mashmaster

Hear sports seem to be year round.

What I have done to keep my boy interested.  They are Webelos 2's so they are bored with following the program.  It really gets boring for them by the time they are Webelos.  So what I do is start encorporating Scouting activities into the patrols.  For instance the boys love pioneering projects, camping with them planning everything, trail riding (not-mountain biking that isn't allowed  ), and building things like hiking sticks.   It is amazing what activity pins you can cover on a short hike.

Even with all of that, it is a constant battle with sports to compete for their time.

I know a fellow scouter that had to use his WFA training on a hike where a scout had fracture and had to be stabilized.  He said the training really helped him handle the situation.

We are really lucky in this area to have a Venture Crew that specializes in first aid and they do an incredible job.  They are so good that local hospitals have them run the moulage situations for the hospital staff.

I have mixed feeling about this as well.  I know that in our area there is a really great Crew that teaches the course regularly and I am happy that the boys take it because for any high adventure they are most likely have to save my life.  Not uncommon for no cell coverage and hours until professional help can arrive.

But in order to make it work they need to make it easier to take.  I can see this being yet another hurdle that makes it difficult for troops to do things.

It seems hard to believe that they would impose this other than for high adventure trips.

Technical Evangelist.  Yes that is my actual title.  I work for a semiconductor company.

You copyrighted it and now you're soaking those Dubai oil sheiks big bucks and you're going to retire tomorrow.  Congratulations!  

Doh!  I forgot to do that.  LOL

Earlier this year I made a cross reference spreadsheet that mapped the old Webelos activity pin requirements to the new adventure pin requirements for an OWLS course I was directing.  I was informed today that the spreadsheet has made it to leaders in Abu Dhabi and they said that "they could not be more thankful for such a great resource".  

Anyway, it brightened my day.

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors.  I don't agree with your view on where scouting is going as the units I see are all boy led, but I can appreciate your concerns.

Thank you for the service to the boys.

UPDATE:

 

Kids had a great time.

 

Some of my takeaways FWIW-

 

- Pack the kitchen sink.  I was waiting for a full shake down securiity check.  Didn't happen.  Other packs were rolling in wagons and huge bags.

- The people running the show were good. A little bossy, but it's their house.

- Earplugs were a must (super tight sleeping arraingements).

- Hard floor is hard floor.

 

All in all, kids had fun and parents survived.  Would do again with no problems.

Glad you had fun.  Wagons and huge bags..... sigh.  I bet the parents packed for them too and the boys didn't carry their stuff.

I have a rule for my boys in my patrol, you pack it, you are responsible for taking the stuff from the car to the site and back.

I don't doubt that such experiences are great for the boys.  I've always assumed when the term camp is used it involves a tent and a campfire....... Sleeping in a building or a large ship isn't really camping.  My granddaddy never talked about his Navy experience on the USS whatever in a bunk as camping.    And I don't think that the astronauts on the moon were up there camping, but I guess I could possibly make a better case for camping for those guys.  

 

Camping is when you're sleeping out under the stars on a crisp fall night close enough to the fire to toss in a log or two without getting up.... Heaven on earth!  No air mattress needed.

We typically call it an overnighter vs. camping as well.  I am sure they would frown upon us having a campfire in the space center but in Texas, a majority of time we are in a fire ban so we have to think warm thoughts :-) 

I think I convinced another parent to be a leader!  woohoo.

I guess you got your answer.  We're so far back in the woods where we are, we tend to have more programs that use tents for camping than just a pad on a cement floor.  

We have both opportunities.  Cubs going to NASA or sleeping on the USS LExington is a truly eye opening experience for the boys.

Breathe deeply and count to 10.  I would have someone else with you when you meet with the parent, even just to listen.

Thanks MM!

 

You answered my question perfectly. 

 

I was thinking about getting one of those egg crate things, but the self inflating sounds like a better idea.

 

Might run into Academy to see if they have any.  Didn't expect to sleep much.

You're welcome.  We got some nice ones at Costco, but you never know what they will have and when.

We have done it twice.  The boys really enjoy it.  IMHO, the program is meh, but the boys enjoy it and you get to see the Saturn V which is ALWAYS worth it.  Plan to stay the morning after to do the tour of the rockets and mission control.

We ate as a group prior to check in.  The floor is VERY hard, the coffee runs all night :-)  no cots allowed,  no air mattresses but the self inflating pads are ok.

What specifically are you worried about bringing?

We just had our join scouting night and got 14 boys and 1 leader.  Obviously we need at least one more but none of the parents will sign up.  Other than begging for the sake of the boys, how else have you had success to get a leader?

I have told them the positives of the role but they all want someone else to do it.....

<<Photos from the inaugural session of our new STEAM Day Camp, TechLab: Oceans!>>

 

 

 

This from the Capitol Area Council.

 

 

STEAM presumably = Science, technology, engineering, ARTS and math.

 

 

The arts advocates seem to be envious of the STEM idea,  and are promoting the idea that they should be included in such program as well.

 

 

I'll agree with that as soon as I see the Museum of Modern Art rename itself the Museum of Modern Arts and Sciences.

 

Until then,  I have NO sympathy for the arts establishment trying to latch on to someone else's program and ideas.

Well I have an engineering degree and 10+ patents, I took art classes in college and being creative is a plus in my STEM career.

I just like to see the BSA's chief scout get out of the office and his pressed uniform & go do some running and rappelling with Bear.....

 

I think some of that kind of publicity would do a lot for BSA.

I totally agree with this.  I also think they should take some scouts with them too.  Make a scouting survival or educational tv show would be great unlike the are you tougher than a boy scout with sucked.

I am sure people will hate on Obama for this and others will like it.  It is all political, I get so tired of hearing the "Your guys sucks and is evil, our guy is great and is being picked on."

I know the classes in our local store filled up super fast.

Our council is: http://www.bsacac.org/

Our district is: http://www.nsdbsa.org/ 

Our unit has both.  the facebook account is basically for advertising upcoming events.  The website has details for activities and resources for people like camping lists, maps and such.

I'm also our district communications chair and we have both as well.  I figure anyway we can get info out to people the best.  The current generation wants to be notified via instagram or phone texts.  We haven't figured out how to do that yet.

Nice gesture to help raise his spirits.  Prayers for him and his family in this difficult time.

It is so sad that everything must be about making money for the council.  Even at $4.00 a piece with a retail price of $5.00 there is a marginal profit but free advertising among the old farts that Bad Wolf mention.  Aren't they mostly the ones guiding the Scouts in the selection of camp venues?

We are doing it.  We got samples and they look good.

great news, I'm happy and hopeful we can all work together for the sake of the boys.

RIP prayers for his family

Good news- We were told today at a meeting with a "high ranking authority" in the church that the LDS church will continue their sponsorship of BSA.  The gay leader thing is not a problem, since sex is not a part of Boy Scouting. 

 

I do sincerely hope, however, that LDS scout leaders will get the training they need and the desire to run the program as it should be, so that it is a positive experience for our boys.

I hope you are right.  I know we have a lot of leadership in our district that is LDS and I would hate to lose them.