qwazse

A lot of folks are gonna cringe when they read this: In the grand scheme of things, 900 bucks ain't that much. You might be thinking it is lots of kegs of beer, when it is a few kid's summer camp fees. This isn't a council problem. If your CoR is ambivalent, it isn't even a CO problem. If the CC and CO don't want to go after the former CM for the coin, it's on them, not you. At your committee meeting, report that X dollars was given to the last CM, and only X-minus-unaccounted dollars had receipts or was otherwise approved expenditures as recorded in last year's committee's minutes. No judgments. Just letting everyone know on record in one sentence how things were done in the past by way of explaining the starting balance in the treasury. It's just a footnote in a year-end financial report. But even if it were $90, your problem is nobody has in writing what it was, so the pack can't make better decisions going forward. Then, make clear that you want people to expect more accountability from CM while you're holding the patch. That means the committee should decide a budget, decide how much they want to be discretionary on the part of the CM, and decide on a Treasurer who they trust to hold you accountable. Your underlying principle: parents ought to know what they're spending their money on.

Actually, I think @@dfolson's council is acting in a way that makes the scout (and his SM) the quality assurance people for the scout's project. I know boys who are very uncomfortable with the thought of adult strangers in some office somewhere pouring over their write-ups for weeks without telling them. Letting the scout (and the SM) know that there are only a fixed number of adults in the process helps them. That's why promptly scheduled EBoRs are important. Finish your workbook, turn it in, be prepared for your review in a couple of weeks, know that those reviewers will only have a few minutes prior to read your materials, and they will ask about your project anything they couldn't grasp from your write-up. So, read what you wrote and be prepared to fill in the gaps. Along these lines, Bryan's forums have an interesting discussion regarding online vs. handwritten workbooks. Some of you may wish to chime in there: http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/forums/topic/eagle-scout-workbooks/

Or we can order the powder from their tusks from the Asian medicine shop. Really, the world's elephants have far worse threats than being seen up close by children who mar, for touching them, grow up to be their cousin's protectors. Percentage wise, more Americans have touched and smelt African/Asian animals than Africans and Asians have. Sometimes I wonder if the Asian attitude is "We got it on video, that's good enough. Now mind your business, I need a male heir."

Well, hopefully that's the OP's council, or his council has something similar in writing. I always though the forms from national were sufficiently clear regarding this. Evidently not for some folks.

Welcome, and thanks for all you do for the boys.

Thanks @@ScouterNorth, I had a bit of a time navigating your organization's website. Best of luck with that new program! NJ, I think there is a boundary age around 10 to 12 of sorts where boys become more reserved around girls they know; meanwhile they are idiots around "new girls". Then another milestone is passed where they figure out the kind of character they want to be, and they learn to be steadfast. That age is somewhere between 13 and 63.

I guess nobody's told you that Boy Scouts love paperwork. Our boys simply made clear in their workbook that materials were purchased by the beneficiary or the scout. No fundraising necessary. But, districts may differ on this. If their asking for the form anyway, complete it even though you're basically saying fundraising will be by opening one's own piggy bank. This is not a hill to argue over.

So, I was mistaken. Her uniform was not Venturing, it was the scout uniform of Scouts Canada (their Venturer uniform was blue), probably taken before she turned 15. (Although, I am not clear about when that transition happens.) The Chief Scout award would have been earned then. So, old news. For Venturer Scouts, "The Canadian Path" (the organizations name for their cub-through-venturer progression) includes a personal growth model not unlike the BSA's recent ALPS model which includes, but is not limited to, the Queen's Scout award as well the Duke of Edinburgh International Award (to which youth from anywhere in the world may also apply).

you are in the unenviable position of having a parent problem that no ought right ban will fix.

Seems like something I should assign a few of our adults to make and use.

@@ianwilkins, Do Brits still blush at that? Or have we desensitized you with our ignorance of your slang?

You would think. If only I could get back my wasted breath from every scouter athlete who I told to get a blue card and earn Personal Fitness in the preseason ... I'd have enough breeze to power a Sea Scout ship! A belief that he can, and a belief that he should start now. ... This is ten percent luck Twenty percent skill Fifteen percent concentrated power of will Five percent pleasure Fifty percent pain ...

Our school's cell phone policy is permissive as well, based on the number of texts we would get from our kids during hours. I think @@Stosh has an excellent point. Does excessive cell use (an ambiguous definition suitable for BSA literature) violate scout spirit? Would any of you withhold signing off on scout spirit until you see a scout attend meetings without drawing on his cellphone? Would being on the cell network during meeting hours be a violation of your troop's attendance policy?

Sounds like I have an weevil twin in the typo dept.

It's cut both ways for us. A couple of examples: When our troop restricted cell use, one first-year was feeling homesick and an ASM (or JASM, can't quite remember) loaned the kid his phone, which just made things worse. Begged mom to come get him on Friday. But, there were things going on with the parents that didn't help. He eventually quit scouts. Reminded me of when I was PL/SPL and a buddy joined us in a similar situation the SM eventually walked him down to the trading post and lined up at the pay phone to call his mom. Also, that was the last of his scouting career. The next year or so, a bunch of first-years insisted on setting up their dome tent. It got flooded in the night. They were afraid to wake anyone up about it, so one of them called Mom at 4am, who asked them why they didn't wake the SM. She then called the SM, who gladly got up and gave them a hand. Then he made them call mom the next day, and she made them apologize. That lot stuck it out for the rest of camp and a few years more. I've directed the troop to sites in valleys with zero reception, and boys would hike up to the ridge to get reception whenever one guy couldn't stand not hearing from his girlfriend. On the flip side, they put in probably an extra hiking mile. (Double that for my dog. He'd run up to them. I'd whistle him back. Repeat.) That boy got a good ribbing from the SM and about the ball and chain. So, the strict policy spares a lot of shenanigans. I have mixed results regarding homesickness. I certainly haven't seen troop life made that much easier with them banned vs. with them kept. As I mentioned before, what those things are doing to boys outside of meetings and campouts is my bigger concern. I will note this: family cell plans can cost the equivalent in camp fees over what a parent would be paying to feed their kid anyway. Same for cable. Just some suggestions you could throw out to parents who balk at the costs of things.

I am trying to counsel a venturer on avoiding manipulation via cell phone by co-dependent members of the opposite sex. This has nothing to do with usage at meetings or camp. I could ban them then -- with plenty of complaint -- for their own good or my convenience. I effectively do so by hiking them beyond the edge of the coverage map at every opportunity for adventure. But, our success at the adventures these youth want to have depends on their discipline during the other hours of the week. They need the leadership skill that will enable them to force their friends who want some talk therapy to join them in venturing (in the broad sense, not just in the life of our crew) through this beautiful world -- as opposed to their "friends" demanding undivided attention for hours on end via mobile devices. Ideas, anyone? [Moderators: if this sounds too tangential, a new topic would be fine.]

This is where seasoned scouters keep the BS out of the BS of A. Tell your word-smithy IOLS students: "Which scout would you hire to weed your lawn or garden (or for some, vineyards and orchards)? The one who shows you all the different plants he's pulled from it, or the one who's identified the desired from undesired?" Also, this is where you point out the importance of youth sign-offs. Controversies like this should be reviewed by the PLC who should then decide what the uniform course of action within their troop should be. Remind your students that, were they earning this rank from their SPL while in service to their troop, their search for the lowest common denominator would be a source of derision among their youth for years to come. P.S. - My camporees growing up involved scavenger hunts of, among other things, specific plants. We therefore memorized the pictures of all of the plants named in the BSHB. Our commissioner stumped us sorely when he added "hawkweed" to the list. We were the "college town" troop, and our patrols had to concede defeat to some "country bumpkins" on that one. Not our proudest moment.

People are looking at the weather forecast now, so you want to send a notice letting advisors know that you're looking at it as well. Give them a date/time for when you will decide to implement plan B. (Our crew's go/no go decision for weekend activities is usually Thursday evenings, I try to involve the officers as much as possible.) Plan B might necessarily be cancelling the event, so you want to have your call center prepared in order to get phone contact to every unit leader. Part of reaching out to units now is to make sure that you have correct contact information so that nobody arrives uninformed on Friday. If your plan B involves indoor activities/emergency lodging in a storm certified shelter let them know that. If there is a safe place for vehicles, let them know that. Although I haven't seen many venturers pull up with current model year vehicles, it may be a consideration. My minivan has a few pits from OK hail storms, If I were a novice with a new car, I might not take that so well. You're plan C may involve evacuation. Let them know before they come what the expected evacuation route will be. Do not hold the event if you do not think you can maintain efficient two-way communication with every unit. (Some VOA officers have been camp staff or otherwise have been trained in emergency management, others have not. So, this could determine your go/no go.)

I've started to call BS on the "fumes" explanation. Girlfriends can help on Eagle projects. Cars/motorcycles can get you to counselors and campouts. (Building a car could even get you a merit badge or two.) Girlfriends who want to hike and camp elect boy scouts into venturing positions of responsibility. Basically, if a scout has taken a while to earn 1st class and camping MB, he will probably take his time advancing to Eagle, until that age 18 deadline looms. (One reason why I wish that deadline wasn't there.)

#truth

Sorry for the senior moment, I meant ILST. But really, that's a second priority. It's not really for yourself. It's a course that you would use to train the youth leaders in your troop some weekend. Think of it as a pre-NYLT. As far as recruiting, the guys that stick in a troop are usually the ones who manage to come camping with you all. The main thing that you want to do is try to make sure every boy in your community has been invited some way to join your troop. For Webelos in the area, that usually means sending one of your guys to be their den chief. That should have already happened if you want to garner the most from this years class of cross-overs. For older boys, that means a personal invite. The best are when you can help hold an assembly in your middle school(s). Then you and your fellow scouts try to meet and remember the names of every boy in attendance. Same thing goes for if you march in a parade or raise the colors in a sporting event. Stay in uniform afterword, if you see some friends your age, invite them to hang with you and get an ice cream or something. 4th point = friendly. That doesn't always work, but if there's ice cream involved, who cares? 8th point = cheerful. Like I always told my kids, go out, be safe, talk to strangers.

Most cross-overs dream of Eagle, a few put in the time over a period of years to achieve it. Most musicians dream of being a star, a few put in the time and sacrifice to achieve it. Most athletes dream of the championships, a few amass the self-discipline, strength and skill to arrive. They all have the same pattern. I guess they all start with being sufficiently inspired to have the the time. Other people learn to make friends and wind up running for president. Don't write the little one off just yet.

Oops. I only read 2nd class #4 as referenced in the original post. I didn't realize 1st Class #5a did not have parallel construction. I guess the English Hornbeam on Muddy Creek that stumped an adult and me wouldn't count. ... After all that time drawing the bark pattern and tracing the leaves, and pulling references once home. (Daughter couldn't believe we spent so much time perplexed about that.) I approve of Flagg's approach. Defer to the 12 year-old botanist.

@@swilliams, Welcome to the forums, and congratulations to having such an active and engaged child ... good luck keeping up with him! (If your kids are like mine were, you're in for a very busy couple of decades!) The first step (actually a bunch of little steps) is for a boy to work on becoming a first class scout. All of the skills needed to do that are described in his handbook, and the some of the older boys in his troop should have become good enough instructors to teach him. In a perfect troop older boys (usually patrol leaders) teach, test, and sign off on new scout's mastery of skills. Not every troop is perfect. The challenge that very active boys have is setting priorities. My Son #1, in 7th grade, after an exhausting trip with the band, said "That's it, Scouts first, Soccer second, band third." After he settled on that, we could support him accordingly. (I myself put scouts, science, youth group, and music first. Sports was just not my thing.) Your son should soon lay out his priorities, and that should help with that process. Sometimes, one priority will push rank advancement to the bottom. (E.g., the best scout I ever knew aged out at 2nd class rank.) In a boy scout troop, that's okay. (Although most of us really try to encourage at least slow and steady advancement over 5-7 years.) The second challenge with very active boys is that scouting -- even if rank advancement is not a priority to the boy -- takes time to get the most out of it. A fifty mile backpacking trip in rugged terrain starts years before by committing weekends camping, hiking, mastering skills, procuring and modifying equipment. Even the seeming simple process of hiking and camping independently with your mates (what I've come to call the pinnacle scouting experience) takes time learning who your real friends are, who is a good citizen and will respect the property they hike on or camp in, and who has the right equipment and skills to make the day or night out truly fun. Sometimes, those people will also be your band and sports buddies, but often times you need to accept a different set of friends (maybe even reach out to strangers outside of your troop) to do that activity. If your son makes First Class rank, and is still scouting 3 years from know, lots of such opportunities will open up to him. So, the next practical step that I tell 11 year old active boys is to make themselves useful to their parents to the tune of about $100 a month (above the usual things he may spend money on). That way, by the time he's old enough, he will have saved what he needs to enjoy some big-ticket scouting. (And things around your house or business might look better than you would have expected. ) Or, if he decides that scouting isn't for him, he will have the resources to participate in other activities ... or even help his family in a pinch. So, focus on your boy being a First Class scout. Then, once he has that patch, ask him what his plan is. By then he would have had 3 conferences with his scoutmaster, and 3 boards of review with your troop committee who will have asked roughly the same question. Help him with that answer!

We call those "underage" women who we sneak on some outings "venturers in training".