Ready or not for OA?

[SR540Beaver 116]

Yes, you can easily get 15 nights including a 6 night long term camp in during a single year as well as make First Class. Our troop does 2 nights for 11 months, plus 6 nights at summer camp for a total of 28. High adventure is icing on the cake. I guess where I am getting hung up is the "during the two-year period prior to the election". A matter of interpretation I guess.

 

From the Guide for Officers and Advisers:

 

After registration with a troop or team, have experienced

15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during

the two-year period prior to the election. The 15 days

and nights must include one, but no more than one,

long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and

five nights of resident camping, approved and under

the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of

America. The balance of the camping must be overnight,

weekend, or other short-term camps.

[clemlaw 55]

I look at it this way:

 

Most Scouts who qualify for OA have probably done the required amount of camping within the past year. But they _allow_ it to be within the past two years, in case the Scout missed one or two campouts this year. It gives a little bit of extra leaway.

 

It also accounts for unusual situations such as the election being held prior to summer camp, and last year's summer camp was more than 12 months ago.

 

If someone camped 15 nights within the last month, then they qualified, because those 15 nights were within the last two years. The Scout who camped 15 nights 23 months ago squeaks in just under the wire, even if he hasn't gone camping since.

[ASM915 90]

Roadkill,

I think he'll surprise you & do well. As Chapter Advisor, I rely heavily on my younger members, especialy the pre-highschoolers, when it comes to elections & ceremonies at the Chapter level.

 

Schiff,

Good advise on informing the parents.

 

Eagle92, are your candidates informed of their nomination at the time of election, or surprised at summercamp?

When do you do your little informational sitdown with the candidates & parent, after Call-Outs, or before? Do you do this on a unit by unit bases, or have all potential candidates within the District, & parents come to a special meeting before the election season kicks off? I like that idea, and would be interested in trying this in our area. PM me with wpecifics. The poor parents usually have know idea what they are involved for.