qwazse

The problem is that EnViSci requirements are largely *experiments* and *observation*. Sustainability requirements are largely "design" and "engineering". So regardless of how diligent he may be, a boy who doesn't like one may choose the other. It's been mentioned in other threads that scouting is traditionally a sport of observation. There has been a shift from that to one of informatics and activism.

If it's all that much easier, why aren't more boys earning it at age 14-16 like they used to? I've seen boys in my troop not earn it at SMC or BORs, basically for a failure in scout spirit. And most SM's I meet are very concerned about being to lenient with their boys. So I think a boy still has to work at it to earn it in most troops. So what's changed? Well back in '82 there were a lot of troops like yours where nobody tried to make eagle. Fewer SMs and ASMs were Eagle scouts. There weren't as many adults and older youth who said to a boy, "This award is well within your reach."

So, is he up for being on the receiving end of some tossed pies?

I like sentinel's district's approach. The problem SMs will have with expecting boy's to have input at a district level is the same problem they have when boys get into organizing district/council/area activities via OA and Venturing. It takes the boys' time and energy away from the troop. Making troops rotate into district responsibilities blunts that edge by making a district event one or two troops projects. As far as district naming rights go, it depends on how much the boys "own" their district. My youth have no clue as to our district's name. When our councils merged; h

Looks like it's an "on average" sort of thing. Every troop deserves to have a scout or two with zero interest in MBs and scouts who earn 2+ outdoor MBs each year to offset them! Personally, I would count new scouts in the number somehow. At the very least, I would count them as 1/4 each since they had a quarter of the time to participate. If you did have a fall MB challenge, and they had reasonable access to the councilor, I would count them as 1. If you do use these things, do them in a way that motivates boys to amp up program and provide opportunities, but does not discourage the

Not disagreeing with you, MT. I make my crew work through the JTE even though we've come up short of bronze every year so far. But there is such a thing as overkill. How is this any different than JTE gold?

Just one more piece of paperwork that nobody cares about. It's not even a challenge. Why should we bother to tell national or council that we are doing what a troop should be doing anyway? Now a challenge, IMHO, would be: - Troop provides opportunities for 20 camping nights a year (whether this is part of an annual calendar or not makes no difference to me) - At least four of those are independent patrol hikes and campouts. (4 nights per patrol, on average.) - At 1/3 the cost of a national high adventure base or summer camp, troop hosts its own week-long activity that may include

Agree with MT. Something like: join our online discussions at . Current topics: . Get your forum link on every piece of district mailing. At roundtable recognize the best forum discussions, and maybe even read an interesting post as for an opening.

I think you have a good plan. It sounds like the biggest decision (or sets of decisions) for you all are how much gear will be acquired by individuals, and how much by the troop. If your boys are like mine, they will come to appreciate the benefits of accumulating gear on an individual basis. Not the least of which is that when they are 18, they'll be ready to grab their gear and go wherever with whomever however they need to. But as you grow, especially if you get a dozen newbies at once, you may need to acquire more gear that will be held in common. It will be interesting to see what ki

Wouldn't the lack of awards from the den at a pack meeting tell you the same thing?

At a mid-year college class graduation dinner today, only one of the graduates included Eagle Scout in their bio sketches. I know there were a few more than that in he class. Other students acknowledged God, their religious fellowship, fraternity/team, their parents, their friends, or present/future spouses. Point is that Eagle has different value for different boys at different times. And although that probably changes little for most guys over time, other things loom larger or smaller in immediate value at different stages in life.

The bottom line here, I think, is that you can only fix what people are willing to change. Put your support behind the SM and help him as best you can. If people aren't living up to the desired standards of courtesy and kindness, the SM has to tell them so. If they are unwilling to change, hard decisions have to be made about who stays and who goes. I'm taking in feedback from others constantly about how to improve my behavior on a number of fronts. So, as far as I'm concerned, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

I said I dint want to hear it ... But anyway ... Highest ranking youth picks the station (or in my case the MP3 player that gets hooked in), and the station must change/shuffle if I hear uncouth speech or more than 5 seconds of sales pitches, and nobody shuffles when Kansas or Diana Krol is being played. Like Kudu indicates, these stories are rife with Christian themes, and I'm more than prepared to bring it up with the boys. But that works best when the boys have ample control over the song/story selection. (Interestingly, I have noticed that girls aren't as interested in getting i

You should be able to promote him to an adult leader even though the application has not been turned in. (One advantage of being linked to a venturing crew: boys who are multiples can stay registered without extra paperwork. So, we have not had this problem in a while. Regardless, I still hand them the adult application when they turn 18.)

First, decide how you personally want to camp. No matter what the boys are doing on the opposite side of the field, set your site up to suit your style. Keep in mind that you'll have to be prepared to emergencies (e.g. someone forgetting to pack a sleeping bag, or back-up first aid kit) in a way that you would not necessarily think about when solo camping. Second, the boys need to get together and decide how they want to look in the field. My boys (and girls in the crew) take pride in using their own gear, so we are a hodge-podge of high-fashion tents to jury rigged tarps to natural she

That happens with or without these sorts of positions. I've only done this from the perspective of assisting the SM. I suppose if I were to request helper adults, I wouldn't call them patrol dads or advisors. I'd use the term consultants, and build a list for the boys similar to what I do with my venturers. They'd be available to the patrol for a particular program or activity. "Need kayaks? Talk to mr Stosh, here's his number." "Mrs X got trained and can chaperon if you give her advanced notice." That sort of thing. The main thing I tell adult leaders: Be available. Don't ac

Not necessarily, MT. Our SPL/PLs have the option of extending an invite to our crew (or, any other unit, for that matter) for any troop activity. They usually don't. There's this illusion among scouters that it's like flies to honey. But boys ain't flies, and though generally sweet, girls ain't honey. My boots-on-the-ground experience concurs with BD. Bring it up at the PLC. The boys generally have a good sense about this sort of thing.

All of these ideas are great. Exceptional scout spirit, really, is not looking for a great fanfare or a plaque. You just go up to a fella, shake his hand and say "Yo, you've demonstrated truly exceptional scout spirit." Say as much in front of the whole troop, and you've made your impact. Sure, you could set up a special SMC and BoR, but really that's so you have an impact on the troop adults. And, maybe this boy needs to reflect a little, so that would be one way of teaching him how to do it. Then, like Stosh says, you invite him to join you in servant leadership. A "Dr. Who" award

My Son#2 didn't even stop for money. He realized that every patrol had a boy who would pay him to clean their griddle.

It sounds like you're on target for a barrel of fun. I haven't been to one in years, but the little gompers still talk about them around town. Ours is simply a pack meeting with announcements kept to a minimum and awards postponed until January. Each den makes a game and the boys split duties hosting their game or visiting the other dens' tables. They are all table games along the lines of a fireman's carnival (pin the nose on the reindeer, candy cane toss, marshmallow snowman building, etc ...) Every year is a little different. One year, the CM offered whip cream pies for t

Get that man one of those special white uniform shirts with the sleeves pinned down, arms crossed.

Sorry that things have turned so far south. First of all, James and Jacob need to read Habakkuk. A Godly man marries the woman his Lord picks for him, no matter what. But I digress. If I were SM, James and Jacob would be dropped until they can come back with soap in their mouths able to say "courteous" and "kind." Parents can pound sand or offer Dylan's mom a $20/hour job with benefits. Your UC should give them a New Unit Application and tell them to go find CO that will support their values and start their on troop. I don't even want to know what the driver was listening to. T

P18A, I suspect you all got derailed by an early Chanukah. Our pack has "reindeer games" and our troop usually ends with a Christmas party -- including caroling in the neighborhood -- on the last meeting night that the public school's in session (our CO is a church but the occasional non-Christian scout is always welcome and has fun regardless). That usually brings the "rats out of the woodwork" so you can confirm their registration. You need one more pack meeting this month. Something that might interest the kids, like "pie throwing at the CM". Get whoever is there but hasn't com

Good point. Boys this age need references for anything these days. Make sure he knows he can use you and that you would give a favorable recommendation. You could even draft one "to whom it may concern" for him. That way, he'd already have the particulars ready for any last-minute interview that may come his way.

First, bless you! It's a thankless job that would be simple if all the dues and yea's and nay's came at one meeting, but that never happens. If they are transferring to a troop, keep them on the charter. It will cost them $1 to transfer to the troop, but there is a lag in that getting done. Sometimes a troop will want them to see how it operates before deciding weather to sign on as a committee member or assistant scoutmaster. So, they won't have an official position with the troop even if they "crossover" on Feb 2. In the meantime, it is nice to have their BSA membership with the pac