John-in-KC

This just arrived in my email, since someone had a made a comment a few days ago, I thought I would post: http://www.praypub.org/main_frameset.htm http://www.praypub.org/new_look.htm From the second URL, verbatim: New Look Same Great Program! Coming July 6th The P.R.A.Y. Program has a brand new look. Its the same great program, but the recognitions and workbooks will be boasting a face lift come the beginning of July. This fresh new look is a blend of the traditional and contemporary. The recognitions retain the cross on the shield, but they feature a new color-coded design to symbolize how the four programs come together to build a foundation of faith for young people. The four colors represent the four levels in the P.R.A.Y. series, i.e. God and Me (red), God and Family (yellow), God and Church (blue), and God and Life (green). The four colors converge into a point to create an X at the center of the cross. X is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, and it is symbolic of how Christ should be at the center of our lives. This new look coincides with a name change. Rather than referring to the curriculum as the God and Country series, it will now be called The PRAY Program, and the individual medals will no longer say God and Country but rather the specific program name, i.e. God and Me, God and Family, etc. These changes come a great deal sooner than originally anticipated. The new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and subsequent regulations and mandatory testing of childrens jewelry, forced P.R.A.Y. to not only accelerate the implementation of the new name and new look, but to also revamp its entire line of awards and reduce the number of items offered. One thing that has not changed, however, is the actual content. The curriculum content and program requirements (i.e. GAMEBoxes, Pizza, Bible lessons, etc.) are still the same. The old books are not obsolete: you may continue to use them. However, you will need to print new order forms with correct prices to order recognitions (all recognitions will be the new style). We know you will have questions about these changes! We hope you take the time to read through some of the more detailed explanations below. We appreciate your patience as we implement these changes. Thank you for your ministry to youth through the P.R.A.Y. program! As you read this, yes, the medals themselves will change.

MBO-MBE-MBWA-OMM-MIC-KEY-MOUSE... We now return you to Al's watching the PTC staff tonight do Home on the Range at closing program.

The silence should be deafening. Now, special needs Candidates, certainly. But your average typical First Class Ordeal Candidate... well, the 1965 edition of the OA handbook had a suggested menu

Ditto Eamonn, both for me (that's 40+ years ago) and EagleSon (that's just 10 years ago). Consistency helps young people. Consistent weekly meetings!

Leave No Trace. When you disturb the habitat, even by making noise, you disturb it not just for yourselves, but for the party an hour behind you on the trail. You might want to think about this really carefully... after all, a Scout is Friendly, Courteous, and Kind.

What ScoutNut said ... contact your District Commissioner; find out who your UC is. Congratulations on having a good Chartered Partner ... that is way cool. Make sure the folks taking over work with the church on service projects, VBS, and fun! One thing you want to find out is when is Cub Leader Specific training this fall...

Jodies and hiking chants are for the garrison close ... in other words, where you don't desire/need/want wildlife. Quiet is for patrolling and hiking ... the former to listen for (and maybe observe) the enemy, the latter to listen for (and hopefully observe) the animals of God's nature in all their glory and splendor.

DenZero, Doing what is right isn't always what is easy, but your Chartered Partner is the licensee of record for your Scout unit... Pack, Troop, Team or Crew. They have the obligation to support the unit they charter. Now, if there are not good relations between the unit and the Partner, here's a time to fix them. Also, the DE's responsibility is not to the Units; it's to the Chartered Partners. His volunteers (Commissioner's Service and District Committee) are the ones who provide program and management support for the various things a District does. You might want to revisit this particular set of webpages on the www.scouting.org website, to understand the moving pieces and parts: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/AboutCubScouts/ThePack.aspx

Kudu, this is one of the rare times I'll agree with you, though I'm trying to figure out why your bitterness is so palpable, and you elect to share that bitterness in most every thread? Even so, emb posted... "Yes. Trainers EDGE is the new 'train the trainer' course for both youth and adult trainers. In fact, Trainers EDGE is a required course for the new National Youth Leadership Society for Venturers. RANT ... AKA the new Venturing Profit Center for the National Council. There is just something which gets my goat about a "society" that is simply a list of names. At least NESA occasionally does something in each Council. This thing is a paper name list. / RANT ETA: Al, hope you're having a good day today. As far as acronym of EDGE vice STD... I have a wholly different connotation for STD. It was all those "be healthy and wholesome Soldiers, don't patronize the local ladies of the night" lectures I had to deliver my troops as a LT and CPT.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Al, Thanks. The two times I've been to PTC, I've tooled belts for myself and for EagleSon. That means a good chunk of Monday eve and Wednesday is at the craft center . Last year one of the horse wranglers worked the branding irons at East City. A quiet young woman, I recall. Enjoy the day today!

Enjoy the buffalo BBQ and "Follow Me, Boys" tonight!!! (Is tonight the night the Wannabe Band plays at East Tent City?)(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Welcome. As Pack15nissan said, there is a support structure that's supposed to be in place. Let's start with your Chartered Partner: That's the church, school, or business which sponsors your Pack. One of their duties, as the licensees of record of the Scouting program, is to provide leadership. The two people who matter are your Executive Officer or Institutional Head, who is overall in charge, and your Chartered Organization Representative, who does the day-to-day work. In addition, you're supposed to have a Pack Committee. This should be at least 3 adults, one of whom is the Chairman. They're the support structure, even as the CM and DLs are the program structure. One of the CC's jobs is to find leadership. Another of his jobs is to serve as Cubmaster in the absence of one. The next Scouting layer beyond your unit is the District. It's a service and support area within your Council. The person who can give you the most support is your Unit Commissioner. Every unit has one. If the District Commissioner hasn't appointed a UC for your unit, HE is your Unit Commissioner. His job is to provide expertise and support to direct contact leaders, such as you. He has access to the resources of the District! Finally, your friendly Professional staff, the District Executive, is the top line of support for you. He should be able to point you to a slew of volunteers who can provide training and program assistance. HTH. KISMIF.

Kewl. Novel concept: Actually putting requirements in play on Jan 1, like they're supposed to. Tomorrow's Wednesday. What are you planning to do for your day off?

I like what Remember Schiff said. Your leader:led ratio matters. You want an ADL. You WANT a Den Chief. That way, someone is working on the next part of the meeting even as one is executing the current part of the meeting. Involve the parents. Remember, you're not the only AKELA. Parents are, too. This is not BabySitters of America. This is Cub Scouting. Above all, manage the sugar level of your Scouts. If they come in, have cookies and Kool-Aid, ZING!!! Sugar High!!! You want any snack toward the end of the meeting. Remember, Keep It Simple! Make It Fun! KISMIF!!!

There's got to be a better set of metrics than what we got in NCLBA. In fact, I know there are. A good friend has her EdD, and she's described a system where the student is assessed in the fall the instant he/she sets foot in the classroom. The aggregate of the assessments drives how she structures her classroom during term, accounting as well for the outliers. At end of term (be it semester or year), she has another assessment ... a very similar tool to what she used in the fall. It's not part of her grade plan, it's to measure and share with future students.

1) I'd have pulled my son as well. 2) In the here and now, sounds to me like it's time for a serious talk amongst the Troop Committee and the SM about rules and consequences. 3) "Why wasn't the SPL and ASPLs maintaining the set standards?" would be my first question as a CC or COR to Mr Scoutmaster.

"Bob Basso author of "Common Sense" plays the role of Thomas Paine to ignite the fire of change in America. Patriotism and Pride for America lead Thomas Paine to help take back America!" Hope this is food for introspective thought. John

I'm not an academician, as Lisa is, but I've seen enough undergraduates who are clueless about our representative democratic system of government that I agree: Scouting is one of the last bastions of imparting the truth of America to kids K-12.

DC in the Cub Scouting context can also mean DEN CHIEF: A Boy Scout (occasionally Venturer) who is assisting in program for a Cub Scout Den. He's part of a team with the DL/ADL(s).

Rick, That's a viable option especially for MBC who are beyond their training phase. I was thinking about new folks who show up and take MB Counselor orientation, but who the SM knows are going to give the badge away. In my District, the DAC controls the Counselor roster by delegating training authority to two people: Himself and I. I teach orientation at RTs and if a group gets 10 or more Scouters together for a workshop. Troops are not given the discretion to train MB Counselors. Again, this is how my District does business only.

Heck, yes, that's posed. Here are my thoughts: The Venturers, probably from the same Crew, came to the same conclusion I did about the sackcloth gray shorts and trou. They are unsat. Rather than go to Cabela's, this Crew made a decision to buy from BSA. I know that might offend purists, but frankly, that combination doesn't look bad at all. As far as no neckers go, I think the photog pulled them off everyone for the sake of a nice uniform picture. As far as the Cubs patches go, that's where Mommy or Daddy sewed them. Looks to me like a bunch of real youth. Of course, I also call my attitude that of "uniform license."

OK. 1) As twocubdad said, you may find reading "Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures" #33088 useful. It's a policy level document. 2) If you don't have BSA Requirements #33215 (or know how to access the requirements at the scouting.org website), you need it. 3) Within ACP&P, there is explicitly no prohibition against parents counseling their own children. That said, Adult Association is a method reinforced by the MB program. The Scout should be encouraged to meet new folks, and discouraged (in general) from having his parents be his Counselor. The exception is the occasional low density MB where Mr X is the only Counselor in the whole Council. 4) As far as MB programs go, couple of points to keep in mind: A Counselor is supposed to work only in his own Council. Some Councils can be pickier than others, especially when the Scout gets to endgame (Eagle or Palms). So, if you are in the Three Rivers Council in Columbia, MO, and you want to take your kids to the SAC Museum in Nebraska, you're supposed to provide your own Aviation MB Counselor! That's one way to keep a quality check on external programs. Another way is to work with and through the PLC. As they explore trips, tell them that you will endorse MB apps after the trip. It's to be learning and fun. 5) If you think Mr Jones is going to be a problem Counselor (aka a Candyman) in giving away the MB, have a friendly cup of coffee with your District Advancement Chairman. I'm sure there's a way to lose the paperwork between the MB Counselor training and the Council Registrar's office. Yes, I am an advocate of the Scoutmaster being the gatekeeper on the advancement process and the advancement resources used by a Troop. HTH.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

What Eamonn said. Of course, my District recharters in December

I'm with PS and Dean. There are ways to state that the award was not granted by the Troop, but to simply refuse to support the young man borders on churlish.

I've not seen the youth YP modules recently; have they been updated to cover internet and sexting? TO ME ... this is great stuff for a guest Scoutmaster's Minute, conducted by a Law Enforcement officer. Let him help walk this particular dog, as preventive medicine. Up to now, we've been talking about reactions to an event. I think we as Scouters need to focus on keeping our young charges out of Beavah's office on his billable hours!