Deaf Scouter

Qwazse,

Don't even think about changing Eagle!.. *thinking how simple it was to learn things in a Troop while bewildering once I started paying attention to District, Council, and National lingo and positions.

Ghermano really hits it on the head that voluneteers is the importance. I think its confusing for those of us that want to move deeper into working with District, Council, and National stuff that leads to all this confusion in trying to peg who is where and what. The majority of the volunteers don't even get into this pegging stuff since there concern is their units.

Dan,

Ask at the next Roundtable or through your Scoutmaster and/or District Executive to borrow another Troop's for a while.

I find the form is used for big events like Camporees. Within the Troop its a simple question of 'What are you doing around the campfire on Friday night and Saturday night?' rather than a form with lots of planning. Usually consist of a simple campfire cooked snack and game or activity like playing cards, a game or doing skits and songs. Sometimes it might include a flag retirement ceremony.

There is also another linkage for doing surveys. It'll ask for your positions and Unit type to put you in the correct group. When National needs a survey of a specific group, it'll email you. I've gotten several surveys already on specific topics.

I really had to reread your comment. I gotta agree that it would be best to standard it all to create less headaches in memory.

Gold should be the highest all around. sometimes it would even be better to use another color altogether to tell the diefferent between a Regional Commissioner and a Council Commissioner.

It took me a long time to understand that Key 3 is not the same meaning in Venturing as it is in Boy Scouts or Council.

Beavah hits it on the head well and Kristian copied quote from the 'Guide of Advancement' book are great helps. But there are other things too like the Scouts' uniform inspection sheet, uniform placement sheet, and etc. so things are not always found in the Scout Handbook.

You mentioned that SM and BOR are the always the last Tuesday of the month which gives your son a month time to correct this missing 2 year old patch. One of the things to consider is at Star and Life ranks are preps to the Eagle rank so the same lessons may not have been there for his previous ranks (which in this case could be the 'neat, clean and updated uniform'). Another lesson is ranks are earned not given lesson (which can really affect the Advancement Chair's mentality).

I sympathize your son is upset but ask what your son can do to correct this or plans to do so he sees the lesson/ rank as something achieveable rather than worry about all the different personalities in the Troop. Emphaize that a month is long enough to correct/improve/finish things. This solution to a problem thinking will be what Scouting prepares a Scout for life skills later on.

The simple first: Place are reserved ahead of time so you get the place and date. Most the cost is split by the attendees although in some larger packs where money is not an issue the pack pays the reservation fee completely which can be from $25 to $200 depending on the place you go to. (State Parks are cheapest) Some places already have a standard charge per person like a zoo campout.

For food, we average $10 to $20 in Troops based on how many meals and what kind of meals. My suggestions since it a first time for you is to decide your menu then look at prices of the stuff you need to buy. How much to buy is where the side label will help you. figure 1.5 serving for all and it'll give ya the best 'average' with a bit extra. Another thing is you can always charge the $20 and then reimburse people back via Scout accounts so their money can be used for the next activity while making it easier to learn for yourself as a first timer.

Personally I'd write a letter to Bryan On Scouting using his blog and/ or wrote to National directing it to the MB dept.

I have a problem with the wording in many of the Disablitlies things (merit badges & beltloops and pins) as they use medical terminolgy instead of the cultural terminology. Many of the medical terms are derogarory as they really imply peole need to be fixed instead of being accepted as they are. Obviously MB are most often written by an person outside of the field, in my honest opinion.

Love these kind of inspirational stories. THANKS for sharing!

Did ya know NOAC has its own website? Might be a question to ask there too.

Its a combo of both really in my opinion. Some outings like camporees are only the youth leaders and provided them with opportunites to advance, learn new skills and team build. Others activities like Smuggler's Notch, white water rafting, cave exploring and etc. are family oriented to build parent relationships and experience something new at the scouting group discount price. Youth leaders still do the work of cooking and such thus showing off their learnt skills. Youth leaders are NOT responsible for their younger siblings during these Scouting family activities because these youth leaders are off with their own friends. Younger siblings usually find another younger sibling to play with under the watchful eye of parents.

Someone hit it on the head that two family vacations is expensive thus the reasons some Scouting activities have become a Scouting family vacation. There is also the days off limitations to consider for many a family.

I really like the idea of the empty sash. I wouldn't even worry about it being empty nor go through the trouble of adding temporary patches. Make it part of the ceremony in pinning on the earned merit badge patches. It makes the ceremony special AND encourages parents to get those sashes now. Have a sewing party at the next Troop meeting so the scout sews them right on. (Staplers come in handy better than sewing pins)

For my CoH, I gave the patches as soon as the youth leaders earned them which was at the new Troop meeting and save the cards and mother/parent pins for the CoH. I also saved the MB for the CoH. I really like the idea of doing CoH three times a year: right after summer camp like the second week in Sept, again in Nov-Dec for those not finished during Summer Camp with the merit badge university earned added and the end of the year. If a fouth is needed its falls during the crossover month adding in the Scout badge.

Separate units because their goals were different. Venture was a once a month activity that included sisters or other gals interested in Scouting along with some of the older Troop members that either graduated the Troop or not interested in the Troop's Trail to Eagle goals. The Crew gets many discounts being under the BSA umbrella while going high adventure once a month trying something new.

In spite of all the comments that go on and on ranting style. I'll go back to the original post which really is a question of HOW to make people aware of registration forms and making SURE theirs got to council the first week they joined?? We gotta be solution based here in my opinion. We need to create awareness that forms sometimes don't get from units to the Council office for various reasons even though chartering happens to ensure it does.

My feeling is most of these are newbies to scouting and thus buying uniforms and such too, correct? Why not little reminders where those cub scout stuff is asking

"Have you filled out this form? and insert a from pictures with words Adult and Youth"

Mention they can check to see if its been process with the check out/cashier's desk. Make it into a seasonal reminder with a different approach like later.. one can earn knots but make sure you're registered and on the unit's roster.

Need to put the check points into the individual's hands too as they will be the ones that suffer. The individuals not the Council office will be the one to catch the unit's delays of paperwork in not registering their members. I no longer leave it to my unit to do mine after experiencing mine not being processed ad thus losing out on knot awards.

Some one sent me this UPS article via email and my first words were "Huh??? UPS has NO room to talk!!"

Being in the Deaf community, we've long had issues of UPS discrimination against hiring Deaf. NOW UPS wants to talk about BSA discrimination. Clean up your own backyard before you talk UPS is all I got to say... *ignoring UPS's comments against BSA

"Can a Scout work on his requirements of Tenderfoot, 2nd class, 1st class, at the same time?" YES

These three are awarded in the proper sequence though. Many scouts work on these three together because of the skill sets like knot tying, compass and etc. As they practice and accomplish the skill set they move on to continuing increasing their confidence while taking the skill to the next level (next rank) thus keeping them practicing the skill learnt.

Second Class.. THANK YOU!! (I tend to skip when there are no spaces cuz I just can't seem to read it)

As for stress, we all have our ways of dealing with it. I like my time alone even though I can be quite social. Being a city gal, born and raised, I can say the country suits me more too. I don't miss the city life at all.

But I do have to wonder though if ignorance is bliss or holding it all in is best. I think having support groups and sharing is important as its a way to relieve stress that can build up over time. Stress has a way of becoming tension in one's body that cause simple problems later. For me it all settled in my back to headaahes and stiff necks.

Gotta ask why no one mentioned the UC (Unit Commissioner)?

The UC works directly with the COR in seeing about the COR's training and the units they supervise. UC have computer system login that units don't have

The other question is are you putting in the position codes? The codes are listed on the first couple of pages. If you don't note it (CO) on the application then the registra can only assume Committee Member (MC).

I think Stosh hits on the head... educating parents.

I've always wanted to do winter camping but our unit did it cabin style. Have you considered educating parents or doing this as a OKPIK training style campout with the cabin there as a back up?

I had to laugh on the 'Florida winter camping' where battery operated fans are left home. You mean we check out florida Sea Base but you don't check out Midwestern base??... *grins

Anyone know anything about this new site? Found it through Facebook.

https://www.connectingscouts.com/

Then the question begs is what do scouts do with them ol' rank advancement patches?

We put them in baseball sleeves to be kept in a scout notebook that incorporates the merit badge worksheets and blue cards (another purpose for them baseball sleeves: holding finished blue cards and the partial blue cards) At the ECOH (Eagle Court of Honor), those rank advancement are nicely put into a 'Trail to Eagle' designed frame by a Troop committee member who is handy in arts and crafts and presented to the Eagle and his parents at the ECOH.... *smiles

Have you considered dismissing your Troop meeting early and have the PL stay behind for a PLC? Remember parents are part of your success. Parents drive the kids here and there. The parents attitude of whether a PLC is important can rub off on the Scout. Make less work for the parent by combining things to happen on the Troop meeting day and you just might see your PLC become well attended. Also consider whether all the PL have the skills. They may opt out of PLC because of intimidation. Do you have handy guides for the non-knowledgeable PL and his parent? I know of a Troop that put together an outdoor packet that helps plan a troop/Patrol campout.

Troop meetings during a week day is easy to fit in over a weekend campout. Weekend campouts compete with a family schedule. also consider the factor of where the Scout is. Don't you see more T-2-1 class scouts attending the campouts over the Star, Life and Eagle scout because campouts is where those sign off happens. The older scouts have school activities competition that younger scouts don't have.

"Summer camp is well attended and has been for as long as I can remember with upwards of 90% of the scouts attending." Easy for parents to plan if it happens annually especially those budget restricted Scouts.

"However, response to the high adventure trips, which is selected by the PLC every year has been disappointing with only 4 of 22 eligible scouts signing up for a week in the boundary waters. This happened a couple of years ago too." How come you are only targeting 22 eligible instead of the ENTIRE Troop? Do consider that high adventure cost more so harder on those budget conscious members. Do you utilize payment plans? Do you plan next years during this years? Want about the scout's supplies? Are Scout account fully utilized to incorporate their spending to have their own supplies/gear for a high adventure trip? Do you educate parents along with the scouts on high adventure gear or even do a Troop group discount to get high adventure gear for all? I think success of high adventure trips is all in the planning, educating and prep work of making sure the scouts have the supplies they need while helping parents have the funds they need. I don't think it has anything to do with the scout skills but rather them having their OWN equipment they need. Scouting parenting class on equipment and funds are great to have during a Troop meeting... *winka

For BSA you have the YPT rules and good suggestions already on the boards here but I'd add in 'google' too. You've got the age of the scout so I would google behavior patterns of children who have been abuse to add more knowledge to yourself.

Posters are correct in its important to treat them just like everyone else but the same time this child now knows things he shouldn't know so sometimes their reactions and behaviors aren't like other children. You as an adult will have influence in helping them overcome and get back to normal while moving forward. Do keep that confidence that the mom gave you.

Or they can be multiples in 3 different units, Pack, Troop and Crew, while hold a District and Council level position...*grins

In Scouting, you'll find MANY that wear several hats.

For charter purposes, you will need to know which is their primary unit as they only pay one $15.00 membership fee that covers ALL their units.

After last year's step up as a first time Scoutmaster because of the registered one died of a heart attack, I have to say.. WOW it was a looooooooong year of learning, researching and etc. I'm glad a scout's parent has become brave and decided to take over while I can watch on the sidelines. One of the things that has really bothered me is how dysfunctional this Troop is and still is on all levels from being boy-led to utilizing the Committee to people doing their Committee roles that much falls on the Scoutmaster doing it all.

One of the things I realized is 'tools'. Nothing is passed to the next person in terms of what was done before, what they should and etc.

My question is what are some of the tools that you wished you had or what tools do you pass onto the next person? Please tell me for which role, SM, CM or PLC that these tools are handy for) I really would like to design organization tools that can help each that any newbie person stepping up will have at their hands.