mrkstvns

Just now, mrkstvns said:

Common sense says that you don't put a 10-year old new scout in a tent by himself.

Why not bring 2 of those 4-man tents and split the boys up 2 in one tent and 3 in another?

10 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

Do the current rules stipulate that Jimmy must sleep alone in a separate tent?

Common sense says that you don't put a 10-year old new scout in a tent by himself.

2 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Never, ever heard of okra in Jambalaya. And I lived in the "Jambalaya Capitol of the World" for a while.

 

You piqued my curiosity...

I figured that you must have lived someplace in the swamps of south Louisiana....maybe around Atchafalaya country, maybe in the city of Lafayette,  or maybe with the politicos in Baton Rouge, or just possibly deep in the heart of New Orleans (where America's BEST restaurants are found)...

Nope. 

According to Google, the "Jambalaya Capitol of the World" is the bustling metropolis of Gonzales, Louisiana.  

Never heard of it...

Maybe offering a Cooking merit badge class could help.  Put a lot of emphasis on meal planning, nutrition, discussion of meal plans/recipes, etc. Maybe some samples. Maybe get a few different adults to help with contributions so that the burden of ideas isn't on one person (plus add to the excitement, let the boys work with multiple adults, etc.)

Get a core group of boys thinking about food and maybe they'll spread the enthusiasm to their peers.

6 minutes ago, Thunderbird said:

What are some good ways to encourage Scouts to expand their cooking repertoire without "taking over"?  My son's troop tends to have a single menu plan that they repeat over and over again...

Perhaps a cooking contest.

Our troop's past scoutmaster liked challenging the boys with a Dutch oven cookoff, with a small prize awarded to the winning patrol and a photo of the winning patrol posted in the scout room. You could do others too: gourmet breakfast, no-pot dinner, best backpacking meal, etc.

Could also do a "demo day" type event where the boys are given ingredients, recipes, etc. and work in small teams to put together a dish, then they try each others' dishes and vote on their favorite.

Can't do too many contests though or the awards become meaningless...

Down-home comfort food doesn't have to be complicated. Zesty and adaptable to infinite variations, a great Jambalaya is an easy way to feed a hungry patrol. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 pound sausage (I use andoille or another full-flavored variety)
• 3 bell peppers, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock (plus some extra on hand, if needed to adjust moisture)
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked rice (long grain is best, or short grain will work)
• 2 tablespoons cajun/creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's or Zatarains)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup okra (sliced)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare your ingredients a day or so before leaving. It makes for an easy meal time at camp.  Chop the veggies and chicken and sausage. Put in freezer bags (1 big bag for veggies, 1 for meats, and even a small bag for spice mix --- then it's just dump and mix when you're cooking at camp). 
2. Heat some olive oil in a large pan.  Saute chicken and sausage, then set aside.
3. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion, and any other veggies (including garlic) until soft.
4. Add rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, cajun/creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne, and bay leaf.
5. Cook 30 minutes.  Stifr every few minutes.
6. Add okra (and shrimp, crawfish, if used).
7. Taste and add cajun/creole seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste.

VARIATIONS

• Bell peppers, onions, and celery are the "holy trinity" of cajun/creole cooking. Never skimp on these 3, but feel free to mix it up a bit. I like to use both green and red bell peppers. Yellow onions are a mainstay in my kitchen, but I also like adding chopped green onion to my Jambalaya (often near the end of cooking). Other veggies could be added to make it your own.
• I use chicken and sausage in this recipe, but it's only the beginning. I love fresh shrimp in my jambalaya and will sometimes add crawfish. I like to vary the sausage too. I often use a venison sausage, garlic jalapeno sausage, or andouille (though that might be hard to find in parts of the country). Smoked ham can be a nice addition, though I prefer tasso (easy to find in Louisiana and east Texas, probably not so easy elsewhere).

On 2/11/2019 at 2:58 PM, SouthernTierScouter said:

We have a few rules like this, including you can't use kits bought at the store. We've had a few families do that, buy a kit, we've had a scout borrow a last year car from another scout, we've had someone try and race their winning car from the year before. What we have decided to do is to allow the scout to race their car, they can sit and watch, cheer it on, but it will never win. We simply disqualify it from being eligible to win the race. So far its never been an issue.

That sounds like a good approach.

The point isn't to have a car built to precision specs, it's to develop some pride in workmanship and to build a stronger relationship with a parent by working together. How good the car looks or how fast it runs is secondary to the experience of making something yourself. When my son was a Cub, the pack had a rule that whoever won the race --- that parent would be the PWD chair next year.  It was a good rule.

Hmm.  That's not quite the way most people think of the "buddy system" in scouting.  We've always used the term to mean 2 scouts doing something together.  *NEVER* before have I seen it defined as "parent or legal guardian or another registered adult".  That language introduces confusion and dilutes the simple power of the buddy system.

16 hours ago, Buggie said:

The third was quickly and easily averted. A younger scout wanted to sleep with an older scout. About 5 years apart. I was already starting to voice the issue, when the SM turned to me to verify the age gap that could sleep together. He knew that it was probably an issue at least. Those two scouts did not share a tent. I had to internally boggle that the SM had to even ask. The cold must have done something to his brain. 

Those kinds of issues don't usually come up in our troop. Patrols tent together and all the patrols have kids who are within a year or so of each other in age. 

The only time that kind of age difference might be okay is with siblings. I can see a younger scout wanting to tent with his big brother. Even then, I'd encourage the younger scout to stay with his patrol.

25 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

..., you want to have options for scouts to work on while at camp, but generally I think aside from aquatics, no Eagle required badges should be offered.  Why would any unit expect a scout to have to work on Camping MB at a summer camp??? Can't say a whole lot about their unit if their scouts feel that is a need IMO. 

I agree completely!

Swimming and Lifesaving are very appropriate for a camp environment, but most of the other Eagle-required badges demand (and reward) time.  Some camps do okay with E-Science, but it's not an easy badge and really should not be rushed.  All other Eagle-required badges are best earned individually or in the troop environment back home.

1 minute ago, iguanita said:

Thank you all.  This is helpful information.  Our Scoutmaster is not new to scouting, but he is new to the Scoutmaster role.  He was the pack master for our cub scout pack, and he formed the boy scout troop only last year.  I don't want to be a pain or make things difficult, but I want to understand the requirements and follow them.  My son has been excited about earning merit badges since he saw the pamphlets in the army surplus store when we bought his cub scout uniform years ago.  He can finally earn the badges, and I don't want him to be discouraged over having to do things twice or internal struggles/politics because the requirements are not clear.  

EXACTLY!

Young scouts are excited and motivated.  Scoutmasters need to recognize that and they need to understand that their role is to ENABLE a scout to succeed ---- not to put up obstacles to discourage the scout.

What you read in the merit badge pamphlets is what you, and your son should expect. It's what your son needs to do to earn his badges, and it's what a good adult leader will expect the scout to do....NO MORE, NO LESS.

A former Cubmaster taking on a Scoutmaster role is great --- but he definitely has a big, steep learning curve. Boy Scout advancement is nothing like Cub Scout advancement. I hope your troop's Advancement Chair is experienced at any rate, otherwise, the adult leaders should be taking their training, and seeking help from a Unit Commissioner or from experienced leaders in other nearby troops (via Roundtables, etc.)  Since you have an interest in doing things the "right way", maybe you might consider stepping up and doing one of the adult roles (or at least serving as merit badge counselor so you can see how that aspect of the scouting program works).

Good luck!

The "Guide to Advancement" includes this...

Even though I'm reading the 2019 version, I think the part about the "buddy" of point 6 should be revisited since I believe that the newest YPT guidelines call for a 2nd adult to be present when an MBC meets with a Scout (although I think  in past years, a second scout was deemed sufficient to comply with the "no 1-on-1" rule).

5 minutes ago, qwazse said:

I think most leaders split hairs over this:

How do you test that someone has hiked a hike? Or righted a capsized sailboat?

If an SM has seen too many scouts just flash a sailing certificate (or affidavit of whatever requirement) at a counselor, he's likely to insist on his pick of counselors and his way of implementing requirements. Its almost worse than the "naive SM" (like @mrkstvns describes) in that the cynical SM is trying to fix a problem in other scouts that might not even pop up in the next round of scouts.

In most of the MBC position-specific training, it's emphasized that the published requirements will guide you.  If the requirement says "Show", or "Demonstrate" then you (the counselor) needs to see them do it.  The requirement specifies the "how to test".

In many cases, the counselor will ask the scout about it and take his word (A scout is Trustworthy.)

In either case, it is up to the COUNSELOR, not the Scoutmaster, to determine whether the scout did or did not complete the requirements as specified in the current (or applicable) requirements.  The COUNSELOR tests the scout on merit badges, not the Scoutmaster.

A Scoutmaster who thinks it's his job to 2nd guess the Counselor and the Scout is out of line. He's creating obstacles that shoiuldn't be there and ultimately, isn't the kind of "trained" leader that scouts deserve.

In the case of Small Boat Sailing, a counselor will most likely want to be at the waterfront witnessing a scout handling his boat with a buddy.  In the case of Citizenship in the Nation, the scout can simply come to me with notes and appropriate work showing he did what the requirements said to do (I promise not to ask for any more, or any less.)

The normal process to earn merit badges is:

1. The scout finds a merit badge he is interested in....
2. He asks the Scoutmaster for a "Blue Card"...
3. The Scoutmaster *may* counsel the scout, but ultimately, any scout of any age can work on any merit badge at any time...
4. The Scoutmaster should provide the name of an approved Counselor, however, the scout has the right to choose a different Counselor if he wishes...
5. The Scout does the work required to satisfy the requirements ("No more, no less.")...
6. The Scout meets with the Counselor to review and demonstrate that he has completed the requirements ("No more, no less.")...
7. The Counselor tests the scout, initials each completed requirement, and signs the card in 2 places when he is satisfied that it is complete...
8. The Scout returns the signed Blue Card to the Scoutmaster (or Advancement Chair, depending on your troop's process).

If that is not your troop's process, they are putting obstacles in front of the scout that should not be there. Per the "Guide to Advancement":

"Though it may not have been clearly stated in the
past, units, districts, and local councils do not have
the authority to implement a different system for
merit badge approval and documentation."

Also, the general rule of Advancement in scouting is "No more, no less."   Any invented rule violates that principle and should not be tolerated. Talk to your Committee Chair, Chartered Org Rep, or District/Council Advancement Chair.  (Or take the easier route and find a competent troop.)

45 minutes ago, iguanita said:

Hello all -

I am a parent of a scout who just crossed over from Arrow of Light to Boy Scouts.  I am considering signing up as a merit badge counselor for our troop, and my son is ready to start working on some of his badges.  I'm getting some conflicting guidance from our Troopmaster and the BSA website.  I'm hoping you all can help.

Our Troopmaster informed me that my son cannot work on a merit badge by himself.  He said it is required that merit badges be earned in groups of 2 or more scouts.  I understand the requirement for the buddy system and that my son must be accompanied by an parent/guardian or other scout when interacting with the badge counselor or leader.  I asked him to clarify two specific items:

1) My son attends sailing camp each summer, and the activities he performs at camp meet every requirement for the sailing merit badge.  Is it required that another boy scout earn this badge at the same time?

2) Can hikes on family vacations count towards the Hiking badge or must it be a hike with another scout?

He confirmed that in both of those scenarios, the badge must be earned in groups of 2 or more scouts and must be taught by the merit badge counselor.  I cannot find anything on the BSA website documentation to support this.  Can you help?

Thanks!

This is completely false on both counts.  The actual rules for earning merit badges can be found in "Guide to Advancement", BSA publication 33088.  (You can find the document here:  https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf )

Read section 7 (or have your Scoutmaster read it if he insists on giving you wrong information).  He could be new at the job, untrained, etc., so give him a chance to educate himself about the scouting program.

There are YPT rules that say a counselor can not meet one-on-one with a scout....but all that means is you might need to be in the room when your scout talks to his counselor. 

By the way, NO merit badge counselor is obligated to EVER teach a class.  

17 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

...there are a number of summer camps out there that basically spoon feed E Sci.

And several other merit badges.  That's a big reason I tell scouts to do fun, outdoor-focused merit badges and leave all the boring, class-oriented merit badges to workshops or independent effort.  

In our council (maybe yours too), the spoon feeding has gotten so bad that council-run camps actually double-up merit badges *in a single session*.  This lets them either: 1) lie about having done the merit badges, 2) deliver a horrible experience that inadequately covers the requirements, or 3) send kids home with huge numbers of partials. (This tends to be especially common with the classroom-oriented badges.)

My disgust at our local council's program staff can not be understated.

2 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

In my summer camp, Lifesaving was tough.  Recovering the 10 lb weight in water with 6” of visibility was tough.   I was a strong swimmer but took in a fair share of water coming up as our councilor would throw the weight in a different points to make us search (without vision) at the bottom of a muddy lake.   Most of the scouts I was with never succeeded.... on second those scouts probably just did it later in a pool.... Outside of that, it was fairly easy if you are a good swimmer.

Times change.  When I was a scout, we did Lifesaving (and Swimming) in a lake.  All of the MB summer camps that I've seen in and around Texas have pools.  While the kids still need to retrieve weights, they have it easier than us because they don't have the added challenge of murky water.

Good points, Fred!

Cycling might be fun, but it requires several trips, plus it's not a badge that's normally offered at summer camp, hence, no easy opportunity...

I also find Em.Prep boring compared to Lifesaving, so am surprised that so many scouts prefer Em.Prep.

5 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I must say the cycling merit badge was fun though. 😀

Hiking is pretty fun too.  Just doesn't lend itself well to a summer camp schedule because it requires  one 5-mile hike, three 10-mile hikes and one 15-mile hikes.  That's a lot of walking...

1 minute ago, RememberSchiff said:

The most popular option is the easiest. 

Perhaps....though I think Lifesaving might be easier for a lot of scouts because it is usually offered at summer camp (though it requires good Swimming and First Aid skills).

As a MBC for Sustainability, I don't find it to be a lot harder than E-Science, though it does require keeping logs for up to 4 weeks, so nobody is ever going to come out of a class without a partial. E-Science though can usually be completed at summer camp without partials (though typically as 2 class blocks), so from that perspective, yeah, I guess E-Science might be perceived as "easier" than Sustainability.

Great post, Barry!  You make some excellent points:

• Encourage complex cooking (opening a box of Pop Tarts presents no chance to learn, experience, grow...)
• Encourage competitions (stress and time are great motivators)

SPLs and SMs could learn much by remembering at least those 2 basics for starters...

A scout must earn at least 21 merit badges for the Eagle rank. 13 of these must be Eagle-required.  Of those 13, 10 are specific badges and 3 have alternatives.

It's interesting to note that in all 3 cases, the first listed merit badge is always chosen most often by the boys (according to the popularity lists published in Scouting magazine).

• Swimming is 9 times more popular than Hiking and 12 times more popular than Cycling (in 2017, Swimming was earned 62,057 times, Hiking 7,084 and Cycling 5,742)
• Environmental Science is 7 times more popular than Sustainability (55,703 vs. 7,295)
• Emergency Preparedness is twice as popular as Lifesaving (43,351 vs. 20,748)

I wonder what conclusions we might draw from this...

23 minutes ago, qwazse said:

I detailed why camp was good for me, because, if someone else would feel refreshed by the same things that refreshed me, it might be good for them too, as it was for me. It might just be the smart thing to do.

Do we really want a potential ASM to miss out on spending a lot of time fishing, meeting staff, getting to know troop leadership, taking any available adult training, landing a bullseye when the archery range is free, hiking, training for the mile swim, helping some other troops' first years learn to swim, fishing ... just because he's afraid of his son's motivation?

...

Yeah, summer camp can be a great opportunity for an adult to become a more experienced leader...a better ASM and a stronger asset to the troop.

On the other hand, a boy does need space at some point to discover his own independence. Having the "safety net" of dad in camp denies him the chance to really feel a tinge of homesickness or to be forced to solve possible problems on his own (or to rely on SPL, SM, etc.)

Either decision could be the right one...

10 minutes ago, SSF said:

Not judging, but it always seems like an automatic response on this site to say "quick, find another troop" when there are advancement issues or a rogue SM.

No one ever really talks about the impact of transferring and uprooting a scout from his current troop, and his fellow scouts and friends there, to going to a completely different troop where he knows no one...

It's not an easy transition and it's completely unfair to the scout to have to find a new troop because his scoutmaster, and leaders, are not administering the BSA program correctly

Quite right.  It's not fair to the scout.

On the other hand, most of us are wise enough to choose our battles because we know full well that if we manage to push our scoutmaster (or other leader) out of the troop, it just might be US that gets tapped to fill his shoes.

Not all of us are ready to commit "one hour per week"...

4 minutes ago, Tatung42 said:

Yes, we hold a council event once a year at the local community college where offer scouts the chances to work on Nova awards or STEM related merit badges.

That sounds totally awesome!  I wish our council would do something like that.  The best I've seen locally is one (out of 27 districts) tacking on one of the Nova awards as an option in their district-sponsored Merit Badge Day program. 

On the other hand, BIG kudos to scouters in New York City. I wish them utter success on their upcoming Spring Break STEM Camp!!
Info:  https://www.bsa-gnyc.org/files/13316/Spring-Break-Stem-Camp-PDF