ItsBrian

If it’s a first year scout, I highly suggest the first year scout program at your summer camp. 

I’m on camp staff and my troop WANTS me to stay on staff. I don’t know why your scoutmaster wants him to take a week off. He can literally spend just about the same time with them as if he was a camper.

I’m currently staffing a summer camp so I’ve seen different things this week. I see some campers with a map and everything, but the best approach is using the bulletin board each campsite commonly has with all of the information they may need.

If you have scouts that are in a first year scout program (I work in one), there isn’t a big need for them to have every bit of information since usually they will be with their instructors for the entire day.

I had a black bear encounter about a month ago. It kept coming to everyone’s camp site despite making noise. I made close eye contact one too many times that night. The camp workers are fine with it roaming since it hasn’t hurt anyone.

Thanks for all replies. I would need 30 of those $1 rain ponchos, haha. They get all sweaty and sticky which is something I’m not trying to deal with.

I’ll spend up to $45, since I use it outside of scouting as well. I don’t want an over the pack since I have a waterproof camelbak backpack. 

Ive heard great things about Frogg Togg, and I’ll be looking into them.

1 minute ago, walk in the woods said:

I'll second the motion on the Marmot.  I have one I've been wearing for years.  I particularly like the zippers in the arm pits.  It doesn't shed as well as it used to but it's 10 years old now.

I also have a Columbia jacket.  It has somewhat better coverage but doesn't breath nearly as well.

I’ll look into Marmot, I know it’s a good brand.

I leave to staff a camp on Sunday and totally forgot I wanted to ask for recommendations for a new rain jacket. I currently have a lightweight Columbia one that I got a few years ago, and it doesn’t really protect me from the rain anymore. 

I’m trying to find a not too expensive lightweight one since I’m always carrying a backpack and on the move in the first year scout program. 

7 hours ago, chief027 said:

Thank you guys for all the advice. I leave for camp tomorrow, hope everything helps. I’ll add suggestion for others as the summer progressss

Good luck! Don’t over stress it.  You might do bad week one, but don’t forget it’s your first week ever doing it. You still have plenty more weeks to do great. Hah, I was bad week one trying to figure out everything. You’ll make mistakes, but don’t let it hold you down. I don’t mean to sound mean, but this is more of encouragement from my personal experience.

8 hours ago, chief027 said:

What camp do you work at? Just out of curiosity (resident scout camp or day camp )

Two years ago I staffed a CS day camp, last year and again this year I will be staffing a resident scout camp.

3 hours ago, chief027 said:

Good point make sure the staff (MB instructors and management) know about it, the staff should be trained in the subject and willing to help to the best of their ability

I wouldn’t say trained. It’s just something you learn as you instruct, I staff the first year program and every scout reacts differently. Some want to be alone and some want attention. I’ve had leaders come up to me and let me know before I even met the scout.

5 hours ago, Alfy04 said:

He is 12 and at a Boy Scout camp. This is his second year at summer camp.

Whoops, I misread it earlier. I would still have the leaders let the staff he is with throughout the day and they shouid be able to help.

I see this all summer long! I work at a Boy Scout camp in the first year scout program so I’m working with be youngest in camp. I don’t want you to think that this isn’t atypical. 

I’m not entirely sure how a Cub Scout summer camp works, but I’m assuming it’s somewhat structured like a Boy Scout one. Have your leaders tell the staff that he interacts with throughout the day. They can help keep him engaged and keep his mind off home. This usually works for scouts I work with. Small tasks such as getting something for me, holding something, has a huge impact on them since it makes them feel more needed and that they belong there.

Staff at camps are usually pretty good about dealing with homesickness.

5 hours ago, chief027 said:

I say the scout treating him self is fine. Like Brian says many youth have more experience and training in 1st aid than the adults. Make it a point to notify SE and Camp Director. Also tell the scouts that they should always let an adult leader or SPL know about injuries even if the were self treated no matter how small they are

Agreed. Any small cut/injury could turn into an infection and become worse. There’s also the possibility of the scout didn’t treat it properly and still didn’t report it.

I would make sure that your scouts know that they should report it. About your question for who can administer first aid, I believe anyone can. I don’t think there are age restrictions, I am the highest certified in my troop but I am a scout. 

7 minutes ago, Double Eagle said:

This is going to be touchy issue.  My first response is for a parent/grandparent/guardian not to write the religious letter for their child.  You already support the child and it shows if they made it this far.  Whether an "active" church goer, or not, there are other ways duty to god can be displayed.  One of the most generic in a troop could be the troop chaplain position.  Used correctly, that could be the only duty done.  We never asked denomination or attendance records of the troop chaplain. 

Level of devotion and duty is measured differently in everyone.  Some showboats have to show and tell everyone what they do and when.  I know some quiet professionals that are the best at their craft, as others always tell of their skills and efforts.  You don't have to be in the first pew to believe.  Some of the most religious people I've seen have been the most quiet and humble. 

It all comes down to what that scout believes and does.  Their view of religion will grow, morph, and can change with age, life, and experience.  What and how they deliver duty will change from time to time.  No easy right or wrong in this topic, except for recommending the parent/grandparent/guardian seek assistance from a religious leader.     

It’s said somewhere if you are not religious to have a parent fill in that section.

I had my EBOR in February and I am heavily religious either. I put one of my parents like your son did, but they didn’t have to write a letter. I  don’t think you need a letter for every single person on that recommendation list on the application. I had like 3 letters.

3 minutes ago, Kudu said:

"Sabattis Scout Reservation is located on over 2,000 acres in the heart of the Adirondack Park. It offers the premier wilderness camping experience in the northeast United States. Sabattis is a traditional full-featured patrol cooking camp" 

http://www.cnyscouts.org/camping/sabattis-scout-reservation/

8 minutes ago, DuctTape said:

I believe Camp Sabbatis in the Adirondacks of NY still has patrol cooking. I do not know the council.

Sabbatis is owned by a NJ council, Patriots’ Path. I’ve heard good things about it but never had chance to visit. They do often talk about shutting it down.

https://www.campsabattis.org/

Why wouldn’t they be covered by troop insurance? I don’t see why not as long as there is a permission slip for the event.

40 minutes ago, qwazse said:

It's a pretty basic good method, but you can combine Explain and Demonstrate? Doesn't that mean a step is superfluous? If so, that implies there exists a method that is more basic and as good if not better.

No wonder our old SM forgot what the first E stood for.

I like how @ItsBrian recognized that his first-year depended on a four step method because of time constraints and scouts not bringing their handbook. But, when the scout leaves the trail-to-first-class area and forgets a skill and his buddy can't remember either, how is he going to refresh his memory? Suppose @ItsBrian explained, guided, demonstrated, and enabled wrongly. (We all have off days.) How is the scout going to correct or refine what he learned?

I'm looking forward to finding out how our Swedish buddy troop teaches skills. Maybe they have to learn English first so they won't forget their EDGE.

I forgot to mention we try to have them practice more later and then demonstrate it to their leaders before they get the requirement signed off by their leader.

If they actually do that, I’m not sure. But, on Friday’s since we aren’t so time constrained I usually like to kill time reviewing mostly everything we have done.

Friday is orienteering, and we just do the basic requirements of it. There is a big open field connecting most program areas that we do a orienteering course in. After they get everything right and head to the correction location, we stop and review a skill from earlier in the week. Some scouts remember certain skills more than others, and I try to get them to ask their buddies for help before coming to me. I guess you could call this enabling?

Honestly, I basically use EDGE when instructing at the first year program. I average 14 kids, up to 21. I can’t be with every single one of them especially if I don’t have any adult volunteers.

For example, when I teach beginner knots:

Explain: I keep them gathered around and I explain what it’s used for and why you use it.

Demonstrate: They don’t even touch their ropes yet and I make sure they pay attention on how I do it. I say step by step when I do it and offer some tips to make it easier.

Guide: Now they try. I have them spread around to trees, their walking sticks, or to find a stick. They get less distracted and can focus more if spread out. I make sure each of them do it correctly at least twice and offer any advice if needed.

Enable: We go through all of the knots we have learned (Mostly the beginner knots) and we have a knot tying competition to see who can tie the knots, which they say is always fun! 

I am looking at other posts about using the handbook or having them teach someone else, which unfortunately wouldn’t work in a summer camp setting due to time constraints and most not even having their book.

16 hours ago, perdidochas said:

Our Church youth group hosts pancake breakfasts.  IMHO, it's the best bang for your buck for fundraising. We generally give three pancakes and a sausage patty, with juice and/or coffee and charge $5.  A 10 lb bag of pancake mix (just add water) is less than 10, and will make 270 pancakes.  

We do the exact same. We still do this every year. We charge ~$10 since we also get Starbucks coffee donated which is always a big hit. 

I honestly don’t feel like all the extra thing  that the article has is really needed. That’s a lot of options and expensive items for such a low entry cost.

19 hours ago, chief027 said:

I’ve spent time at multiple camps the one I work at currently i usually wear boots. However at my council camp I generally wear tennis shoes because it’s super flat.

What program area do you work in? I’m with first years, so I’m constantly on the move.

Since I staff the area in a camp with for first year scouts, I work with the youngest scouts. I have seen a small amount of phones during instruction time throughout the whole summer. It’s easy to notice if they are homesick and texting their parents. My camp suggests to not bring it, but people still do. 

If they do bring a phone, the best thing I’ve noticed was to simply just talk to them. I feel like if I took it away at any point, they would get even more homesick. 

On 5/1/2019 at 11:45 PM, Eagledad said:

Hiking boots and smartwool socks. I’ve tried running shoes like most wear during camp but my feel are sore by the end of the day. The boots provide good support and the sock breath well keeping the feet dry. Also bunching the socks down on the boot keeps the dirt and chiggers away from the feet and ankles.

I learned this from a forum member 22 years ago.

Barry

I’m late, but that made me think.

When I staffed a summer camp, I preferred my Nike running shoes over my Columbia boots. I tried to wear my running shoes since they were more comfortable for me. I had to wear BSA socks, so socks didn’t make a difference. I only wore the boots when it rained heavily and was muddy. Let’s see what I prefer this year when I go back. 

Just now, MikeS72 said:

Good to know.

In addition to teaching First Aid/CPR/AED and Wilderness & Remote First Aid with BSA, I coordinate and teach classes as part of my job with the school system.  Every class, when we get to the CPR portion, someone brings up 'I thought we weren't supposed to do breathing any more'.  I will be sure to let them know now, that AHA is the same as Red Cross in preferring the 30:2 process, but in also recognizing that there are times when compression only is the only option.

I think AHA teaches compression only for those who just want a basic knowledge since they may find it too demanding to do 30:2 if they are alone.