yarrow

We have a very busy meeting schedule with business, opening, closing, Scout Masters moment,programs and presentations by older boys and guests; however, there never seems to be any time for patrol meetings. The meeting runs one and a half hours sometimes longer with reviews and MB classes but still essentially no patrol meetings. How do you work in yours? On another day? During the meeting? Before or after the meeting? Ideas.

Thanks for your replies. I made some "polite noise" at a committee meeting as suggested and I believe we are getting someone to help her enter the data on our newly purchased software program. We also broke the new scouts out of the book for sign off by the adult working with Eaglebound. It is a start. Thanks again.

In our troop currently the advancement chair has all the records. I know my son has his community service hours + for the rank but she must varify it and sign it. I know he has the requisit merit badges for the rank but she must varify it and sign off and record it. I know he has had PORs for the required length of time and will of course continue in the current position until fall because of our election terms. She must sign and record it. Even if we had someone else sign the book she must still record from his book and there doesn't ever seem to be time. The line is too long. Your group sounds like it is working well. Wish ours worked more smoothly. We are adding software but she doesn't seem to have time to enter the data.

How do you all work sign offs in large troops. There is very little time before the meeting and after breakouts. My boy has tried for 3 weeks to get some rank requirements signed off(community service, POR completion, and Merit badge req.s). She has all the records so she needs to do the sign-offs. Just as he gets close to the front of the line after a badge breakout or program they call to fall in for closing. The advancement chair packs up her stuff and that's the end of it. We are not huge but are well over 60. How do other large troops handle this. Do you have two advancement people, computers programs, other people designated to sign off on rank........what?

Instructor is listed as a Position of Responsibility. What kinds of items are included. Have you ever had a boy in this position? Knots instructor? Outdoor Cooking instructor? First Aid instructor? What??

Just read an article on backpacks in the Backpacking mag.

For packing, cost and durablity they seemed to recomment the Jack Wolfskin Trailhead. Anyone own one. Like it?

What do ya'll use?

Do you have to be in the troop at least 2 years?

If the 15 nights and 1st class is met can you be disapproved for age? This requires Scout Master approval, so what is the criteria?

I bought the whole uniform for my boy. I bought the pants up one size because they were expensive, but fortunately they now have elastic in the waist. The pants 12-14 are about one foot longer than he is. I cut them off but still have a 6" hem. He only wears them for dress when he is representing Scouting in non outdoor activities and for BOR and COH. Very few of the other boys can afford or are willing to wear the full uniform and all troops around here only require: shirt, neckerchief and slide. My boy, probably like many others, goes through slides, socks and hats. He loses everything. Awefully expensive to replace.

p.s. The Girl Scout uniforms are just as expensive, and not as uniform. It is also a great deal more difficult to get clothes conscious girls to wear anyone's idea of a uniform and most don't. You think you've got problems.

Sorry, didn't realise there was a political forum. Just wondering what everyone's plans were for finding alternate meeting space.

One of our hit decorations and cheap too was car lot sale penants, you know all the penants on binding strung around the top of car lots to catch attention. Also tires piled up look great. Lots of people have old tires, some have racing tires, some dealerships would lend you tires. Good luck. Start your engines.

Yup. You read it right. Let's talk gays, not guys. National has their policy. How does the rank and file feel? I am registered with both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. I know the policies are different. Sure is making the news.

I like the pins but find the charm bracelet more frequently worn outside of scouting evernts. Might consider it. A real conversation piece and advertisement for scouting.

Our committee has tried to tie down some of the advancement requirements.

Any of you out there advancement experts.

May we require a scout to participate in a fund-raisers to advance, as a part of "being active"?

Can we define the Leadership Project in Star and Life to be a minimum of hours?

Can we define "being active" to participation in a minimum number of activities per 6 month period before the requested advancement?

Must the evaluation of the Leadership project be done by the Scout Master or ASM before the Board or can it be done at the Board?

As a Brownie, Junior and Senior Leader in Girl Scouts as well as a Webelo Leader and Committee officer in Boy Scouts(over a period of years) I can tell you that the requirements for most of the badges are truely not that difficult. I have found with my girls and boys that, at least in our area, many of them have done a lot of the activities and projects BEFORE. It becomes just a process of repeating in many cases. The Cub activities are repeated at several levels (Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelo) as are the Girl Scout activities for Daisys, Brownies, and Juniors (not so much Cadettes and Seniors where the badges are structured differently).

In our generally affluent area, also near a large city, many opportunities are available to youth. A large number of the kids have been in after-school care or extracurriculars for years. These opportunities may not have been available to kids in the past decades. I find that many kids have just "been there done that". Also our school system in this area is quite good so a lot of items, even unusual ones, have been done before in school too. The Boy Scout Merit Badges and Junior Girl Scout badges are quite similar and not that difficult and, of course, many adults expectations, sadly, are not that high. The badges seem well suited to a 11-14 year old boys and way too easy for most 16-18 year olds. As the requirements don't change for older boys I am sure that the older boys are not that interested in "digging deeper" for the same awarded badge......I am sure they think, why bother. These may be some of the reasons why the younger boys are finishing Eagles earlier than in past generations........ esposure and opportunities currently available to our youth.

All the same I don't think most 13 years olds would meet my expectations, or my image, of an Eagle Scout. When I see a YOUNG Eagle in the paper I think .......um, humm, where's the pushy, or overachieving mom or dad behind that smiling face and how much of that was really the child's initiative,hard work and drive. Generally with older boys I find it easier to believe that the Eagle was EARNED.

As a Brownie, Junior and Senior Leader in Girl Scouts as well as a Webelo Leader and Committee officer in Boy Scouts(over a period of years) I can tell you that the requirements for most of the badges are truely not that difficult. I have found with my girls and boys that, at least in our area, many of them have done a lot of the activities and projects BEFORE. It becomes just a process of repeating in many cases. The Cub activities are repeated at several levels (Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelo) as are the Girl Scout activities for Daisys, Brownies, and Juniors (not so much Cadettes and Seniors where the badges are structured differently).

In our generally affluent area, also near a large city, many opportunities are available to youth. A large number of the kids have been in after-school care or extracurriculars for years. These opportunities may not have been available to kids in the past decades. I find that many kids have just "been there done that". Also our school system in this area is quite good so a lot of items, even unusual ones, have been done before in school too. The Boy Scout Merit Badges and Junior Girl Scout badges are quite similar and not that difficult and, of course, many adults expectations, sadly, are not that high. The badges seem well suited to a 11-14 year old boys and way too easy for most 16-18 year olds. As the requirements don't change for older boys I am sure that the older boys are not that interested in "digging deeper" for the same awarded badge......I am sure they think, why bother. These may be some of the reasons why the younger boys are finishing Eagles earlier than in past generations........ esposure and opportunities currently available to our youth.

All the same I don't think most 13 years olds would meet my expectations, or my image, of an Eagle Scout. When I see a YOUNG Eagle in the paper I think .......um, humm, where's the pushy, or overachieving mom or dad behind that smiling face and how much of that was really the child's initiative,hard work and drive. Generally with older boys I find it easier to believe that the Eagle was EARNED.

Has anyone seen or do you have a copy of Norman Turrill's software comparison. It is referenced in the WinScout software features but I can't pull it up. Some problem with finding USScouter I think. Anyone??

Do you use RecordKeeper, or TroopMaster or WinScout??

I hope everyone realizes the esteem in which Eagles are held. Unfortunately from the inside I can see how incredibly easy it is to obtain. I would like to see an age requirement for all ranks. I have a very young boy zooming through the ranks and merit badges. Is he competant, yes, but I intend to stop him from becoming a "Paper Eagle". There is much to be earned from participation and multiple leadership opportunities, and surprize you young eagles........age. There are those who would argue that it is maturity not age, usually having earned an Eagle at 13 years, 2 months and 9 days, they will smuggly add. I think they would like an award to wear that says "Incredibly Young Eagle". Then all could say......"So when did you earn your "IYE" and vie for the youngest age?

A friend and advancement counselor for a small local troop is having her boy earn vast amounts of merit badges. She sets them up and drums him through them. He has also advanced quickly through the ranks, not hard to hold a leadership position when there are only 12 in the whole troop. I expect to see him and Eagle before the year is out most likely before he turns 13. Ready? Not by a long shot. Requirements checked off? Yeppers.

I have a very young scout. He JUST turned 11. He does not play sports and so his time and interest is in scouting. He has a number of merit badges and is advancing rapidly. I would like to find awards with work involved that would provide the brakes needed to allow him to mature and yet still feel rewarding.

I hear you. I have a very young scout. Just turned 11. He has a number of merit badges and is advancing rapidly. He does not play sports and so his interest, and time go into scouting. Does anyone have a list or site of interesting or unusual awards to provide an outlet and slow him down.

Don't have the site location but it is titled

Mr. D's Merit Badge Review.

It describes the degree of difficulty, time required and prereqs. It should help in finding group badges for various age boys, or boys with specific interests. Sometimes a badge has name appeal but is too involved for younger scouts.