ASM59 10 Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Our Troop has about 24 registered scouts, with 20 of them being regular attenders. We only have 12 attending summer camp this year. 12 to 14 seems to be the number that we normally have attending our regular monthly outings. Planning and preparation for the next outing usually takes place in the meeting prior to the event. Typically there will be 4 to 6 scouts at these meetings that are not going on the outing. We seem to have difficulty finding something to occupy the boys who are not attending the outing. Our PLC has planned to have 2 or 3 meetings to prepare for Summer Camp this year. Our SPL and ASPL have put their hearts into some plans and want to get the others "on board" to make our camp-site look great, make new patrol flags, etc. Since so much time will be spent on these preparations, I am afraid that the boys who are not going to summer camp will feel like it is a waste for them to come to our regular meetings. I am sure this is not unique to our Troop, so I would like to know how your Troops handle this situation. What can we have these boys doing while the rest of the Troop is planning / preparing? ASM59 Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Right now, our troop has 58 scouts with 44 going to summercamp (I really long for the earlier years when we were newly formed and enjoyed 100% attendance). We find a way to involve those not attending in the preparations, in such a way that its not just for naught. For example, this year we had a gateway building design contest with scout teams building gateways to be voted on for the design to be used at camp. Those not attending summercamp participated in the gateway building developing lashing skills and having fun. Our next two meetings will include time for attending scouts to review their planned summercamp schedules with troop leadership and present merit badge prerequisites to counselors. In the past, this occurred during an hour set aside prior to the normal troop meeting. This year, we'll be doing it during troop meeting time. Those not attending summercamp have elected to clean and inspect our troop canoes, paddles and pfds in advance of an August canoe trip during this portion of the meeting. Get the group of non-summercamp attendees together and ask them what they want to do during this time. The troop meetings should be as much about what they want to do as about the others prepping for summercamp. Link to post Share on other sites
Lynda J 10 Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 We are lucky We have 19 boys and 15 are going to camp. Seven to High Adventure and 8 to camp. The 4 who aren't going, two are going to College for Kids, one is going to his fathers for the month of June, and one is in summer school because of grades. What are some of the reasons that so many of your boys aren't going to camp? Most troops in our district have about 80% of their boys go to camp. Link to post Share on other sites
molscouter 10 Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Jamboree might be a huge reason. Most of our older boys are headed there and not to summer camp. Link to post Share on other sites
ASM59 10 Posted June 13, 2005 Author Share Posted June 13, 2005 We normally do have a higher turn out for camp. We have 2 boys whose families are having bad financial problems. When approached to discuss the possibility of getting a "campership", they insist that the financial problems are not the reason that their son is not going to camp. We also had 2 family vacations scheduled on top of our camp week after the week was reserved (one of those families has 2 boys in our troop). And finally, we have two boys who are out of state staying with their father for the bulk of the summer. I just found out that one of our other boys is now going, so we have 13 boys going now. With 13 going to camp, 3 on vacation, 2 with their father and 2 with financial problems; that accounts for all 20 of our normally active scouts. As for the other 4, they are older scouts (15-17 year old) and busy with other things. They show up once every 2 to 3 months or so and parents continue to pay their recharter fee... ASM59 Link to post Share on other sites
madkins007 10 Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 It would seem that many of your shake down activities would be beneficial to the Scouts not going to camp- new flags, clean gear, etc. I think the key is to think of the activities as TROOP activities, rather than 'pre-camp' things. Heck, if it is TOO focused on summer camp, even some of the kids going might get a bit tired of it. Link to post Share on other sites
KoreaScouter 13 Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 We've got right at 70% going, if you include staffers. Our two big factors for those Scouts not going are year-round school schedules and off-island vacation travel. I've got a couple in summer school, and a couple working, too. Money's not a factor; our camp's only $145 per, and the committee apportions most of our fund-raiser proceeds to the lads' Scout accounts -- most of our Scouts pay most or all of their camp fee from their accounts. KS Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 A $145 week-long vacation in Hawaii?...what have I been missing all of my life!?! Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 We are a small troop with only 11 scouts. 9 are at camp this week. I'm horrible at percentages, but I know it ain't half bad. Link to post Share on other sites
hendrickms24 20 Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 "Our PLC has planned to have 2 or 3 meetings to prepare for Summer Camp this year. Our SPL and ASPL have put their hearts into some plans and want to get the others "on board" to make our camp-site look great, make new patrol flags, etc. Since so much time will be spent on these preparations, I am afraid that the boys who are not going to summer camp will feel like it is a waste for them to come to our regular meetings." Why does it take 2 to 3 meeting to get ready for summer camp? When I was a scout all we did was make sure all the paper work and medical form were filled out. The new scouts would be told what to bring to camp and that took half of a meeting. Its been a while since I was a scout going to camp (I'm now a Den leader for my son) so is there more to do now then just merit badges and the normal "summer camp honor troop" award? (The honor troop award is really not the name of the award but was for the troop with the best camp, camp fire skit, and other requirements that I don't remember.) Thanks Mark Maranto (This message has been edited by hendrickms24)(This message has been edited by hendrickms24) Link to post Share on other sites
ASM59 10 Posted June 15, 2005 Author Share Posted June 15, 2005 Mark, Our Troop had a changing of the guard last year; new SM, almost the entire committee, and all but one ASM's are new. It has been a rough start for everyone and unfortunately we inherited a troop that was not truely boy lead, everything was SM initiated. We've been struggling to become more of a boy lead unit, we're getting there, but not quite there yet. Whenever our PLC gets an idea, as long as it is consistent with Scouting principles, we encourage them to run with it and give them whatever support we can. So, in addition to the usual MB selections, our SPL and ASPL want to instruct the kids on how and why we need to show "patrol method" in our campsite at camp. Our troop has never created an entry way (gate) into the campsite at camp and they want to discuss this and see if any of the boys have ideas for what and how to construct one. None of our three patrols have patrol flags, so they want to have the patrols design and make patrol flags for this year. There is more they want to do, but not all of it will be realized before summer camp this year. So, they have set aside 3 full meetings for camp preparation. We are in a unique situation in that this whole patrol methodology and boy leadership is finally clicking with the boys. It's great to see them get excited about it. I hope this helps to explain why we need more than one prep meeting... ASM59 Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 This is a topic giving me heartburn this week as well. The first two years of existance, we had 100% participation 9 of 9 (w/4 adults) and 16 of 16 (with 9 adults). We had a great experience both years. This year we have 21 boys. Only 17 are going to camp. One of the four is our oldest scout who has a family conflict. Personally, I don't care for the excuse, but mom overruled and said he had to go. The other three are first year scouts. Only one has a valid excuse in my opinion. The other two are struggling to stay active due to conflicting priorities. I doubt if they'll make it for the long run unless something changes. But those of us who are going are going to have a great time. 7 adults are going for the week, 3 more are coming up for part of the time. I just feel bad for the three new scouts that won't have the positive experience of their first year of scout camp. Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Eagle, See my thread called "How Much is Too Much" to get an idea of how others view how active a scout should be. These new scouts that crossed over, when did they cross? We have a few packs around here that want to hang on to boys into April and May. Sending them off to Summer Camp with possibly only one campout can be overwhelming. We urge them to cross in February and get into the swing of things in a Troop before culture shocking them with a full week at camp in wall tents and a days worth of MB classes. While we try to set our dates far enough in advance for people to schedule around, family comes first. Sure they will miss out on a lot of advancement opportunities and fun during summer camp, but they can still advance. Their advancment should be at their own pace instead of imposed in a group setting. Just because John gets his 1st class before Jim shouldn't be a big deal. Link to post Share on other sites
juris 10 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 ASM Troop 59. I see you are trying to work very closely with the frame work of your scout training. You see it does not work most of the time. It's like beating up a dead horse, it won't get up and run. First of all you should find more boys to join, with a larger troop, you will gain more of that camping and Scouting spirit. Your Patrol Council are green horns, and they don't know what they are doing, and the adults themselves are probably in the same boat, sorry to say that . It's not how to make flags, ( this could be done in camp )You have to motivate the kids and the parents of the values of Summer camp.One way,is to show videos of past Summer camps, Have ex campers present a testimonial at the Parent night meeting of what a great time they had, and how much they learned.Take deposit's early enough so they will be commited. Choose an exciting and well run summer camp, with a large staff and resources. Talk to some other successful scoutmastr on their opinion. Make your Troop bigger, this way you will be able to weed out the ( non interested boy's) out of the troop and keep the live baits.I have to run. I will post to you more on the recruiting techniques, which the BSA,Inc, does not use later posting. Read my others post of my mavrick ideas to run successful Scouting, Juris.www Link to post Share on other sites
mmhardy 10 Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Here, here Juris. Last year I created a first rate camp video/slide show with Pinnacle. Burned it as a DVD and gave it to the SM. He showed it at one of the meetings that made a point to have the parents around. As a result we had 28-30 boys at summer camp. Our largest turn out ever. A parent with video editing ability is a great asset to your troop and even at the district level with marketing the camp program. Link to post Share on other sites
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