Cburkhardt

The number of Scouts BSA youth is 3.1% bigger compared to last year at the end of March. Hard to believe but true. When the girl-specific numbers come out I am certain it will provide more evidence of our developing organizational membership turn around. And, many girl troops are relatively small, having just started off-cycle. I will be really interested in the October and November figures, which will show us all the potential for stabilizing and re-setting us for long-term growth. But, this very early indicator is very encouraging.

I agree with Qwazse. The GSUSA effectively capitulated to the old ""green shirt" Exploring program of the 80's (which morphed into Venturing) because GSUSA was unable to hold those older youth. I'm going to make a reasoned estimate based on personal observation that about 15-20% of our Scouts BSA girl members are either dual-registrants in GSUSA or girls who have fully-migrated to the BSA. We might see the current GSUSA-to-Venturing tendency around age 14 convert to GSA-to-Scouts BSA. And because some girls prioritize making Eagle, the migration to Scouts BSA might take place earlier and b

My use of "movement" was intended to mean Boy Scouts of America. That is the organization the4 girls are proud to be part of.

Quazse: Thanks for the suggestion. Being a newer poster to this website, I am not attuned to the informal practices of the community.

How to Lower the Cost of Summer Camp for Under-Resourced Scouts Right now is the time when most Councils are asking families of Scouts to pay their cost of a week at the Council-owned summer camp. The way this works in most councils is that the Troop volunteers collect these fees, deposit them in the Troop account, and then register the individual Scouts for your week of camp. The reasons why you should get as many of your Scouts to camp are many and beyond the scope of this posting -- but the benefits of summer camp are especially important for new Scouts from families that have not ye

How to Obtain Free Uniforms and Equipment for you Girl Troop Because we have 1,800 new Troops nationally and therefore a big number of new volunteer leaders, I'll post an occasional operating suggestion directed at how to quickly stand-up a quality girl troop. The first suggestion is that you help your girls take advantage of the many complimentary services that provide used BSA uniforms and equipment to youth from under-resourced families. It is critical that you get these girls into uniforms as soon a possible and that they have the basic equipment to participate outdoors. In o

Dear SSF: This thread is focused on examples of positive program activities and outcomes of girl troops. There are plenty of other threads where you can engage in advocacy against girl troops. Because you have decided to leave the BSA, I wish you good luck in finding different civic activities and organizations better calculated to your preferences. The rules of this blog are to allow OPs to focus content and your posts are destructive to that rule.

Hello 94-A1: I wouldn't worry too much about occasionally using the term "Boy Scouts". While the top volunteers and pros would prefer use of the new term, the 26 Scouts in our all-girl troop often refer to themselves as being part of "Boy Scouts". They take not the slightest offense at the use of that term -- which will informally be with us forever. Our girls positively cheerlead being part of the movement, wear their uniforms (mostly older ones with the full BSA strip) with particular care and pride. They would be very happy for you to call them "Boy Scouts".

Firestone, Your thoughts are spot-on. The girls are pretty focused on advancement, so I am anticipating most at Scout Rank and a few Tenderfoot ranks before we get to summer camp. I join you in strongly encouraging use of the “new camper” programs at council camps to help kick-start things.

Barry: My effort is to create a positive, encouraging thread that highlights positive program activities about all-girl troops. Under the rules of this blog it is proper that off-topic postings are removed from a focused thread, and that is what happened here (and not at my request). Nothing aggressive about that. I look for the better side of people, like the overwhelming majority of bloggers here. My scouting bio includes AOL, Eagle, sea Scout QM, camp staff, vigil, unit leader, district Chair, Council President and Area President. Now I am focusing only on being a Scoutmaster.

Dear SSF: This thread is focused on examples of positive activities and outcomes of girl troops. There are plenty of other threads where you can engage in advocacy against girl troops. Because you have decided to leave the BSA, I wish you good luck in finding different civic activities and organizations better calculated to your preferences.

We conducted a parent meeting yesterday for our girl troop regarding going to our council summer camp. I needed to spend time explaining the basics because girl parents are used to the standard “sleep away” and GSUSA camps that operate differently. They were thrilled with the focus on skills acquisition and merit badge advancement. And, the concept of the entire troop attending together was fresh to them, as they were used to sending their girls as individuals to camp. Our council has done a great job by including girls in the camp promotional materials. We have just begun our sign-ups an

Youth in our country deserve thoughtful and positive leaders as role models. The culture grows coarse when we rip at each other. Every girl we have attracted to our all-girl scouts BSA Troop would not likely have joined other organizations for a variety of reasons. Our 25 girls are learning about our wonderful country, it’s citizens and yes, it’s multitude of religious organizations. All should seek to serve young people and avoid the urge to conflict. Our organization chooses to accent the positive and recruit unserved families. I urge the same approach on the part of other organizations

The express marketing activity of the newer organization is to tear away at our organization with searing press releases, web site postings, media appearances and similar advertising. This naturally causes BSA folks to avoid interactions with them. Our organization has not responded in kind. I have no quibble with organizations embracing the dogma of specific religious faiths and limiting membership and activities in accord with the selected religious principals. I have only best wishes to organizations that do so.

I disagree with every one of you who allege Scouting is less than it was before girl troops were allowed. You offer nothing other than unsupported speculation, such as “men are not staying in Scouting”. There are no “issues to sort out”. There is just a refusal on the part of a few to embrace our organization’s welcome of everyone and perhaps disappointment that we are seeing such enthusiasm and new membership. Yes, 1,800 new troops in 45 days. When was the last time we saw that? I am seeing a natural embrace of our program and organization by these girls and their families in our Troop.

Whether the committee is a big single committee using the linked format or effectively separate, the object is the same — to manage the incoming number of Scouts caused by this enhanced program. The program is identical, but the implementation has some differences. One thing we are experiencing is a greater tendency for girls to bring in their “best friends” into the troop. Girls are also crazy-proud of their uniforms beyond what I have experienced in Boy troops. We are making sure to emphasize those things. I just would not get hung up on the structure behind the troop operation.

Dear Friends, including Moderators: I agree with those who think we should mainstream discussion of Scouts BSA all-girl troops. Pigeon-holing us into a politics chapter continues a negative cast on a decision that, while not supported by all of our members, is actually working out quite well. We should not have to defend against negativism when what we really want to do is discuss how the program is best working in the new units. Please make the change. I've been the senior volunteer at the Unit, District, Council (major metropolitan) and Area levels, and served on national and

I am getting ready to pass out Scout rank pins and cards tomorrow during our regular Saturday meeting. 13 of our 25 girls have earned them, and I expect the balance to so so in a week or two. We might have some Tenderfoot ranks to award before our COH in early June. Our Scouts BSA girl members are taking to the program as-is, and having a lot of fun along the way. We are having so many sign-offs from our 6 ASMs that I needed to have help to get the Scoutmaster conferences done. There will be a lot of happy girls around DC tomorrow. On the issue of tents, we have decided to go with 2-

David: Do you anticipate personal continued engagement with Scouting after the termination? If so, what would motivate you and similarly situated church members to do so? One would expect all of you to get conflicting callings from your church to open your new program.

The horsemanship merit badge idea is really a great example of something that will particularly appeal to girl troops. Some council camps have horse programs. We are going to arrange a special week of horse activities at a council camp, and expect it will be quite popular.

Our 25-girl Troop had an enjoyable Saturday hiking in Rock Creek Park in DC. The three patrols split up and practiced their map reading and compass skills, at trail lunches together and finished their fire building advancement requirements is a patrol competition. Our advancement co-chairs are enjoying our unusual “all-beginner” Scout membership by assuring our meeting and events are getting the girls through Scout and Tenderfoot requirements before summer camp. Please share simple things working with girl units you are aware of.

I want to cheer on those who are operating girl dens and troops. You are very very welcome and have a valued and respected role in our organization. I am just not seeing the events and behavior so vigorously argued and speculated upon here, and have been an early and regular participant in family scouting from the very start. Our council has over 40 girl troops and probably 90 girl dens. This is indeed the success for youth we wanted. Everyone is now welcome in the BSA — join us with a helpful, scoutlike spirit.

I hope you take it up with your district committee. That had nothing to do with those girls.

Barry: I am just looking forward to a time when those of us who are on the front lines of actually forming and operating these units are going to experience less questioning of our motives and operating decisions. But this will all normalize, and that is the point of my brief note. It took us a year to get where we are, with formation of a Webelos den to get a core of girls going. With a preponderance of 11-13 year olds, the SM staffs are of course needing to do more than normal. After all, the girls and their parents need to have an essentially quality experience over the first six mo

As a 30-year scouter who is now SM of a new 25-member all-girl Troop, this discussion puts me on notice of some reactions I can expect when I take them to our April camporee. In a year or two this will all seem normal.