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Thoughts?

 

The Boy Scouts of America, along with the leadership of National executive board member Jose Nio invite you to the first-ever

Spanish Wood Badge Course at the Bechtel Summit in West Virginia to be held in conjunction with our friends from Scouts de

Mexico. Certain segments of this course will also be conducted in English.

 

Oscar Santoyo | All Markets Strategist

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Program Impact

 

1325 West Walnut Hill Lane - S209 | P.O. Box 152079

Irving, Texas 75015-2079

P 972.580.2488

oscar.santoyo@scouting.org

 

 

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I'm not familiar with Mexico's Scouts program. I'd be interested to learn if this will just be the BSA's typical WB program translated into Spanish, or if the content will include topics specific to the Mexican Scout program?

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Well for a single book to have two languages maybe rough.. First your paying for the material you would not use, plus depending on the size of the book, may make it thicker.. But there should be nothing wrong with putting out two seperate books each in a different language..

 

Also for Woodbadge.. Good for you for trying to include the spanish speaking members of the BSA.. As long as does not rid the English speaking members of a Woodbadge within a decent driving distance, it is great to accomidate others..

 

What sort of thoughts did you want on it?? Except for Spanish, I would imagine this will be the same course, run the same way.. I guess I do not see why anything would need to be changed when a language is changed. I would imagine you will have your movie clips redone in spanish? Or dubbed? or have subtitles?..

 

Our council is doing something a little unique also.. (And first ever).. We got permission to run a course over 3 weekends "Fri-Sat" each weekend.. Normally they are 6 days straight, or 3 day courses..

 

This does bring in some questions that might need some re-organizing of the syllabus. We have lost an evening.. The Win-All-You can Game, if played when it should be means we may have some angry participants we do not have the extra day to talk down off the rafters (do we move it or go with it? CD has decided to go with it with a special guy in mind to debrief these guys. This guy does know how to put a good light on it and calmed everyone down quickly last year.) .. We have lost one evening (the one that staff is to stay with participants then pack up the next day. So do we stay a different night? or not camp with them any night?).. They need more time to set and break camp as it will be done 3 times, not 2 times.. as well as some other concerns..

 

This is being set up this way primarily to accomidate LDS who can not attend Sunday courses.. Our area knows we would not fill a 6 day coursed because it is too much time away from work for many.. So we got Nationals approval to run the course this way..

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"I'd be interested to learn if this will just be the BSA's typical WB program translated into Spanish, or if the content will include topics specific to the Mexican Scout program?"

 

Why would the BSA offer a WB course aimed at another country's program??

 

Am sure this is the BSA's WB course, aimed at BSA scouters who are more comfortable in Spanish. I can't believe its the first time there has been a spanish WB course in the US. Would not be surprised if WB courses in PR were not already heavily Spanish.

 

There are often WB courses aimed at certain groups of people. My council camp hosted a Vietnamese WB course, aimed at that community which drew participants from around the country. Same program, but the meals and I think language was Vietnamese.

 

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Why would the BSA offer a WB course aimed at another country's program??

 

No clue. But since the original blurb mentioned that the course was to be done in conjunction with Mexico's national Scouting organization, I was just wondering if any of Mexico's Scouting program would be incorporated. It would be no different than if a course was announced that would be held in conjunction with Scouts Canada - it would make me wonder if elements of the Canadian program would be incorporated. Not saying it should or shouldn't be, just wondering...

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"Um. Because we speak English in this country....."

 

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Well...actually, no. We speak english as well as many other languages. English just happens to be the most common or popular.

 

Matter of fact, we speak many dialetcs of english. Go down to New Orleans grag a person and carry them with you to Main, grab another person and carry them with you to Utah, grab another and carry them with you to Fargo, ND. Then go to Atlanta, Ga - grab another person and carry them with you LA , grab another person and carry the whole group to Ocracoke, NC and try to have a real engaging conversation amongst all of you. Let me know which one of you speaks english.

 

There is no official language in America. But what youy call english is actually a big ole blend of so many different languages and cultures.

 

You want to speak real english, go to the UK.

 

 

"....and those that want to be a part of it should speak it as well."

 

 

Who said they wanted to be a part of it? It's just a jamboree that they are visiting.

Short term thing.

 

By that logic, if you go to Mexico for spring break, you should speak spanish or stay home. Germany for Oktoberfest? Better speak German or get out!

 

Right?

 

Offerening WB is spanish is a great idea to extend a courtesy for our visitors. It's a "Hey, this is what we do" kinda thing.

 

Kinda just like swapping ideas, sharing adventures and comparing everything from program to patches.

 

 

But if BSA was to offere kit full time for spanish speaking scouters, and it helps them deliver a better program to the scouts who are very likely to be bilingual, then that's awesome too!

 

 

 

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They are offering the "first ever Spanish wood badge course" to be held in conjunction with Scouts de Mexico. Why? It's not just the Mexicans having a jamboree here. I read that to mean that they are offering Woodbadge in Spanish for Spanish speaking people that live here. Until you can put a name to what we are writing in here I'm calling English because that's what it is. Yes it is a dialect. I don't expect people visiting here to learn the language but I do expect people that come here and live to assimilate. They would expect it if us in their country. I do not see why we have to offer everything bilingually. This is the Boy Scouts Of America. Other countries have their scouts for the same reason we do. Why do we have to change to accept everyone else's ideals/customs?

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It is for scouts from Mexico who are VISITING while attending Jambo as guests.

 

It's a courtesy thing. Ever watch Hockey or NASCAR?

 

When we have a game against a foriengn country, we play theiur anthem first. No, we are not trying to change our own citezens, but do it as a courtesy to our guests.

 

Same thing in NASCAR, at the pre race ceremonies, they will play the Mexican or Canadian anthem first as we are holding a joint activity , but in a way that they are our guests.

 

Now, you have to rememebr, even though we are Boy Scouts of America, we ( meaning BSA ) are also a member of something else: World Organization of the Scout Movement.

 

You know .....that purple patch with the fleur de lis on it that is sewn over your left shirt pocket?

 

This is the whole idea behind world jambos, and joint activities where scouts from other countries are invited to be with us just like we get invited to join them.

 

Nobody is taking a regular WB class and changing it to spanish. They are simply offering it in spanish for our Hispanic scout friends.

 

It's a coutesy thing. Not a ravamping or change to the WB program.

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" Why do we have to change to accept everyone else's ideals/customs? "

 

So,please explain to me exactly which ideals and customs we are talking about that are "ours" and not somebody elses.

 

Religious beliefs?

 

Offical language?

 

Family dynamic?

 

Heritage?

 

Economic status?

 

Race?

 

Geographic location?

 

 

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I have LOTS of thoughts about this, none very positive....

 

But hey, if the spanish speakers want Woodbadge, then good for them. Kinda like the whole "soccer after school" experiment. BSA sees an untapped, under-utilized resource (the ever growing, hispanic, catholic population) and like many retailers of goods, they are looking for a way to tap into an emerging market.

 

The heavy emphasis on family and religion in most of hispanic culture dovetails well with BSA's stated goals and aims.

 

Why does this concern me? Well, now some of my FOS donation and my son's annual payment to national will be being used to support the printing of non-english materials. They use too few of the $$ to support direct program for scouts, now here's something else they will spend $$ on for adults and not scouts.

 

You want to print bi-ligual literature? Start with handbooks and merit badge pamphlets!!!

 

Can't say I'm too surprised given Mazzucca's track record in "leadership" of our organization. Sheesh...

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Isn't California's official language now Spanish?? Know I heard they did that, but don't know if they flipped it back. I never heard Arnold speaking Spanish (with a German accent??)..

 

Geesh, some of you guys need to get some training in dealing with diversity! You don't know what is funding this program. Most FOS stays local for your camp and professional staff. This could be some generous benefactor donating money, or be coming out of profit from selling you uniform shirts & pinewood derby cars.

 

I have nothing against people from different cultures joining boy scouts, as long as they learn to love scouting for the program it is, and not try to alter it to some other program "Like Soccer" Although we do have that varsity thing which might also be soccer or other "non-scouting-like" sports.

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