Advancement for an older new scout

[us3packrats]

We have a new Scout in our Troop who is almost 16 years old.

He is friends with several of our other Scouts who convinced him to join, and he was put in their patrol.

 

We also have 12 new scouts (11 year olds) who just crossed over from Webelos.

 

This week the Scoutmaster was working on some rank advancements requirements with the new scout patrol and also had this older Scout joining them. He looked very uncomfortable and out of place. Meanwhile his patrol was outside working with the Quartermaster.

 

I know this young man has not joined with making Eagle in mind. I also realize that he needs to learn the valuable skills that are taught in the individual ranks.

 

Any suggestions for how deal with his advancements? Should the older Scouts in his patrol help him with his advancements?

 

 

 

[Lisabob]

Yes to your last point. If this boy joined because his friends talked him into it, then put him with his friends. Make it their responsibility to teach him the basic skills he needs to be successful and have fun. Putting a typical 16 year old in with the 11 year olds is likely to cause him to want to quit, pretty quickly.

[eagle77]

I had a boy who was pretty much in the same situation. The main reason he joined was also to be with friends that were his age. After he had made the choice and filled out the application I had a little sit down with him and the boys that talked him into joining. It was agreed that he would be a member of their patrol and they would work with him and get him up to speed. In 8 months he was 1st class. At the first summer camp he attended he worked on merit badges not a first year program. He aged out as a life scout this past summer. He is now one of my younger ASM. Funny his friends are now gone off to other things like college, but he is still here helping. Bottom line he joined to be with his friends, keep him with his friends and if they are true friends they will help him along the way. Why does everybody think that the only reason to be a boy scout is to attain Eagle? He told me one time the fun and laughes out weighed earning Eagle. Though he did wish that he had joined earlier.

[Eagledad]

In the old days this would not have been and issue new scouts lerned their skills from their patrol mates. And we have to understand the difference between advancement and learning skills. As other have said, he needs to hang with his friends and enjoy the parts of scouting his friends bragged about. I'm sure they will be glad to teach the skills their friend needs to enjoy the program.

 

Barry

[John-in-KC]

What Lisa and Barry said.

 

First, don't worry about pushing this kid up the line. He's 16, and should have some idea of who he is. We're talking different ages and stages for him.

 

Have a LONG Scoutmaster conference with him, perhaps even offsite. A breakfast with him and one of his friends may well be in order. Find out what makes him tick. Help him get as much personal growth as he can while these young people are all together.

 

Tell him it's OK not to go for Eagle, but that if he truly wants to push and challenge himself, you'll support him. KNOW that because of the timing, he will be a near aging out Eagle to begin with.

 

Once you understand what makes him tick, you can help him along the trail to take advantage of Scouting even while he approaches adulthood.

 

If you know his HS teachers are Scouters and MB counselors, you might try to leverage whatever he's doing for due course recognition.

[asm 411]

Let me join in with the chorus. When an older boy, heck any boy, joins a troop he should be in a patrol with his friends. He will do more with those friends than a bunch of Scouts he does not know regardless of rank. It is his PL's responsibility to make sure his is advancing. Let the PL do the job.

 

Think of it this way that Scout who just joined has 5 to 7 well trained instructors to work with.

 

 

[shortridge]

... and his friends will both enjoy teaching him and get a lot out of it themselves.

[us3packrats]

Thanks for all your input!

 

I will talk to the Scoutmaster and Advancement Chair about it. I'm sure they were trying to do the right thing, but had not encountered this situation before.

 

He went on a campout last weekend and was in the patrol with his friends. I think they just pulled him out for some book work stuff at the meeting.

 

But,there's a huge gap between and 6th grader and a 10th grader. He seems like a nice kid and I wouldn't want to him quit because we didn't handle it correctly.

 

I'm sure if we talk to his friends in the troop that they will step up and help teach him. They must be a pretty persuasive bunch to begin with.

Hopefully, they will all learn a lot, have fun doing it, and make some great memories together.