Skill Awards

[Torveaux]

Does anyone have any idea why they axed the Skill Awards?

 

It seems as though some of the required Skill Awards are still part of the requirements for the lower ranks, just repackaged.

 

I thought they were popular and added to the program. Any thoughts on negatives associated with the awards?

 

 

[jr56]

As I recall, the major issue against skill awards was that all information was taught at once, with no repetition to aid learning.

For example, current requirements have some first aid for tenderfoot, some more for second class, and still more for first class. So the subject of first aid is taught in 3 different chunks instead of one skill award. Some people feel that this facilitates learning more.

[SMT376Richmond KY]

I liked them as a scout think it would be good to bing em back. Gives boys a sense of accomplishment while working on ranks besides the check off board on the wall

 

[CaveEagle]

I could not agree more!

 

When the boys from my Weblo Den crossed over, it seemed like their effort/recognition ratio dropped like a rock. When, as new scouts, they attended their first court of honor, they got very little recognition. We had boys that were very active and they got their Tenderfoot and a Totin' Chit card at the COH.

 

I would love to see the skill awards brought back. As a troop, we decided to start awarding the younger scouts "activity segments" so that they could get some recognition for their progress. This seemed to work pretty well.

 

CE

[FScouter]

What is a "skill award"? Is that something from the old days?

[NJCubScouter]

In the "new" Scouting program introduced in 1972/73, the requirements for Second Class and First Class were reorganized into "Skill Awards." You needed to earn a certain number of skill awards, and (I think) certain specific skill awards for each rank (now including Tenderfoot because the Scout rank, oops, badge was introduced at the same time to signify that you met the joining requirements.) (I never earned a Skill Award; when they were introduced I was already First Class.)

 

The result of the skill awards was that, for example, instead of Tenderfoot-level First Aid requirements, Second Class-level First Aid requirements, etc., you did all of the First Aid requirements for the First Aid skill awards and used that toward earning a particular rank. When you finished the requirements for the Skill Award, you got a belt loop. I think the idea behind them was to give a Scout some instant recognition and to simplify the requirements, very similar to Webelos activity badges.

 

And that is basically how I feel about them: They were much more suitable for the Webelos program than the Boy Scout program. The idea of progressively more difficult requirements in each of the first three ranks makes a lot more sense to me. Evidently the BSA agreed because they went back to the old style of advancement requirements.

[VegasDJ]

First to answer FScouter: Skill awards were a total of twelve belt loops that boys could eaen in various areas like First Aid, Family Living, Citizenship, Swimming, etc. Certain ones were required for advancement in rank, starting with Tenderfoot, if memory serves. Some were electives, but had to be earned in addition to the required ones for a given rank. First Class was the last rank for which skill awards had to be earned, I believe.

 

I turned 18 in 1984, so I don't remember all the details. When I became a Cub leader a couple of years ago and found on the ScoutStuff Web site that skill awards were a discontinued item, I was surprised, but I bought a set, for collecting purposes. Mine have long been lost, and I did not earn the ones that I didn't need anyway.

 

I don't know why they were discontinued, but the program changes every so often, and that was another part of it.

[NJCubScouter]

OK, I found a web page that has almost everything you might ever want to know about Skill Awards; well, except for the answer to Torveaux's actual question, which is why they were eliminated.

 

http://www.sageventure.com/history/changes/#skill

 

But at least it says WHEN they were eliminated, 1989. I assume there was a new edition of the Scout Handbook that year, although I was not in Scouting at the time.

[eagle90]

A secndary advantage in bringing back the skill award belt loops is that it would encourage the scouts to actually wear belts! In our area that is a fashion accoutrement that is becoming extinct! Of course then we couldn't see the top of the boxers!

[hendrickms24]

"As I recall, the major issue against skill awards was that all information was taught at once, with no repetition to aid learning. For example, current requirements have some first aid for tenderfoot, some more for second class, and still more for first class. So the subject of first aid is taught in 3 different chunks instead of one skill award. Some people feel that this facilitates learning more"

 

I know in my troop this was not the case. The older Scouts would teach the new scouts the skill awards and even sign off on the requirements. In doing this the older scouts never forgot the skills learn and even improved on then when they had to teach it to others. My Last year as a scout is when they dropped the skill awards and the older scouts had real hard time planning meeting to help the advancements of the young boys. I'm sure this changed once scout got use to the new program.

 

Mark Maranto

[FScouter]

"The older Scouts would teach the new scouts the skill awards and even sign off on the requirements. In doing this the older scouts never forgot the skills learn and even improved on then when they had to teach it to others."

 

That process still works well today for rank advancements.

[schleining]

I still have all my skill awards from when I was a Scout.

I really would like to see them brought back, I think it was a good program, and even though we use a spiral learning technique now, I believe there is still room for the Skill award.

 

For me its not so much the recognition factor or ratio, but younger Scouts do get used to being recognized alot in Cub Scouting and it does create a melt down in some cases when they get up to the Troop.

I think you can never get enough First Aid training, and the rest all enhanced the program also. Citizenship, Swimming, Camping, hiking, cooking, Family living, and Environment..to name a few... looking at all these they prepare the Scout for the merit badges.

Camping for example... Takes 20 nights of Camping plus all the other requirements... the Camping skill award did not and reenforced all the camping skills.

 

Rambleing.... so I'll close with my vote to bring them back.

 

Jerry