RememberSchiff

Parents may get a taste of a less expensive (free maybe?) alternative to Scouts and sports.

“Scouts will now have the chance to see firsthand how flexography touches their daily lives……from chips and snack bags to labels on their condiment and vitamin bottles. What better way to learn valuable skills that can lead to rewarding careers,” said Bettylyn Krafft, Executive Director of the Phoenix Challenge Foundation. Source: https://whattheythink.com/news/127424-phoenix-challenge-foundation-celebrates-scouts-americaflexo-printing-added-graphic-arts-merit-badge/

Oregon (2016), Washington (2023?), and Minnesota (2025) also fund Outdoor School for All programs but not necessarily for the same grades. I am curious as to the impact on Scouting membership numbers in those states.

Aug, 2025 Maine Outdoor School for All, administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMCE), is launching this fall thanks to $450,000 secured from private foundations. The Maine Outdoor School for All is a coalition of the UMaine Extension’s 4-H Learning Centers, the Chewonki Foundation, the Ecology School and Schoodic Institute. I found no Scouting groups mentioned. UMCE will give grants to certified outdoor learning centers to provide students in grades four through eight an immersive, three-day, two-night outdoor educational experiences." While at the certified outdoor learning centers, students and their teachers will participate in hands-on discovery aligned with state learning results. The core curriculum will help students develop in-demand STEM, leadership, communication and collaboration skills, while fostering confidence, connection to the state’s outdoor heritage and a commitment to environmental stewardship. About one-fifth of Maine public school students already participate in overnight programming through the organizations that make up the Maine Outdoor School for All coalition. At current funding levels, UMaine Extension expects the program will serve 1,000 additional students in 2025-26, at no cost to their school districts. Thousands of Maine students will participate in overnight outdoor educational experiences in the coming school year, at no cost to their districts, according to the University of Maine. “Current funding formulas for public education simply do not allow schools that would most benefit from this type of experience to pay for it out of their normal operating budgets, especially schools in rural, low-income or remote parts of the state. And yet, these very students are often the ones we are depending on to lead our fishing, farming and forest industries in the future, and hope they develop an interest in the sustainable resource management so crucial to Maine's economy,” said the Chewonki Foundation’s Nancy Kennedy. With the establishment of the program in state statute, initial private funding and a campaign to raise an additional $1 million this year, Maine has become one of just four states committed to providing outdoor learning opportunities for all public school students, regardless of the socioeconomic status of their family or their district. Oregon, Washington and Minnesota have Outdoor School for All programs funded by lottery proceeds and appropriations. When fully funded at $6 million annually, the program will be accessible to all students in grades four through eight in the state. Extension will certify outdoor education programs across the state and issue grant funding for these programs to partner with school administrative units and provide immersive outdoor education. “There is no better classroom than the Maine outdoors,” said Executive Director of UMaine Extension 4-H Centers Ryder Scott, in an Aug. 26 news release. “Research has reinforced that outdoor learning benefits students’ academic performance and their physical and social-emotional wellbeing. These aren’t just field trips — they are transformational experiences that engage Maine students in exciting STEM learning and prepare them for future success in their studies and careers.” This is consistent with the goals and strategies of the recently released 10-Year Maine Outdoor Recreation Economy Roadmap, which proposes expanding pipelines to rewarding careers in the outdoor industry through “increasing access to outdoor experiences” and "integrating outdoor education and career pathways in K-12 curricula.” “Our outdoor school experiences make a meaningful difference in the academic and social-emotional learning for our students," said Woodstock Elementary Principal Beth Clarke about her students’ immersive learning at the UMaine 4-H Learning Center in western Maine. “Whether observing the life cycle of plants, understanding ecosystems or learning leadership skills, Outdoor School at Bryant Pond deepens our students' understanding of the world and helps them grow into successful young adults." “Extension is thrilled to play a key leadership role in the Outdoor School program,” said UMaine Extension Dean Hannah Carter. “This program will create pathways for students to attend Maine's public universities and help build a labor force skilled in resource management, conservation, outdoor recreation, agriculture and forestry.” “Outdoor immersive education allows all its participants the opportunity to grow academically and socially. It allows students to practice healthy risk taking, and it shows them a world beyond cell phones and social media,” said 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year Becky Hallowell, who incorporates outdoor teaching and learning into her fourth grade at Wiscasset Elementary School. “All our Maine students deserve to have this opportunity.” “Research shows the critical years around middle school are a key window for physical, social and mental health development and the data shows that Maine youth are facing more mental health challenges than ever before. These middle school years are when kids start thinking about possible career pathways and their beliefs about the place they call home,” said Maine Environmental Education Association Executive Director Olivia Griset. “When our youth get to have positive community-based learning experiences they gain a greater sense of place and connection to this state, making it more likely they will want to stay here to pursue careers, contribute to the Maine economy, raise their families, and participate in their local communities.” “This new Outdoor School program creates a framework for improved access to robust outdoor learning programs for students in our poorer and more rural areas,” said Cobscook Institute Co-Executive Director Shaun Haskins. “Making this a statewide initiative, rather than something that individual schools or school districts must manage to implement on their own, reduces barriers and builds opportunity for all of our youth to reap the benefits of these amazing programs.” “This is a win for Maine students,” said Ecology School President Drew Dumsch. “We know from decades of experience that outdoor education is a powerful spark that keeps kids engaged in hands-on learning, STEM-related studies and, most importantly, gives them a window into Maine’s distinct landscape and natural heritage — from working forests and tidal estuaries to agriculture, conservation and fisheries. Now we must secure full and ongoing funding so all of our kids can benefit.” More at Sources: https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/maine-pilot-outdoor-school-all-year-students-across-state/261863 https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2025/08/25/maine-to-pilot-outdoor-school-for-all/

The Buckskin Council sold 350 acre Camp Kootaga in Parkersburg, WV to the Camp Kootaga Foundation. “The Camp Kootaga Foundation is committed to ensuring that this historic camp remains a thriving, year-round haven for outdoor adventure,” Bennon said in the release. “Our mission is to preserve the camp’s rich Scouting legacy, providing a place where young people can develop leadership, character, and a deep appreciation for the outdoors.” https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/community-news/2025/08/local-nonprofit-completes-purchase-of-camp-kootaga/

Great adventure.

Santa Barbara–based troop, Troop 26, was on the fourth day of a seven-day backpacking trip through the Emigrant Wilderness in the Stanislaus National Forest that borders Yosemite National Park. Nine young scouts were accompanied by five adult leaders. They were trekking with their 40-pound packs through a high-altitude meadow near Long Lake when they came upon a lone, disoriented 78 year old outdoorsman Douglas Montgomery. He was on a solo 14-day backpacking trip but lost his pack and with it his shelter, food, water, medication, and personal locator beacon. He did have his survival training from Scouting, but Eagle Scout Douglas Montgomery was cold, tired, and dehydrated when Troop 26 scouts came to his rescue. There's more at source. Good story with another surprise or two. Source: https://www.independent.com/2025/08/24/santa-barbara-boy-scouts-rescue-former-scoutmaster-lost-in-the-sierra-nevada/ P.S. I can relate to this quote from old Eagle Scout Douglas Montgomery “Backpacking was my first love. But once you learn how to live in the wilderness … and your backpacking skills become more challenged by age, you like stuff where you’re sitting down.” Scout Salute to all in this story.

A Scout is Trustworthy. And scouting is not easy. Teach them how to responsibly use tools. And yes they will fail but try again and again... learn by doing. Share the troop policy with parents. For example, how to fully charge phones before activity and how to find a missing scout or a phone via a phone. Back in the day, we scouts had nighttime competitions as to who could tune in the furthest AM station. We would be up all Friday night, however we soon learned the downside - dragging or missing fun Saturday activities. Wiser by Sat night, we slept and were ready for Sunday activities. Scouting is a learning experience. It is far easier to simply... but it is far better to use the Scout methods. Another $0.02.

Good grief. The cellphone is just another tool like a pocketknife. Maybe add to chit card. If a scout abuses the privilege, take it away, teach, trust, and return it. My $0.02. P.S. SOS Flashlight is a pretty cool and simple Android app.

Oct 13, 2014: Camp Püpükea Master Plan (500+ pages) filed. https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/EA_EIS_Library/2014-10-23-OA-FEA-Camp-Pupukea-Master-Plan.pdf Aug 20, 2025: Plan update and other council property renovation plans in Aloha Council. https://alohastatedaily.com/2025/08/20/north-shore-scout-camp-reenvisioned-for-community/ "The camp improvements aim to serve scouts, business and nonprofit organizations and community groups, as well as those seeking refuge during natural disasters." A long planning process starting with needed improvements then adding shabby chic along the way.

Yes. I have been watching Bomazeen and Sand Hill. Both respective Councils appear determined to ignore donor wishes.

stained-glass windows damaged? Maybe a more thrifty and sensible impact resistant windows. Art panels on walls.

Update 08/17/2025: Pine Tree Council says they are no longer actively looking to sell Camp Bomazeen. Instead, they’ve resumed using it for some scouting activities and are currently contemplating the best use of the lakefront property moving forward. More details particularly the Maine Supreme Judicial Court requirements for sale in keeping with donor's 1944 deed at source: https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/08/17/belgrade-boy-scout-camp-no-longer-actively-for-sale-but-future-remains-in-limbo/

Depends on the SM and availability of trained adult leaders. Our senior patrol still plans and execute 1 or 2 outdoor patrol activities a year. Back in my day, patrols hiked locally without adults provided their SM approved. I would say even then, councils did not recognize patrols. Council events and camps required troop registration even the patrol competition Klondike Derby required troop registration. IMHO, skilled, experienced patrols should be allowed to trek Philmont without adults. As an alternative to an Eagle service project, I favor allowing Eagle Scout candidates to plan and lead a patrol trek without adults in attendance or a "project handbook". We once trained scouts to reach a level (First Class) of outdoor competency such that they could "scout run" themselves without adults present. My $0.02,

Found similar info with this AI summary. Angelique Minett is Scouts BSA national program chair. Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/512240731294585/posts/753077680544221/

Boy Scout commercial featuring Astronaut Jim Lovell.

Agree. Harold excels in his research and presentation of Scouting history.

From Google AI Overview Jim Lovell, the astronaut famous for commanding the Apollo 13 mission, was also a dedicated Boy Scout who achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout. He was actively involved in Scouting, serving as lodge treasurer for Mikano Lodge in Milwaukee. Lovell's Scouting background is highlighted by his achievement of Eagle Scout and his later involvement with the Order of the Arrow, where he was an Arrowman. Here's a more detailed look at Jim Lovell's Scouting journey: Eagle Scout: Jim Lovell achieved the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement award in Boy Scouts, according to the National Eagle Scout Association. Order of the Arrow: He was an Arrowman, a member of the Order of the Arrow, which is an honor society within the Boy Scouts of America. Mikano Lodge: Lovell served as the lodge treasurer for Mikano Lodge in Milwaukee. Space Exploration: Lovell's dedication to Scouting extended to his time as an astronaut. He even took a Mikano Lodge flap with him on the Apollo 8 mission, which orbited the moon. He had hoped to take one to the lunar surface on Apollo 13, but the mission was aborted. National Recognition: Lovell received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 1990, according to the National Eagle Scout Association and served as President of the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) in the mid-1990s. Inspiration: Lovell's Scouting background has been highlighted as an example of how the skills and values instilled through Scouting can contribute to success in other fields, including space exploration, according to NASA

"Forty-one of those selected as NASA’s career astronauts are Eagle Scouts. Some have become legends, like Neil Armstrong, the first man to land a spacecraft on another world, and Jim Lovell, the commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission who led his crew safely back to Earth." https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/space/education-outreach/nasa-bsa-path-to-exploration/astronauts-who-were-youth-in-the-bsa/ Jim Lovell: The Eagle Scout That Saved Apollo 13 By Alvin Townley (also an Eagle Scout) That old Scout motto, ‘Be Prepared,’ was very apropos in my situation,” a retired Captain Jim Lovell mused years later. “Being prepared means being knowledgeable about what you’re working with and what you’re doing, what the odds are, and how you can get out of certain situations. For instance, we never trained for more than single-point failures in the space program because if we trained for every possible failure that could go wrong, we’d still be down there waiting for the first takeoff. His Scoutmaster placed him in charge of a group of Scouts and tasked him with assembling the boys, pitching tents, cooking, and generally running the group. The Scoutmaster left Jim Lovell to succeed or fail on his own. He quickly learned about self-sufficiency. Now that our conversation had arrived back at Scouting, we mused together about the 180 Scouts who have served in the astronaut corps, including 40 Eagles. “There’s a lot of commonality between Scouting, astronauts, and spaceflight,” observed the veteran astronaut and past president of the National Eagle Scout Association. “That’s why a lot of Scouts gyrate in that direction. I think that Scouting is also the pursuit of exploration. Scouts are people who want to see things, who are curious, who are always wanting to look over the next horizon. That’s why they go to camp; to learn things, to go hiking, and to be active. This is [sic] the same criteria, the same elements that make up astronauts. They sort of live on the edge. They are very curious, they want to explore.” Source: https://www.thehistoryreader.com/historical-figures/jim-lovell/ Scout Salute and Farewell.

Thursday 7/24/2025: Eleven Kauaʻi Sea Scouts departed Nāwiliwili Harbor (red dot below) for a 10-day cruise around Kaua'i on a 40-foot trawler named Decisive. "A very powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka coast triggered tsunami warnings as far away as French Polynesia and Chile, and was followed by an eruption of the most active volcano on the peninsula." Tuesday 7/29/2025: knowing the first tsunami wave was forecast to hit Kauaʻi just after 7 p.m., the scouts pulled anchor and headed to deep waters about a mile out... Rest of the story (text with photos and audio): https://kauainownews.com/2025/08/01/tsunami-scare-tests-kauaʻi-sea-scouts-confidence-and-abilities-while-on-a-10-day-cruise/ https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/huge-quake-russia-triggers-tsunami-warnings-around-pacific-2025-07-30/

The heat and humidity have past hereabouts. A lot of bug juice was consumed. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Topic unlocked. ~RS @Eagle1993

@ScoutBenny welcome to scouter.com

A historical note, Dr. Peter Safar is regarded as the father of CPR , particularly mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Since 2008?, Hands-only-CPR is the more common response. Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's, Dr. Peter Safar, an Austrian anesthesiologist, "validated the effectiveness of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Dr. Safar ran an intriguing experiment. He anesthetized and medically paralyzed healthy volunteers, monitoring their vital signs as he tested various ventilation techniques prevalent during that time. After demonstrating that the accepted techniques were ineffective, he introduced the new technique of mouth-to-mouth breathing. To further highlight its simplicity, he filmed a young Boy Scout administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a larger man." More at Source: https://www.ems-history.com/post/dr-peter-safar-discovering-mouth-to-mouth

My scouts have had some interesting discussions during CPR/AED training. Some examples: 1. Treat the patient but also control the response/scene. For example, you have surveyed patient and safely initiated CPR. There are other people there. You have told someone to call 911. Ask if anyone is knows CPR, form a line to relieve me. I need people to fetch AED. I need someone to direct EMTs here. I need people to help carry patient...Have someone start Timer on their phone. ... Training kicks in and so does thinking. 2. Where are the AEDs in populated? Some older scouts who have visited college campuses often ask this. Where are the signs? One scout mentioned a locator app - PulsePoint AED 3. Can I do Heimlich on my dog? No doubt more ideas and questions are coming.

Six years ago, Karen Briegs, a longtime scout leader, and co-Troop Leader Kathy Kafka, started Troop 60561 in Hillsborough, which provides a Girl Scout experience for young women with significant disabilities. "We call this an 'adaptive' troop, and we modify the Girl Scout curriculum in ways that make it accessible to our girls who have a mixture of disabilities − physical, cognitive, intellectual," said Briegs. "I want the parents of girls who have disabilities who they believe make their daughters not eligible for Girl Scouts understand that there is a way. We want them to thrive and find opportunities to leadership in their own community." "Everything we do requires quite a lot of assistance, but these girls would have never done that otherwise," Briegs said. "Girl Scouts is always about trying something new. Let's do something that you might not otherwise get the experience of doing − whatever you want to try, let's go try it." ... Two of the girls are fairly non-verbal, two have wheelchair needs, and two have autism to a fairly significant degree. "These are girls who really would not be successful in a troop of their chronological age level," Briegs said. "One size does not fit all, and that size did not fit these girls." ... "The Somerville Elks reached out to us and asked if there was anything we needed," Briegs said. "We made a 'wish list' and instead of granting us one wish, they granted all our wishes with a major donation." More at source including photos, good story: Scout salute! https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/2025/07/28/nj-girl-scout-troop-for-kids-with-disabilities/84531919007/