karunamom3

53 minutes ago, jjlash said:

Beyond that your Scouts will need some imagination to either envision the thing they are supposed to build - or imagination to turn the drawings/sketches they were given into the real thing.

Definitely don't skip that station.  Let the Scouts do their best and when they get to that station ask for examples or demonstration. 

Not given any drawings or sketches. That would have helped! And I cant find any using the description given.

Thanks for your advice

51 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

4.  Even if they do not have the confidence or ability, do not skip the town.  Use their time there to go and ask for a demonstration.  In humility, say exactly what you have said..."We don't know how to do this, and we do not have anyone with the experience to teach us.  Would you please show us how to do it, so we can learn?" 

This is an amazing suggestion! Thanks! Such a great idea.

5.  Would you please post a description of what the Derby officials are asking for?

Crane Tripod - build a crane using wooden poles. Construct a tripod crane with a fulcrum and a boom to lift a 25 pound item and pivot the item 5 ft. Needed - two 8ft poles, three 6ft poles & two 2ft poles for cross braces. No diagram provided.

6.  Where are you in NJ?  If close, I might be able to attend one of your meetings to help. 

Near Woodbridge, Middlesex Cty.

My 999th post!!!  So long, triple digits!! 😜

Congrats! 👏

 

I am from a newer troop with little to no pioneering experience. The scouts have decided to enter the Klondike this year with 3 weeks to go. We have zero idea on how to build what they are supposed build and many, many google searches turn up no results. Do you have any good pioneering resources that we can search for help? We may end up skipping this town I fear.

Thanks!

2 hours ago, Eagledad said:

A lot depends on the maturity of your scouts, but summer camp is the best patrol method experience a troop can get if you take advantage of it.

We ask adults to not walk around camp with scouts so that they have the experience of finding their way around without adults and practice the discipline of getting to their destinations on time. AND, experience the consequences of failing in both cases.
 

The scouts are required and expected to always have a buddy and tell their Patrol Leader or SPL where they are at. A discussion with the SPL and likely the SM if they break those 2 rules.

This is also an opportunity for the adults to learn how to step back.

And finally, make them have fun. Encourage them to pick fun activities. Take some balls, chess boards and other stuff they can grab and play with their buddy when they have 15 minutes to kill before the next activity.

Barry

A lot to unpack here. Thank you.

Maturity... That is one of our biggest challenges. Our oldest scout is only 14. Most are 11/12. We are lacking older scouts. It's not easy.

Your two rules are great. And yes our adults do need to learn to step back.

So this year in camp everyone has to travel together due to Covid restrictions.  All the scouts and leaders have to move from one program area to the next as a group.  Unfortunately, some of the responsibility that falls on the scouts will be lost this year. But at least we can camp

Ah... Pooping and parents. Two things we haven't given much thought to yet 😉. I appreciate the insight on both topics Luckily we do have fairly nice bathrooms where we are going and latrines too. 

I never would have thought to switch tent mates mid week. But that was suggested more than once. Interesting. I can definitely see a benefit to it.

This is our newer units first summer camp. (Last year we did virtual).

Who decides patrols and tent mates? I have read that units have either adults or scouts choose for summer camp. Seems like its more the adults choosing for summer camp. What do you do?

Give me your best summer camp advice.

Thanks

1 hour ago, yknot said:

Seems kind of stupid to me to not allow a parent to tent with a scout if you want scouting to survive in the pandemic era. Then you are requiring a scouting family to buy two tents and possibly twice the gear just to accommodate a bizarre requirement. On the other hand, being completely liability driven, I do not advocate flaunting BSA policy. I do think BSA needs to issue some interim temporary policy modifications to make outings easier for scouts during the pandemic. It is also not safe to have scouts tenting alone in some situations. Far better to have a tent buddy, especially in bear territory. In pandemic times, the safest buddy is a household pod member, which could be either a parent or a sibling who falls outside of the two year limit rule. 

You nailed it. We are in bear country. Black bears. And we are talking late April when they are hungry. 

And the rules seem fuzzy to me and to our council since they couldnt answer my questions besides telling me there are grey areas. 

Our goal was to bring our newly crossed over AOLs to the council camp we plan to go to for summer resident camp. They can see and experience it. Solidifying their decision to go to camp, hopefully. No way can we expect folks to buy all kinds of equipment when so many are struggling.

Geeze, we can just simply go camping as a group of friends, not under the auspices of the BSA, and none of this would be an issue. I hate to think that way because I love scouts. Guess a call to National is in order.

1 hour ago, Navybone said:

I gues the issue here is family camping - how does that change things.  If not at all, then why have it?  I did not see family camping mentioned specifically on the BSA webpage.  

I can not find any details on the BSA site referencing rules for family camping and scouts BSA. All I can find is this under Camping...

Family Camping

"Family camping is an outdoor experience, other than resident camping, that involves Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Sea Scouting or Venturing program elements in overnight settings with two or more family members, including at least one BSA member of that family. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children, and Youth Protection policies apply."

1 hour ago, CynicalScouter said:

Family camping reiterates that while parents and siblings may be present, they still tent alone. YPT remains in effect.

And if there's no Cub Scouts present, then Family Camping doesn't apply. Family Camping is explicitly LIMITED to events with Cub Scout units or Cub Scouts. Since the original poster talked "Troops" this doesn't even apply.

https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/family-camping/

Looking at the quote I copied above, family camping may apply to Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts & Venturing.

Our council is only allowing Troops to "family camp" at this time.

Our council is requiring Troops to family camp at this time and it seems to leave some "grey areas".

After a discussion with council today and hearing "again, it is a grey area" I feel like few of our questions have been answered. I figured maybe someone here can give some insight.

So our biggest question is can a parent tent with a scout? It is family camping, not troop or patrol camping.

I understand that no leader should tent with a youth according to YPT. Would that rule hold during a family camping event? Can a father & son or mother & daughter tent together? What about a parent that is not a leader? I believe almost all of our parents have YPT so we will meet that requirement. 

No youth can tent with another that is more that 2yrs apart in age. Does that hold with family camping? So then parent/child tenting would be out because of age?

Any thoughts on a troop family camping? Thanks!

Thanks for the replies. I like the idea of a summer picnic. I will run it by our committee. 

Is it in writing somewhere that cub scout camping counts? I can't find anything. Or is it assumed because the award says something like under BSA, so that includes cubs.

If that's the case, does cub scout hiking, swimming, etc count too for the other awards?

So what is everyone doing for a blue & gold dinner this year? We are looking for ideas. 

Here in NJ we are restricted to only 10ppl inside. Last year we had around 90ppl attend. We usually hold it the last weekend in Feb. We are thinking of delaying it until warm weather so we can meet outside or doing something virtually over Zoom.

What are you doing?

22 hours ago, Double Eagle said:

Talk to your district, council advancement chair, or roundtable commissioners.  You are not alone in this I'm sure.  Our council pool is open during this time and it can be done if you want to drive an hour.  Best bet is let the district and council folks consolidate an event for other units too.  This seems too easy to do collectively.  Have the council help you with this from a bigger scale.  If you only want your piece taken care of, do what the previous posts mention.

Our council doesn't have a pool, but this is a great idea! Thanks.

Thanks everyone for all of the great points on this topic! I appreciate your advice.

On 7/5/2020 at 2:20 AM, David CO said:

Some kids don't like to swim in anything but a filtered, chlorinated, tiled, heated swimming pool.  They don't like the feel of nature.  They can't stand having the weeds touching their feet.  I tend to think that this is what scouting is all about.  Getting outdoors.  Learning to not be so squeamish about the natural world.

I do agree. This scout in particular really is not fond of nature, bugs, outdoor camping, etc. I have seen him blossom in many of these areas which is great, but lake swimming will be tough. He went in last year, but wouldn't go over his head.

We are a newer troop with not much experience in how to handle the swimming portion of ranks. 

2 of our scouts earned the swimming MB last year at camp. The camp let us know that the work on the MB can be used toward their ranks.... pass the beginners and full bsa swim test, etc. So what do you do in a year like this one when there is no summer camp? I can't see holding scouts back from earning rank because we are not going to camp and swimming.

In addition, we have one scout who absolutely hates swimming in lakes. He freezes up. I have a pool and have seem him spend hours playing in it, jumping in, etc. I am not sure he can do laps, but the difference I have seen between lake and pool is great. (He was here for non BSA fun)

So, Is it possible for the scouts to swim in my pool for the rank requirements? I will have to take some kind of training first I imagine? (Safe swim defense?) Who needs to be here to verify the work has been done satisfactorily? Anyone else besides the SM or do we need a certified lifeguard or BSA trained individual?

27 minutes ago, swilliams said:

At our round table last night, two units said they are not going. That not only were the scouts less-than-thrilled with the proposed program, but that they didn’t think they could get dedicated adults to go. 

(By dedicated, they meant assigned to a pod for the entire week.)

A couple leaders questioned why we still aren’t allowed by council to have in-person meetings when the governor has OK’d gathering of 25. 

I spoke with the council camping director yesterday and yes it seems the new rule of leaders not splitting weeks is proving a hardship for some units. It is tough, but we are figuring it out.

Our scouts are excited to get back to basics and spend more time together as a unit instead of splitting off in every which way. (Units stay together in a 'pod' the whole week). Some are sad there will be no completed MBs, but at the same time are looking forward to an array of MBs being worked on. With blue cards handy and a list from camp/council detailing what skills go towards which MBs. For sure none of our scouts thought to do metalworking MB, but are now excited that they will be working with the camps forge toward metalworking, for example. Often how scouts feel depends on how the adults or SPL present the activity.

I dont think any of our parents would bring their kids out yet even if council said its ok. I believe nothing related to children's activities has been approved by the governor (NJ) yet. Day cares can open on the 8th and I believe sports/activities on the 22nd.

We are in NJ too. We have decided to not meet in person until July/August the earliest. We will have our COH virtually, but not sure what/how we will do it. I would not not have it. The scouts that earned MBs or rank need to be awarded sooner rather than later. And this is something uplifting during these times. Our scouts will guide how it happens, but I heard talk of dropping the awards off with the parents beforehand. Then when the award is announced virtually the parent can give it out.

Our pack has had good attendance. We had 1 pack meeting which was a get to know you again type meeting and show and tell. Since them we broke into dens. Both our Webelos and Bears were missing only 1 scout. How are you reaching out to the families? For us, emails don't work well. Not many parents check on a regular basis. We text the parents. We are small enough that it works.

I think den meetings seem better.

12 hours ago, swilliams said:

Just watched a town hall with PPC.  Winnebago is NOT a go at this point.  State hasn't okayed overnight camps.

I was surprised.   Our Troop presented the option as though it were definitely happening.

At the camp meeting for unit leaders they did make it sound like it was a go, but added at the end that still needs state approval. Yesterdays meeting had a different vibe, but they are still planning on it happening. We are a unit that was already scheduled to go there so we are still moving forward with fingers crossed.

On 5/23/2020 at 10:46 PM, swilliams said:

We’re PPC as well. SO disappointed about Sabattis. We signed up for Winnebago instead, though we may change our minds, given the ‘no waterfront’ issue. If they can’t swim, I doubt they’ll be allowed to use the shooting range, zip lines, or other shared equipment. 

At least they can still camp with their friends. 

Were you able to listen to the leader meeting last week? Zip line is a go, boating is approved and they believe they will have swimming approved as well. Shotgun approved. Working on rifle and archery. They seem confident they will have program areas open. No MB's, but they plan on giving a list of which merit badges the activities the scouts do can be applied to. Everything is done with your own troop/pod (CDC term)

24 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

Maybe you’ll be interested in the virtual academy thing they plan on doing?

I’m in PP as well.

Maybe. My son has done so many Virtual MBs already. Our Troop is registered to go to Winnebago for week 2 so we are waiting to hear the details so we can make a decision. I have no problem with our kids going.

On 5/18/2020 at 10:32 PM, ItsBrian said:

Patriots Path Council (NJ) is keeping one of two camps closed. Day camp will also be held but modified.

Still awaiting more details. There will be no merit badges and it sounds like the troops stay together and work together all week. No specifics yet.

7 hours ago, MacBrave said:

Crossroads of America Council has just cancelled all their summer camps for 2020, although they are offering an "Adventure Box" option for Cub Scouts and a virtual "Summer Experience" for Scouts BSA units:  https://www.crossroadsbsa.org/resources/camp-2020/

 

The cub scout box looks interesting. I hope my council does something similar if they close this summer.

9 hours ago, SSScout said:

Aha...   this changes things.  The mom submitted the pics, not the Scouts?  I am not familiar with some of the technology involved, admittedly.  If you can say for certain the pics were taken in a certain way, perhaps you, not your Scout should approach the MBC.  

Yes this really is a tough call for us. In one of the scouts folders the majority of the pics are from a trip to VA as an AOL. Again, which his mom took. 

2 hours ago, Liz said:

Can you talk to the Scouts directly before their MB is completed and they turn in the card? 

How do you know that these Scouts didn't set up the photos using a tripod and a remote shutter? 

It may be hard to talk to the scouts before the counselor approves their work.

The pics their mom submitted are pics she took of them at the Klondike Challenge in January.  I have seen them before as they were posted on social media and I was with her when she took them.

I wish you were right.