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BSA223_CT

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Everything posted by BSA223_CT

  1. Lots of good points to consider here, I think it would be wise to wait until summers end to cross over. Summer camp is quite an experience for the first time, and I would hate to see one of them have a bad one because they weren't fully prepared. The suggestion to step up the outdoor side of the Webelos program echos my own feelings, and the Council has a well established program to enhance this. Addressing the pace; I don't see it as a high speed, high pressure, top driven thing at all. They've earned four badges in the six months they've been at it. The Craftsman badge they're wo
  2. They started working on Webelos in May 2003 as they finished third grade. "If they are 9 months early, then that makes them 4th graders by my calculations. If they are 4th graders and Webelos 1 then they could not have earned the AOL. to earn the AOL you must be active for 6 months since completing the 4th grade." That's not what I take from this; 1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge. -from the AOL requirements. They all turn 10 b
  3. -Meant to add that this will be an entire Den crossing over nine months early. I just wanted to have all my facts straight. Not sure if I should be shamed to say, but this news has really rejuvenated me as the WDL. They're working on their religeous knot and craftsman badge now, I've opened up the door for them to completely choose what badges they want to work on after this. I predict bridges, catapults, and electric gizmos will be high on the list.
  4. Input from all much appreciated. Two of the boys were tag-alongs starting at age five when older brothers started Tiger Cubs. One of them, my younger son, attended his own Tiger meetings and most of his older brothers Webeolos meetings. It will be interesting to have them both at summer camp next year. -Hopefully not in the sense of the Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times"
  5. Wolf in cubs, First Class in Scouts, Patrol Leader. Tiger coach, Webelos Den leader and ASM in the last few years.
  6. 1. Meet age requirements. Be a boy who has completed the fifth grade or is 11 years old, or has earned the Arrow of Light Award but is under 18 years old. - from the BSA joining requirements. 1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge. -from the AOL requirements. Just looking for a second opinion to confirm that a 10.5 year old boy who has been active in a den for six months, and who then earns the AOL, is eligible to join a Scout Troop. (meeting a
  7. I'm at about this stage with my younger sons den. Two years ago with my older sons group we went with a toolbox like this one; http://www.stilesdesigns.com/toolbox.html , stilts, a leather sheath for their knives, and taught them to tie the turk's head knot for a neckerchief slide. I think this time around we're going with the toolbox (it was a big hit), a small wooden step stool, the sheath, the knot, hobo stoves, moccasins from a kit, and some others that I can't think of right now. They already did derby cars, and made the display stands last week out of scrap lumber. I
  8. Great moments indeed. I'm a week back from Camp Bartlett in Idaho, and wouldn't have missed it for the world. The things learned/experienced by the scouts and the four dads that went . . . well to me that's what the whole thing is supposed to be about. We had a couple of homesick boys, and our share of close-quarters induced antagonism. We had the "snake" in the tent that turned out to be a sleeping pad with an open valve. Funny, it only hissed when you stepped just so. We had seven wide eyed scouts tear into camp at 2am when a severe lightning storm drove them off the mountain duri
  9. Here's a twist I'd like some thoughts on; four patrols, 18 Scouts, no SPL or ASPL. I walked in on the part of the discussion where the Scoutmaster was telling the boys about a special election for Camp SPL to be held next week. He was quickly reminded by one of the PL's that the PLC had decided to rotate the position among the attending PL's. Scout decision, but not all the scouts, just the PLC. Is the PLC's proxy vote enough to make this valid? I'm thinking yes, but maybe there's a flaw in there I'm not seeing.
  10. Try a search on a Jansport Scout. It's a good kid size, and it adjusts. http://www.epinions.com/otdr-Backpacks-External-Jansport_External-Scout
  11. Thanks for all the input. This came up when ALL the boys in the troop were asked to pick meritbadge classes for summer camp. The boys got so excited I would have hated to crush that. Hopefully it will turn out as OGE wrote, and they will work on advancement reqs. first.
  12. To clarify, I understand the main goal of new scouts should be towards First Class rank, does this preclude them from earning merit badges during the first year? Some of the merit badge requirements overlap or are at least related to rank requirements.
  13. Nice, got me interested in looking up scouting in the UK. The awards/ranks structure is quite different than BSA.
  14. It's a slow transformation from a gaggle of Cub Scouts to a pride of Boy Scouts, but when it happens, it seems like it took only a short walk across a bridge.
  15. Timely topic for me, I'm following with my older son as he enters a Troop from Webelos, and picking up my younger sons Bear Den (soon to be Webelos). My wife is going back to school, and had the younger group with an assistant who recently relocated to another state. That leaves me as primary leader with rotating parent help for the Cub group. My big advantage is that of having just gone through the Webelos program. A previous poster noted that Den Chiefs usually ended up being an older brother of a Cub or son of a den leader. That's been my experience as well for the most part.
  16. "As far as New Scout Patrols, I would wait until the next group of Webelos crosses over. Remember that the 30-day rotation of leadership in the New Scout patrol is to give the new scouts an understanding of troop and patrol operation not to teach leadership. In this first year they need to be working on Tenderfoot to First Class. Leadership training begins with their first regular elected or appointed office. That makes sense to me. I've been reading about the patrol method, and looking about for how best to apply it to our just crossed over (last night) group. The boys are going int
  17. And another . . http://www.gslc-bsa.org/awards/cubs/documents/cubscout.xls
  18. Have had several instances of parents getting a little ahead of the group and signing requirements for the badges. My understanding from what it says in the Webelos book itself is that This should be reserved for the person who teaches that particular badge activity, not the parents. Anyone have clarification? I'd rather not have a small group of boys getting badges the other don't, especially when they will all get around to them in time.
  19. Our pack started with recordkeeper.com software about 9 months ago. I havn't heard much other feedback on it, but it's pretty easy to use, the licence covers the whole pack, and it's cross-platform. They had a demo version availible for download from the website.
  20. I don't think people who collect patches are trying to pass them off as earned, it's like collecting stamps, just a hobby. I traded EMS patches briefly, but it was more a part of meeting paramedics from other places than for the patches themselves.
  21. Hi all, Just some thoughts on what a scout should carry afield. My boys are still in Cubs, and the oldest starts WEBELOS in the fall. They have yet to be involved with 'organized' camping, but we do quite a bit as a family. After one anxious incident of separation on a trail, my wife and I decided that there we some important tools that the boys should have on them at all times. So I did some research and put together a small kit that fits into a 4"x6" zippered bag. 1. Whistle 2. Rain poncho 3. Signal mirror 4. Waterproof matches 5. Tinder in match case 6
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