Jay K

Actual quotes:

"We don't run our pack like you run your Troop KAOS" (sic.)

"How do you make boys lead themselves?"

>Wow! that one still gets me...

"How can you get anything done?"

>Sometimes, we DON'T!

"How dare you criticize my boy's leadership?"

>IT's my job as Scoutmaster!

"We aren't coming back until the meetings are less chaotic."

>'Bye!

Great!

When I was a Scout, I wanted to take welding/shop in school. I was told "No, you are in the College Preparatory program! "

I learned welding in Sculpture in the Art Department in college! I took a Sculpture class. I did welded sculpture. I have to say that the Sculpture "puhfesser" was a good welder, and was very interested and thorough teaching me to weld. I was amazed, and pleased. I wondered "What if I had prepared for this college course by taking welding in high school?" I will encourage all my Scouts to take this one. They sure glommed on to the new Chess Meit Badge! I think that welding is a great skill to have. The onliest thing: WHERE are we going to find Counselors?

I thought the Scout still needed to complete Life...

SM assigned service project is still in there. There is a Troop of over 100 Scouts that came from a different District to our District Camporee. I asked the SM about PoR. He told me he has a book of service projects.

Some of the craft stuff at the Scout Shop. There is stuff for that Staff!

Ideal: take a group to the Boundary Waters for 5 days and teach it there. Do real navigation and real campfire and camp stove cooking. Hope for no real first aid! My Council said "no!" See my Wood Badge horror story.

Less ideal:

Get the "Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills" handbook, #33640.

Get some Adult volunteers to teach specific modules.

My vague idea is: Have them show up after dinner Friday evening and do the "American Flag," "tents and Shelters," "Camp fires" and "Camp and pack basics." Saturday morning, I think a flag ceremony, "fancy breakfast" and learn-by-doing "menu planning." "clean up." and "Backpack stove." After breakfast, "Woods Tools." Then "Ropes and Lashing," followed by free time, and then a "fancy" lunch. After Lunch, "Additional skills" which is "Map and Compass" (I move "Compass reading" out of "Cooking.") The others are "measuring., " Orienteering," "Plant and Animal identification.," which I think go together, and "Hiking basics & Leave -no -Trace, " which I paste together. That should fill the afternoon, followed by "fancy" dinner, including cleanup, then Chaplain service, flag ceremony, and a campfire. Sunday morning, a flag ceremony, "simple" breakfast and cleanup and then all the First Aid. Then, closing ceremony including awarding of certificates, a flag ceremony, and dismissal.

The Course on which I may serve is in the Fall 2012, and I'll be dishwasher, and teach a module in order to get that MUST HAVE THIRD BEAD! (Picture a guy drooling, most undignified.)

Our C-06-07 SM/CD concluded with an SM minute. As I have said elsewhere, our patrol sailed through it. (our PL that day, is a Phd.)I will mention SM Minute to the staff if I do staff a course.

SOCIALISM

You have 2 cows.

You give one to your neighbor.

I couldn't resist.

Aw, Ea, ya choked me up. That's what I'm talking about, and what I was trying for when I started this thread.

The mystique of Wood Badge. Who can say?

The Game of Life wasn't the only thing that made me mad. That whole day built to that event. I could tell that that was what was going on, they were orchestrating inter-patrol tension. It was blantantly obvious.

For one, it is not like that for another.

I have an opportunity to serve on a course Staff. It will be interesting.(This message has been edited by Jay K)

John-in-KC and Basement Dweller, Thanks for being involved in Scouting.

John-in-KC and Basement Dweller, Thanks for being involved in Scouting.

Go, John-in-KC!

(Reformed dirtbag.)

Devil's Lake State Park!

What a joy it is to lead Scouts in the field!

I'm no expert on EPMB, as I am very aquatics oriented, but my impression is that 1 Scout is the leader and the other 5 would be the rescue crew (6b) and for 8(a) it seems that 1 Scout writes the plan, and explains it to the others, so for 6 Scouts, they would each have to do that requirement, i.e., you might have to see each Scout explain it to the others 6 repetitions. Fun.

Atomic Testing Museum! I'm IN!

We were part of a dedicated population at the amusement park at the Mall of America. We participated in an evacuation drill which was held to verify whether their evacuation plan was workable. It was, but I bet Scouts are more mangeable than an actual panicky general crowd...

I told the Scouts that they had all fulfilled a requirement for Emergency Preparedness, but that they had to get Lifesaving Merit Badge first. (I'm an Aquatics Director.) We all had a good laugh over that.

Yeah! Go for the Certificate!

I'm a More-the-merrier type.

One year, we had a helicopter parent, but she was very pleasant, knew when to get out of the way, and was achingly polite. She camped away from her son. She enjoyed walking with her son and other Scouts to the Merit Badge classes, and sat away from the class and read her book.

One guy who is a Marine, bellowed out his son at the Dining Shelter. We had a chat with him, and he behaved himself more circumspectly after that.

One guy was kinda antsy, didn't like sitting around. I took him sailing, and had him work some Browsea stuff with younger Scouts.

Another guy comes and goes on long runs, and works on legal case files in his tent.

In other words, it isn't much of a problem. In the last few years, I, as Scoutmaster, have been the only one that stayed the whole time. Other Troop Adults take turns being the 2nd Adult. That's kinda nice...

I love the Flash Mob idea. Let us know how it works!

I like to do the Eagle SM Conference a short time before the Eagle BoR is to be held. I ask about stuff that needs to be brought to the BoR, and I kinda coach the Scout about how to prepare for it. I go over the whole Scout career, remeniscing,what he learned about leadership, what was fun, what was not. I try to ask a few of the things that I know the BoR will ask.

I like bolos! Our troop is a "bolo" troop." I do sometimes wear my Camp School , or my Wood Badge, or some other neckerchief, but It's really up to you. Maybe wear your Cub neckerchief to the Boy Scout meetings, to signify liason to the pack, and vice versa at Pack events. I wear my Pedro Plaid Jac- Shirt with the Camp School back patch to Wood Badge breakfast, I wear my Red Jac-shirt with the OA back patch to University of Scouting, and I wear my new Green (Washable!) jac-shirt, with the Wood Badge back patch to OA Conclave! I try to spread interest in the other things to events.

You can read my "Wood Badge horror story, " BUT, I DO reccomend Wood Badge. It was a good time, and I have life friends from it.

1. Have a nice sit-down with the District Advancement Chair, or the person HE/She has designated to approve Eagle Projects. Feel it out, would a project of this type fly here?

2. Don't call it a maintenance project, its a RESTORATION.

3. My observation around our District is:

Lots of Scouts have done projects at the Charter Partners facility. Some Charter Partners see this as their due, for hosting the unit. Lots of projects have been RESTORATIONS. But, like the others have said, there may be a traditional type of projects your District people expect.

The project should be written up with leadership verbage:

"I'll TRAIN the workers"

"I'll ensure that Safety guidelines will be followed."

"I will have first Aid equipment and first aid trained personnell on hand.

"I will allow no one under 18 to operate power equipmnt, and I will supervise the use of such equipment."

As a wise little old lady Scouter once told me: "If your Eagle Project is digging a ditch, you aren't digging the ditch, you are leading the team that is digging that ditch. You may demonstrate digging, but you aren't the one doing the digging. "