Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

The Scoutmaster

Discussion and conversations from a new Scoutmaster

2012 The Year of the Eagle! #scoutnation

2012 is the 100th Anniversary of the Eagle Scout.  The Eagle Scout is an elusive creature.  His achievements are the stuff of legend.  He is roundly respected and ultimately expected to do the right thing.  He has been known to be a little tattered around the wings and weary at times.  He comes back strong and is very determined in everything he does.  He is a symbol and an inspiration and a goal for many a wide-eyed young Scout.

I am an Eagle Scout.  I have not always lived up to the ideal, but I have tried.  I have slipped but regained my footing and am continuing my Journey.  For the Eagle Scout is never done.  Eagle is not an end, it is a beginning and that journey is even harder than the one taken to reach Eagle.  Some will stop when they reach Eagle and that is a shame. The reason Eagle is awarded is because we want you to continue, we want you to push on.  No one Eagle got to where he is by himself, each and everyone of us had people behind us, pushing, encouraging, lending a helping hand.  An Eagle is expected to give back.  An Eagle is expected to be an example.  An Eagle is expected to move forward.  

We need to be reminded of that.  And by 'we' I mean Eagles, Scouts, Scouters, parents and the community.  We need to put the Eagle back were he belongs, put him in the spotlight, out front, in the lead and show us all what achieving the ulitmate rank of Scouting can do!  Showing the Eagle Scout what he should be doing.

2012 is the 100th Anniversary of the Eagle Scout. It couldn't have come at a better time!

 

YIS
Bryan 

Campfire Minute #scoutnation

This weekend we built shelters and practiced wilderness survival.  Many of you came prepared and brought with you tarps and sheeting, twine and duct tape, even spars.  But all of you brought the one item you need in any situation.  Many will laugh at it, several ignore it and a few even abuse it.  But it's the one thing you always have that can help you survive any situation! (Tap at head) All you have to do it use it!

The Annual Calendar #scoutnation

This is a follow up to the Planning Conference.

The results are in and Troop 199 has an annual calendar for 2012.  I spoke earlier on how great it was to watch these guys plan and organize an entire year that would make all 124 Scouts happy.  Not an easy task but one they approached with knowledge of what their Patrol wanted and an eye to the history of the Troop on what worked and what did not.  Without further ado I give you 2012!

 

  • December: Annual Lock In:  a closer to the year.  We spend 12 hours (7pm - 7am) in a local High School.  We invite Webelos and outside Summer Camp it is our heaviest attended event.  We swim, watch movies, eat pizza, play Basketball, Dodgeball, Volleyball, play games (Board and Video) and just have a great time
  • January: Winter Camporee: A District Event for the 'Men' of the Troop.  Not only do we go up against the other Troops in the District.  Many of our Scouts challenge each other to go as it is usually our coldest campout (-4 one year)
  • February: Ski Trip: They took a vote and decided to change venues and when they found out that there were no nearby cabins to stay at they made it a Day Trip and cut the cost in half while increasing the ski time by several hours.  Usually a $120 event is now around $50, much more accessable to all!
  • March: Skills/Paraduct: Our first campout with our new scouts.  The Troop sets up Skills Stations to train the new Scouts and get some requirements signed off.  During their down time they love to work with Paracord, making all sorts of stuff.  They added Duct Tape as well this year.
  • April: Caving: taking a dive underground and doing some pitch black, muddy splunking! 
  • May: Mythbusters/COPE: this was a great one.  The older Scouts wanted a COPE Course, the younger ones wanted to try a Science type.  They combined it at the same place.  The older Scouts will attend a High Ropes COPE Course and the rest of the Troop will try and recreate their favorite Mythbusters experiments!
  • June: Canoing: what is it about the river that calls to us?
  • July: Summer Camp: for the first time in 15 years we are going back to the same place as last year.  The Troop loved it that much!
  • August: Shooting: We visit Camp Buffalo and shoot rifle, shotgun and archery.  
  • September: Rock Climbing: We go down to Red River Gorge in Kentucky and climb.
  • October: Hiking: Indiana has some pretty state parks and Clifty Falls is the prettiest.  It also has MILES of hiking trails.  
  • November: Pioneering: they wanted to build with lashings and visit a specific camp.  The Camp is already booked but the Towers will rise at a different location!

They also picked some High Adventure Campouts: White Water Rafting in West Virginia, Seasbase, Boundary Waters, Colorado Ski Trip and visiting Gettysburg.

They planned 4 different fundraisers (including Popcorn) and included 6 big Good Turns outside our monthly ones at campouts and anything for our Charter Organization.

A great year packed with something for everyone!

New National Procedures #scoutnation

So there was a lot of traffic this weekend on the new National Advancement and Eagle Project releases.  Google+ and Scout_L were all a Twitter (see what I did there) with the news.  The good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Some where gloom and doom, while others were all AHA we can attendance requirements, etc.  I started to comment then thought about while I do this, why do I believe in Scouting so much, what benefit will the Scouts in my Troop get out of these new rules/regulations.  And then I deleted most of my comments and posted a few things.

See I am not about forces all Troops to look alike or looking down on others that do it differently then we do.  We have an incredible program.  It is not 'advancement' based, the Scouts base it on all 8 methods of Scouting.  I am fortunate to be surrounded by like minded Scouters who would not look at Johnny and say NO you missed 4 meetings, you cannot have a Star BOR.  It does not work for us.  I just finished meeting with some Webelos 2 adults on why pick our Troop.  I told them bottom line is we do not PUSH advancement, it just happens: through planning by the PLC, interaction with older Scouts and plain old personal drive.  We have 91 Eagle Scouts in 15 years and we've NEVER done Merit Badge meetings or campouts.  We have a high percentage of 1st Class in 1st Year and 100% before they go to their 2nd Summer Camp.  That works for us, I would rather a Scout work at his pace and stay in Scouting then be forced to do requirements and leave because Scouting was 'no fun'.  There is more to Scouting than advancement and a happy Scout is an active Scout and an active Scout gets much more out of the program.

Bottom line is this: look at YOUR Troop, how are they doing? Is it a healthy Troop?  Do you have Scouts showing up and running the program?    Do they want to be there?  Is everyone advancing at their own pace?  Then you are doing great!

The old SM and I had a difference of opinion about the First Year Program.  To prove his point he went back 8 years to show that the last 2 years of Scouts has the 'worst percentage in Troop history' for 1st Class in 1st Year.  I looked at it and said yep, but look at the retention, look at the participation level.  THAT is what we look for!  And 18 months out, outside of a few semi-active Scouts all are 1st Class and several Star already.  Looking at my current 3rd year Scouts (the ones that crossed over when I became Scoutmaster and stopped the advancement push).  They are all Star AND outside of one move still at the same number of Scouts when they crossed over (actually +2 as they got friends to join).

Sorry for the ramble but the point I am trying to make is, instead of spending the next few months translating, arguing, flaming, etc each other about these new guidelines and trying to figure out if 45% or 47% is the magic participation number. Just do what you've been doing and and keep those Scouts in Scouting.  If your Troop is in trouble then advancement is only one of your many potential problems.  The more will adults keep our opinions and paperwork out of scouting, the better BOY Scouts will be :)


Yours In Scouting
Bryan

Scoutmaster MInute 10/04 #scoutnation

We had 30 Webelos visit us tonight.  The SPL took the young Scouts from Patrol to Patrol helping them earn their Arrow of Light.  When the Troop meeting was over we circled up as a Troop and included the Webelos.  Then I did my Scoutmaster Minute:

Here in Troop 199 we end every meeting by circling up.  We cross our arms, right over left like the start of the Joining Knot, we are joining together with the Troop.  We form a circle because all Scouts are included in the circle, no one is left out of the circle.  All are welcome.  There is no top of a circle or bottom, all are equal in the circle.  Certainly the SPL and his PLC have the added responsibility but they are in the same circle as us.  Finally there is no beginning and no end to a circle.  The older Scouts will someday leave us but at the same time new Scouts will join our circle and it will continue forever.  I love Scouting and I love Troop 199 and I know I speak for all of us when I say I would love for each one of you Webelos to join our circle when you crossover.  Because I know you will love it too!

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

The Planning Conference #scoutnation

Last weekend was our Troop Leader Training (TLT) and Planning Conference combined.  Usually we do them separately but due to the fires at our Scout Camp that destroyed some facilities they asked us (at the beginning of the year) to move some things.  So we did...

As we finished out the TLT we took a break and reset.  Time for the Planning Conference.  The week before the Patrol Leaders talked with their Patrols and got ideas on WHAT the Scouts wanted to do in 2012 or WHERE they wanted to go.  At the planning conference we talked about the importance of a good outdoor program.  We talked about Courts of Honor, Service Projects, monthly themes, etc.  They then brainstormed (using their Patrols input) and came up with 53 places to go or activities to do.  From there they looked at commonalities and merged places and activities.  Once that was done they voted on all the items.  You could vote for as many items as you liked.  Then they ranked them and tried to fit them into the calendar.  Both the Outdoor Chair and the Treasurer were there to help if needed.  Sometimes they had an activity but no place or wondered on the cost of certain things to make sure they stayed under budget.  It was fun to watch them talk and debate which worked where and why this on over that one.  And then moving some when an activity did not fit into the month left.  In the end they came up with a great year.  Doing some District events and bringing back some favorites while dumping an 'annual' event that did not fit into the year.  I was very proud of the work they did and cannot wait for them to present it to the Troop tomorrow.  So no spoilers...

The PLC is also responsible for planning High Adventure, Fund Raising and Good Turns.  They added to the fundraisers and then doubled (if not tripled) the Good Turns.  What an eye for service to others!

We left Camp Belzer trained in our positions, stronger as a PLC Team and with a great calendar for 2012 that any Troop would be proud of.

How does your unit plan your year?  Do the Scouts do it?  Adults? Scouts with Adult input?  Do you have a 6 month plan? 12 month? Further out?  Discuss.....

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

Remembering 9/11...sort of #SCOUTNATION

It's the 10th Anniversary of a day that changed the world and changed my life.

I've written much on this date over the past 10 years.  Today I spent it in the woods, with the PLC of Troop 199.  The rest of the Troop was at a local Ceremony honoring the victims and heroes of that day.  But I was teaching 20 young men how to be a better leader, how to run a Troop of 124 Scouts, how to take what we learn in Scouting and bring it home and use it in our everyday lives...how they, as the Scout leaders of today, will be the National Leaders of tomorrow.

After all the coverage, the hours of 9/11 documentaries I have watched over the past 2 weeks, the personal stories and connections, I had forgotten.  It was not until our Chaplain Aide asked for a moment of silence during a meal prayers that I remembered that today was 9/11.  I had not looked at a clock/computer/phone since Friday, so it caught me by surprise.  I will never forget that Tuesday 10 years ago, but I think the greatest tribute we can give to those who gave their all that day is to make the most of the time we have left.  We must pick up the slack left when we lost so many good men and women.  So a moment of silence was had and then we went back to the business at hand...making a difference in the lives of others.  And i think those heroes would appreciate that.

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

Parent Vs Adult Leader #SCOUTNATION

Our Court of Honor was last Sunday and we honored many Scouts and Scouters and at one point we honored a 8+ volunteer who is leaving the Troop and I said some words about her...I got some feedback from many in the Troop about it...so here it is as best as I can remember it (it was off the cuff):

When I became the Scoutmaster, there was a program that wanted to put more Parents in the room, working with the Patrols.  I was not really for it.  You see a Parent is very selfish.  He/she has only one Scout in mind, their son.  There is nothing wrong with that, I am a parent and want nothing but the best for my son.  But Scouting does not need more parents involved, it needs more Adult Leaders.

See a parent comes on a campout and helps his son set up his tent so he is warm and dry.  An Adult Leader offers advice to young Scouts then finds an older Scouts and lets them know they are having trouble and might need some help.  A parent will get up early and help cook breakfast, sometimes taking over so that his son has a nice stack of perfect pancakes to eat.  An Adult Leader will watch them burn some pancakes, then show them how to make one or two, then step back and watch as they make their own semi-perfect stack of eatable pancakes.  The parent comes to the Scoutmaster, son in tow and says "MY son needs a Scoutmaster Conference", "My son needs a Leadership Position".  An Adult Leader will bring any Scout up to the Scoutmaster and say "I think this Scout was looking to talk to you about something." and then leave once I start talking to the Scout.

I am happy to say we have a bunch of Adult Leaders helping our Troop, our Scouts and our PLC and it is this bunch of Adult Leaders that help make our Troop so successful.

So what are you? A Parent or an Adult Leader?

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

"What is Scouting?" #Scoutnation

When doing a Scoutmaster Conference I always leave the last question for the Scout.  It is his opportunity to ask me ANYTHING.  I've been asked many things over the years: What's your favorite...is the common one of most young Scouts; What did you do as a Scout, How do you like being a Scoutmaster, What would you change in the Troop if you were SPL are some others from 1st Class/Star Scouts.  What do you do for work, what would be your next career path, how do you show reverence? Are questions heard during an Eagle Scoutmaster Conference.

This week I got a question which stumped me.  See I want to give honest, straightforward answers.  I don't want to give generic; it's had to pick a favorite, answers.  So when I Scout asked me "What is Scouting" I gave pause.  It is tons to me, it is everything:  I started to answer it's an adventure ( I love to camp and see the guys go to Philmont, Boundary Waters, climbing, caving) but it's more than that.  It's Advancement, I am an Eagle Scout, I help others achieve that, we promote advancement and give them chances to do so, but it's not the only thing.  It is gaining knowledge through the merit badge program, it is life lessons; leadership; FUN.  It is many things to a few and a few things to many.  There is no way to pin it down.  Or is there...

Finally I answered: Scouting is an Opportunity.  The Scout looked at me and asked "An opportunity for what?" and I said "Yes".  It is an opportunity for all those things I mention and a million more I did not.  Scouting is something to someone and not always the same thing...but it is always an opportunity to get the most out of whatever you want it to be.  And I like that.

As the Scout left, he turned to me and said he would buy a Bumper Sticker if it said "Scouting, it's an opportunity..."  I like that too :)

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

Join #SCOUTNATION Fit Club or why I need it #SNFC

I have battled with my weight for a while now.  I put on the lbs in college and have been going up and down for years (mostly up).  I've tried many programs, fads, diets, etc.  Some worked, some failed but I always ended up back up where I started..needing to lose the weight.

As a Scout (and an Eagle Scout) I know what it means to be physically strong.  I've failed in that regard as a Scouter.  Now I stand in front of my Troop and talk about living the Scout Oath/Law and having to get bigger shirts/pants then I should.  I found the best weight loss for me occurred when I ate right, did moderate exercise and had people looking over my shoulder.  That is why I talked to Shawn about this program and we started her up a few weeks ago. 

It is nice to see so many others on board and it is my hope that we feed (no pun intended) off of each other as we continue our own Scouting Trail towards being physically strong.

Please sign up online and you might when some great prizes but more importantly POST ABOUT IT!  POST your successes and failures.  Post favorite eats, exercise tips, weight loss hints, etc.  We can all learn from each other, support one another and of course lose the weight.

Don't care for the prizes, or want to put down your current weight...that is OK...sign up anyway and follow #SNFC on Twitter and we can do this together!

Yours In Scouting
Bryan

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