the either the policy change or the cooking merit badge. The 2 boys that are getting finished up are right at 18 (my son passed his board last night and just turned 18 and he actually did earn cooking MB the other scout turns 18 in November) We have 1 scout finishing up by May as he will be traveling overseas with his family after that and he almost has cooking MB done he turns 18 this coming summer. I have one other scout who has completed cooking MB already and the rest of our scouts have started the merit badge because they know the requirements now

Thanks everyone. My son just completed his board last night and the council person said she was turning in the paperwork today. He doesn't want a separate special eagle court of honor he just wants it to be part of a troop court of honor (troop has had both so no big deal) Next COH schedule with the troop is just over a month away so was just curious if he'd be able to do it then. He is working on writing up his portion of the ceremony and only having a couple people come for something special (mentor and eagle pledge) He just let them know that date and that once he knows for sure he's a

I read lots of things. As someone who went through a troop change with my son it is important that the scout likes the troop more than the adult liking (unless it's a safety issue) After reading I would suggest when going with a troop on a campout to see how the troop functions that a camporee might not be the best view. Many camporees are way to organized by the hosting troop whether it's merit badges or competitions. Also depending on where it is being held and how the hosts set up where troops set up really affect how a troop operates. The camporees we've been to last while have be

Just curious how long does it normally take National to get back to the SM on approval of Eagle candidate?

my son used a 3 ring binder. Front was calendar. Next was tracking campouts and positions and such. Then merit badges.... printed out workbook even if he didn't use the workbook for every part of the badge. If didn't use workbook for that part he'd write done on that part. He had a pencil pouch at that part of the binder and would put the blue cards in there. Once completed he'd turn in his blue cards. in the back is all of his rank and mb cards kept in a ball card sheet. He has the ranks from Tigers all the way up and is waiting to hear on his eagle. Then his mb cards with th

our campouts base price is $20/youth and free for adults. This covers food, campground fee if there is one, and gas bonus for truck pulling the trailer (other drivers don't get gas money) For special events such as skiing, canoeing, and camporees then the event fee or rental fee is covered by all youth and adults. Although we do try to get canoes donated for use, but can't always manage to get enough. Our treasurer keeps a good budget, a couple campouts we will lose money mainly because it's a longer drive so paying for pulling trailer costs more but then we'll have a couple campouts where

I have had scouts that breezed through the pull-ups - I was amazed at how many they could do. And then I have a few that go from 0 to 1/2. Two of the boys that are very close to 17-18 year eagles were in the 0 to 1/2 set. And those two still can't do a pull-up. One of them has been a great youth leader, an SPL more than once, a troop guide back when we were age based, and while never an official instructor he has taught numerous skills many times. It would really be sad if this boy didn't get eagle because he never could do a single pull-up!

Our troop likes our summer camp except for the dining hall. They offer a good balance of older and younger scout programs. Lake Front badges, climbing, shooting. They allow a max of 4 badges for the week and have plenty of free time with open areas. They just built it's own welding shop this past year and offered the welding mb as a week long program for older boys and brought in a special instructor for the season for it. Even brought it professionals trained in search and rescue to lead that program. But our troop has a mix between the high adventure lovers and the just hang and have f

I like what's been said so far. With the list you have of mb you'll be doing I would only add that when I work with a boy on family life I like to talk with them about their family project as a mini-test run of leading a project such as an eagle project. That they are in charge NOT mom, dad, guardian, whoever... that means they pick the project, look at their families abilities, and assign the best job for the person for the project. While I agree with the don't add to requirements you can still teach them more than is required. There are badges that there are things I know that are ab

never had a patrol do poptarts. we have banned baby carrots as the veggie as too often they never pulled them out. We also banned making donuts because patrols were eating a few taking off and coming back to grab a couple more - no real time hanging as a patrol. boys do like to do baggie eggs when we have to bug out quicker if we are traveling a long way (this weekend they are over 6 hour drive away - I'm stuck at home with a banged up hand) we do allow ramen noodles, but not as just ramen noodles - used to make great backpacking chicken noodle soup or pepperoni pasta. to be ho

I've never seen then any time before winter recharter - that's when we read over them and plan out the year. I realize that is easier for a troop that is year round than it is for a pack that is based more on the school year.

When my son has moved up a rank and I will therefore be getting my parent pin then I will wear my parent ribbon on my uniform for THAT court of honor. I'm not sure what I will do once he ages out. He should have his eagle done just in the nick of time and I'd love to wear the eagle parent pin for normal meetings, but doubt I'd wear it when heading out for a campout or summer camp.

biggest benefits I got in being a leader and a coach... being a part of child's life and being final say on days/times so will better fit schedules. another way that I got parents involved just to help out was to have them fill out a sheet of what they can do... it really paid off when we got to webelos

seeing as it has been granted I guess it would depend on his exact limitations. You said he can not put his head underwater so I am assuming it might be due to inner-ear issues... if that is the case and he can swim the distance without his head being under water then I would suggest having him just use the steps into the pool and then swim the required distance keeping his head out of water. If you are looking for something totally out of the water then I would suggest a hike or bike ride and set the distance you think is appropriate. If this is going to be a forever issue I would star

I wouldn't accept it from a boy that works as a den chief because part of his duties as a den chief is to work with the den and that includes working pack events as well. So if he is a den chief for POR I wouldn't count it as additional service hours. But then I guess that's why it's left up to each SM to decide.

When I took over we had a few older scouts that were good with the teaching of skills but the rest were really struggling with it. I sat down with each of them and had a little chat individually and found out what they were comfortable with teaching and what they needed help with to teach. If the SPL ended up getting a scout to teach a skill they were not great with I would talk with that scout and re-teach them so that they could teach it or if they still just couldn't grasp it to be able to teach I would let them know they needed to let the SPL know that. Now that I've worked with the tro

I use my own tent rather than the troops tents. I have 3 that depending on tent-mates and the weather I will pick between. The one I take to summer camp would sleep 5 easily on a weekend trip but normally just 2 people and gear just so we are comfy. It does not have a vestibule but I always keep a cheap rag-rug by the door - this one is NOT for backpacking. My other 2 tents I could backpack depending on how many are sleeping with me and sharing the load. 1 could squeeze 4 since there is a vestibule but is best for 3 the other tent will only fit 2. In the winter months I'm usually the onl