HashTagScouts

I have never seen any camp that actually encourages staff to wear any type of insignia. Some tolerate that staff are going to wear their "everyday" Class A, but many have specific rules that they want staff wearing a Class A outfitted just for camp. My son is 15 and on staff, and he doesn't ear any patches to indicate his Eagle rank, troop position, or even troop numerals. As he is an "out-of-council" staff member, he can't wear his OA lodge flap either, as he is not part of the "home lodge". for that council, staff is staff, it isn't about their personal accomplishments outside of being s

I wasn't intending any bashing either. Like @FireStone I often hear the comments that 'Scouting is expensive"- but like any organized activity, there is going to be costs and the cost of a full year, all-in scouting experience doesn't feel too overly inflated when compared to what many parents are willing to spend for athletics. For a 12 year old playing town soccer, for example, it may only cost $100 per season, but if playing two seasons, plus cost for cleats, uniform, that might be another $100. Then, if the kid wants to go to a weekend soccer camp, that might be another $150. Play on a

Our council camps are "free" for weekend tenting, cabins cost $. And it is "free", as they charge each scout an annual service fee added onto the national fees. It is intended to drive incentive to use the camps for weekend campouts, but then you are somewhat enslaved by fitting your schedule around district camporees, OA weekends, cub weekends, chuckwagons, etc. I'm also not a fan that the council camps restrict using facilities (the ranges and waterfront, for example, are not permissible to be used even if you bring the trained personnel that should allow you use of them). Heck, they don

State and local parks can be an option. It all depends on your location. In Massachusetts, you often are not going to find more than a very small number of state parks allowing free camping, and there can be restrictions on the seasonality of when you can use them. Group sites at state parks can be relatively reasonable, but comparable in price to most scout camps. There are some local parks in MA that do allow scouts permits to camp, some take a bit more lead time to reserve than others. There also private trusts that manage conservation land that may allow you use for short-term, weeken

The number Qwaze gives is about the same for what we say to an interested parent- it costs' about $1,200 for a kid to be in scouting. However, that does not necessarily mean it is all on the parent for that amount. With troop fundraisers, monthly camping fees and some equipment can come from troop funds rather than the parents pocket. Our troop covers the monthly camping fees and some of our equipment from the 1 annual fundraiser the scouts do, monthly dues basically covers the costs of advancement materials (rank patches, merit badge patches, etc.), and the adult fundraisers provide camper

I intend no offense at all Mash. Yes, these awards are often what the John/Jane Q Public think of when they think of a "Scout". There's been other threads here that have discussed it, and I take the side that the BSA hasn't done itself any favors by placing too much emphasis on the Eagle award. I fully, truly agree with you that clear delineation and consistent process is helpful, as it is really the best way to measure how the kid handled themselves. We like to say the "adversity" is helpful in teaching that things can go wrong in life, and how you plow through it is good teaching, b

THIS, 110%! Eagle is not a pinnacle of life. it is the last rank they can possibly earn as a youth, but it is not the measure of whether any kid who has been in Scouting is greater than another. I've seen kids who never made it past First Class that I would choose over plenty of Eagles when it comes to knowledge of life skills and leadership skills learned while a scout. Eagle is not a "graduation"- read the words of the Eagle Charge. Is obtaining the rank of Eagle a great accomplishment? For most, yes it is. For others, their mommy and daddy (and in some cases, their troop leaders) gave

That is similar to the experiences as told to me. One Gold Award recipient, now in her mid 20's, said she began the project outline just shy of her 15th birthday, and didn't get the final 'OK' to actually do her project until she was nearly 16. Another, a gold Award recipient herself, has a 18 year old daughter that finished it up when she was 17 1/2- had a horrible time getting approval, and would get feedback, make a change, resubmit and after several times the feedback basically went back to nearly the original submission. Most of her experiences were over email, which frustrated the mo

An Eagle project doesn't have to be hard, it just has to demonstrate planning and leadership. There is not any part of the requirements of a project that it must involve fundraising, or that there must be a minimum number of hours involved- despite how many people try to claim that there is, or there should be. There is also nothing explicit in the Gold Award project requirements that would suggest it has to be "a hard project". In my experience, as told to me by a couple Gold Award recipients, the hardest part was getting their local Council to review the project plan so they could actuall

Sadly, I have also see several scouts leave when they came from a very active Webelos Den that spent a great deal of time trying to prepare the boys to crossover in February and get to Scout rank as soon as they crossed to the troop. I attribute it to "Scouting fatigue". The Boy Scouts didn't feel very different to them in program, and they didn't see a great deal of value in going to summer camp (spending the whole week without my phone/tablet/gaming system?!?!). By the fall, they leave. And where in the Cubs they could get away with missing every other meeting and every other weekend act

I would not be opposed to them, so long as the troop follows the instructions that the camps give- the camp staff is there to teach the skills, but not to actually "sign off". It is up the troop to validate that the scout learned what they should. Sadly, it is too often the case, our troop included, that the advancement coordinator just takes the report from the end of the week (which is in reality just an attendance report) and credits the scouts, no actual validation is going on.

I don't think kids would much care about the possibility it is all staged. What they more care about is if the person is 'cool'. I've met some Scouters with what I consider really awesome pedigrees (several trips to Philmont, Northern Tier, several 50 milers, go on shorter treks each year, really get the patrol method, etc.), but then see them around youth and they are awkward as heck and the youth don't really connect with them.

To me, this is the type of advertising that is needed and been desperately needed here in the USA for some time. I recall as a youth in Scouts, there were some national ads. I vaguely recall sporadic TV commercials on Saturday mornings, but also radio ads. This particular video was from the 70's, but the quality from the 80's ads weren't much better (and used that same jingle).

Mine has many patches- one for each SR I have been to, as well as my 50 miler and my OA emblem. If we are talking about the field uniform (class A)- yes, that is a uniform and thus should truly be uniform across all members. My feeling on the jacshirt is it is entirely optional, and is about the wearer. If the BSA wanted to buy me one, or are going to make it a required part of the uniform, they could get more dictatorial about what I put on there.

My bad- you are correct! Star Lord came with Chris evans and they did the Boston celebrity hospital circuit

I think would need to be someone that is "relatable" to Scouts. I do think you are on the right track there. Chris Pratt would be relatable to the current generation. He's actually a pretty decent guy- he's come back to Boston and visited with kids in the hospital and such, and lent his celebrity to some fundraising causes here over the years since he hit fame as Captain America. I don't think I have read him attribute much to his time in Scouting, so not sure his viewpoint on the organization. My bias of being a New Englander- Shane Victorino would also be an excellent choice.

18 months of devoted service is probably more than we get from 75% who go through Ordeal nationally, so I say kudos to you and enjoy the moment! WWW

Unfortunately, the terminology not being straight is a direct reflection that National hasn't had their terminology straight from the get go. Remember, it was going to be a "separate program" for girls. Do I believe that what they were referring to was simply "separate troops"? Yes, in hindsight, fully I do believe that was their intent. Did everyone read it that way? No, I feel the posting on these forums reflect that. Again, knowing more now and looking back at these comments from the CSE, I'm finding myself looking to read between the lines. "We're not mandating" now fee

Yup, and we were told to feel free to use it as mandatory reporters.

For anyone that has gone through the new YPT (I went through a live version, using the new National training syllabus) there is the new hotline, which bypasses Council entirely and is investigated by a firm that National has contracted with. I'm wondering if that is what has transpired here.

I would find it strange if a Chartered Org sent a letter such as that, and it was not they who contacted you. I would wait to see the actual letter and what it may/may not outline as far contact information or any next steps it outlines. To ban from all BSA activities would seem to indicate to me that it is coming from Council (with National's knowledge)- a troop/CO itself cannot ban from all BSA activities, only those they coordinate (troop meetings, troop campouts, etc.). They can't ban a registered scout from say council merit badge college or order of the Arrow weekends, for example.

I am not saying Wood Badge is not good- I am saying that it is no guarantee that all who go through it become Super Scouters. I was reacting to @gblotter that folks seem incredulous that anyone who has been in an adult leader position for some time hasn't gone through Wood Badge. And, to the point from @perdidochas it isn't any guarantee that anyone who goes through it truly know more the those who have not. I'll give a pertinent example to my position- I sat through a bead presentation, and the course director read off the list of items from the recipients ticket. The ticket items s

I have met some very good Scouters who are Wood Badge trained, and many I feel would be just as good had they not gone through that program. I have also met some people that makes me question what the heck they actually teach, as these folks are about as in-touch with the aims and methods of Scouting as a tree.

Uggh. That is just awful.

I'll go even further. Yes, hiking can be an,asventure- but that requires getting off the well marked trails of your local/state/national park. And if you go entirely off what the BSA program requires, that is one (1!) 5 mile hike their entire time as a Boy Scout. I am a hiking MB counselor, and I can tell you 90% of the Scouts I talk to about getting out and working on that badge point out they don't have to, they did their 5 mile hike, thank you. Of the other 10%, about 2/3 of them will do a couple of the hikes, but will never complete the badge.