HelpfulTracks

@TAHAWK, just curious - has your council seen a greater decline in Scouting than the National Average? He sounds 180 degrees from my SE and we have seen slight growth.

I agree that RECORDING training is a national objective, and that some of the training serves little purpose in the field. But I think training is critical. When I served as Training Chair I always made sure that we covered the required check boxes, but went beyond and in more detail so our classes were really making an effort to teach the this skills needed. For example in IOLS we would have EMT/WFA instructors teach First Aid. We spent a lot of time understanding Orienteering (the skill we found most Scouters had difficulty with). We also instructed Scouters on how to teach Scouts to be instructors, and how to leave space for Scouts to do that. We taught them to observe and how to be a guide when needed. I started IOLS with a simple list You need to be proficient at the skills You need to be proficient at teaching the skills You need to be proficient at teaching Scouts to teach the skills You need to be proficient at being quiet and letting the Scout teach the skills You need to be proficient at giving constructive ASSISTANCE ONLY WHEN NEEDED to the Scout teaching the skills Don't freak out, it is easier than it sounds

So my question is was your SE not trained or was he just poorly trained?

Indeed. Sad, but not unexpected.

This one of those post that makes me shake my head in bewilderment. 1. How does it equate to endorsement because National took a photo of youth wearing neckerchiefs using friendship knots? 2. I’ve know Crews that used them well before world Jambo, as was suggested (I think with tongue firmly in cheek). In fact, I my NSJ necker is laid together with world contingent necker and tied in friendship knot (it also has a unique slide in one side that was gifted to me). 3. Some youth prefer knots, some prefer slides, let them choose. (Although I can see a unit asking them to choose one or the other for uniformity). Personally, I usually use one of my neckerchiefs with friendship knot when wearing my Crew uniform and use slides with BSA uniform, and woggle when wearing WB necker. (Frankly, it’s easier to keep the friendship knot looking neat and tidy) 4. Burnham, like most cowboys tied his scarf in a knot. BP got the idea of the necker (and campaign hat) from Burnham. 5. BP himself said using a knot was knot was one way to keep a necker neat and in order. So.......knot, slider, woggle makes little difference. I’m just thrilled to see youth wearing neckerchiefs at all.

I’m going to disagree with Fred and Eagle 94. It depends on the Scout and the adult leaders. My project, way back in the day, was not high tech, but had a lot of very specialized craftsmen. I did a lot of planning, site drawings and sat down with the craftsman multiple times to go over options. When the project began my Scoutmaster made sure they knew that I needed to be the leader. I directed and lead them. When we hit a snag, they would come to me and we discussed options, but I made the decisions. My son did a digital video with high end video, audio and editing equipment that was on loan, rented or purchased. He brought in people to teach the scouts how to film, do lighting and audio. The scouts did 100%!of the pre-production under his supervision. He did story boards, laid out the shot sheet and directed the production. He delegated task to other youth with clear direction on a number of things. Post-production was done by an adult because of cost and complexity of the equipment and skills needed. He went through hours of time coded video and made a detailed edit list for the editor to follow and sat with him to direct the final edits, music and audio. Technical projects are possible. The Scout and adults just need to know who is in charge.

So with the Coronavirus/Covid-19 changing our country and the world on a daily and hourly basis, I expect we will see a great deal of permanent cultural changes in most societies in the near future. Among them I expect to see the handshake becoming near taboo, including the Scout handshake, and thereby the OA handshake. The left handed handshake and clasp are such an identifiable part of Scouting worldwide that it is hard to imagine it going away, but unfortunately I think it will. What method of greeting and respect, that would be unique to Scouting, could we adopt to take its place?

As for dates ask the council for a Person Listing for your Scout. It will list dates for everything you need on an application.

Depends on the Scout, their interest and what they have already accomplished, but some that come to mind Hornaday National Medal for Outdoor Achievement (which requires 3 Outdoor awards + other requirements) Both of those are rare awards and can be earned by youth until age 21

🖐🏻

If you still have concerns after reading these fine replies, just pull the Adviser aside and let him know. We are the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service not the Brotherhood of Fantastic Voices. I am infinitely more concerned about attitude, work ethic and character than the ability to carry a tune or remember every word. Of course I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and my memory is horrible and somehow I made it through Brotherhood and was honored with Vigil. So don’t sweat this and don’t let the youth sweat it either.

I continue to hold that if you believe Scouting is emasculating our youth, it’s your own fault and you are doing it wrong. The opportunities for a great Scouting outdoors experience are there if Scouts want to take them. A friend of mine just took his Crew on a 4day/3 night 30 plus mile AT trek over the long weekend. Both of my kids are likely to earn the OAHA Triple Crown and have more than enough camping for the silver National Outdoor Award and enough high adventure for National High Adventure Award gold x 2. But they work their tails off to make it happen.

This is actually a selling point for my family. I have two teen scouts, who had 10 weeks of Summer break (71 nights x 2). They had 68 scheduled nights camping between WSJ, high adventure, unit outings, NYLT, summer camp and staff. They were home all of 2 weeks at the same time. That’s more nights than an average Summer but not by much. They already have over 200 nights Scout camping between them and my youngest has been in Scouting less than 18 months. They already have 38 nights scheduled for next Summer and they aren’t done (pending how much money the raise). Throw in that I average 12-18 nights per summer, (33 nights a couple years back). Mom does NOT camp anymore and has never more than a few nights per year ever. For the last few Summers I’ve tried to figure out how to combine going to PTC with my kids doing a Philmont trek or OATC. That would take the family away from mom for another 2-3 weeks. Well, let’s just say I want to stay married, so I’ve never figured out how to pull off the PTC/Trek combo. With the glamping option I might be able to talk the wife into going out with us. The kids trek for a couple weeks, I get to PTC for one. Then the wife and I spend a week in the area sight seeing and add a few extra days on the trip back to do some things with the whole family. In our case that means a net plus of high adventure.

Sure they could. All they need to do is come up with a design, slap the official OA logo on it, copyright/trademark it, make it and sell it. I have no doubt OA National would make a good deal of money and profit. But the OA does not want any patches on the back of the sash and only Anniversary patches have been approved for the front. The OA could make a nice profit on things like this, but have chosen to keep the sash free of such clutter. In addition, the legend patches expose an important part of the induction process to the general public unnecessarily.

Absolutely, there were several overseas contingents at the last 2017 NSJ. In fact, they were in Subcamp Echo or Foxtrot ( can’t remember which) and it was the place to be. When the site for the Jamboree comes out it should have info for you.