Jameson76

Assuming all G2SS guidelines were followed, and not really up to speed on Cub camping, it has been a while. I was under the impression (thought??) that Cub camping and overnighters were all family camping. Should he have been there without parents? Can they have another leader / parent be responsible? Just curious on how that should work.

Thought the same thing, he looked like a very sad prop. "Hey kid...make sure you stand at least 1 step behind your sister"

It did seem a bit like a staged event, complete with happy squealing girls, all in the NEW (available at BSA.com) skirts and uniforms, completed with patches sewn on. Every single one of them. I guess they kept the wardrobe trailer out of sight. Did notice the Male leaders (oh no!!) leading them along the trail with no female leader in plain and conspicuous view, though I am sure she was about someplace so as to be 100% compliant to the Girls Den YPT guidelines.

Was it a Scottish person?? I know I know...not a skirt

From the 2016 Annual Report BSA is now at 2,221,939 Cubs - 1,262,311 Scouts - 822,999 Venture - 136,629 L for L - 372,891 Explorers - 119,268 Your chart shows (estimate) 3,400,000 in 99. That is a 35% decline in 17 years.

Will you poach our crew's women? Do they have ear tags? Have you claimed them? Seems really cavemanny

Somebodies got to do the jokes and heckles from the back of the room, they aren't writing themselves

Saw our CSE, interesting comments from him. Apparently the drop in numbers for BSA is all about the change in families "And you think about how families then, in the '70s, '80s and '90s, started to change," he said. "More pressures on the family. More activities for children. Moms now are in the workforce. But because we didn't adapt our program design, we just had a slow, steady erosion." Partially true, but unless an organization / business / group really, well and truly, understands the issues, they will no doubt repeat them. Basically CSE is blaming the decline on influences outside the organization. A very shallow and simplistic view. Membership declines had nothing to do with the wholesale change in the program in 1974, the continued emphasis on everything BUT outdoor skills and leadership, not fully understanding where your user base is coming from, not the large membership accuracy issues pretty much every decade, not a large professional base more attuned to fund raising than delivery of program, etc etc etc. Scouting is a great program, one that teaches leadership and self reliance. Unfortunately we seem to be moving to just another after school program in may ways. Stick to the strong points if you want to grow.

YPT videos are always entertaining, assume this will cover the updates to the Girls in Cubs requirements. Would be good if they had updates for coed family Girls in Separate Troops option. Most likely there will be a 2019 revision

Was it they just wanted to focus on FOS? (and popcorn and camp cards and golf tournaments and and and)

We are a successful troop because we have good program and execute it week in and week out. Also we have and support the feeder packs at the CO who do a good job of providing program to the local area. We are successful because of our experience and what we do. The district and council do little to bother us.

Ike had a similar thought And not sure who advised “No business plan survives first contact with customers.”

I fixed it for you....

I'm gonna go with soon

Sadly our good friends at BSA National seem to take the path that this is what the policy is today, but if units choose to do something else, it is what it is. Then when updating policies and using the path of least resistance, they figure it is less hassle to embrace the ones outside the lines than wrangle them back into compliance, so what the heck, let's make up new rules

So...uniforms are optional now??

No room at all for expanding or massaging the membership numbers with that plan (what!! I'm registered with who??) ... just move along Citizen Scout, nothing to see here

You do in fact learn something new each and every day Does seem to be in Charlotte, NC and Arizona at least

Well...apparently not, though to some degree. Oath and Law are not mentioned in the Mission. They are mentioned in the BSA Connection detail. We are just one big tent welcoming all now. Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers, Ventures, STEM scouts, Learning for Life, STBNAALD (Scouts to be named at a later date) https://stemscouts.org/about-stem-scouts/ MISSION Using experiential activities and interaction with STEM professionals, the goal of the STEM Scouts program is to help young people grow in character and skills as they explore their curiosity about STEM fields. It is hoped that their growing knowledge will translate into the STEM-related careers that are so crucial to our country’s future economy. While the program focuses on future careers in STEM, it is ultimately designed to be challenging, thought-provoking and, most importantly, fun. BSA CONNECTION A coed program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), STEM Scouts offers a scouting experience with less emphasis on the outdoors. STEM Scouts follows the Scout Oath and Law with the goal of producing young men and women who are leaders, display confidence, realize their skills and limitations, are respectful of others’ opinions, are problem solvers in all aspects of life, look for opportunities to serve others, are good citizens and demonstrate integrity in all phases of life.

Assuming this meets the mission The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Wonder if the nice lady doing science experiments in her kitchen is aware of the mission, or the Scout oath and law? I suspect we will be doing sports leagues next, though probably, somewhere, that is happening

We do it to be consistent. No open toed shoes at scout functions; meetings, outings, service projects, etc. Just easier to implement and our meetings are very active.

$600 does seem a might steep. We had a long term SM retire. We did not even entertain a gift card. We gave him a troop flag folded into one of the display boxes with the troop numbers showing, also we dedicated a portion of the scout area at the CO in his name. We did invite many of the scouts from his tenure to come to the meeting, then we passed the microphone around and they shared brief memories and thank you's. That was the best part.

Explained to a staff member at summer camp one time that the many pastel colored knots were Cub leader knots and the Red White and Blue knot was the Eagle Scout knot. He had that look of sudden knowledge and advised that many things made so much more sense now.