LauraT7

I got it! that is great, it helped alot. It was one of those "duh" moments - I knew it couldn't be that hard, but for some reason, the answer was just not coming. So we've canibalized some parts form some broken electronic toys (the battery packs and wiring) and the light hook up from a flashlight we don't use anyway, (too big) and I have a ton of scrap electrical wire. I'm printing the photos and Jon is wiring the board. This should work GREAT for our plant identification for our first year scouts! Thanks! laura

I wanted to be a Professional Scout ( Girl Scout) and a teacher - I even wrote a paper on being a professional Scout in High School - But I wasn't a great student - struggled to be 'average' - they didn't recognise Attention Deficit Disorder in girls in the 60's and 70's. My family thought I was too disorganized and not smart enough to teach, despite having a high IQ. They pushed me to 'learn a skill' to support myself, and I never found one that stuck. After my son was diagnosed as ADD and I recognised it in myself, I started to listen to what I knew to be right. I considered going back to school to get my teaching degree, but can't afford it time-wise & financially. I volunteer in the schools, substitute teach and am very active in scouting. I left the 'office' jobs that left me feeling 'boxed in' and am now in sales. I love the job, though it's too soon to tell wheather I can really make a successful living at it. I WOULD have made a GREAT teacher - despite my lack of natural organizational skills - or so the teachers I have subbed for tell me. My advice to my son and to any kid I meet is "Pursue YOUR dreams, and don't let anyone talk you out of them!" sometimes as well-meaning as family can be, they discourage kids from pursuing their dreams and push them into their own molds, instead. Laura

It is clear - except for one thing; how do you make it so there are multiple choices that DON'T complete the circuit? if we have 6 plant photos and 6 names, I want the boys to be able to match only ONE 'correct' answer. If I run a wire to all the photos off the negative end of the battery and wires off the positive end of the battery to all the names, than ANY combination of photo and name will complete the circuit, wouldn't it? Not just the RIGHT match? I know this is simple, but for some reason my mind is drawing a blank here. thanks for the help. Laura

I don't know what else to call it - I'm sure you've seen them at camps and nature centers, etc - my son and i want to take the pics of all the plants we photographed on a recent hike, post them on a board with a list of plant names, and then the board is wired in the back to a light or bell. when you touch a wire to the plant photo and the other end to the name that matches the plant photo, the light or bell would go off. I'm sure it's a very simple electrical connection - battery run, and i know I've seen them - but I have no idea where to find the instructions or materials(though I'm sure i could get the electrical stuff at Home Depot) anybody ever make one of these? have instructions? seen one on the web? If anyone has any ideas or links that would help, please e-mail them to tlaurat7@hotmail.com thanks laura

I guess the real question becomes then - is it just you that is unhappy with the troop as it is? or are there other like-minded parents/boys that want changes made? I have seen troops like this that are very happy to STAY that way. there are parents who are very happy to send their boys off with the 'big boys club' and they never bother their heads about what scouting REALLY is supposed to be. If the troop has a strong group leading and you don't want to lead yourself, or don't have a group of like-minded people with you - then you'd be hitting your head against a brick wall trying to change everyone else. Your choice then is to let your son stay with his friends there and try to get him as many opportunities as you can. If you want to try and change the troop - it's going to take more than one person & alot of work to get the job done. Not to discourage you from trying - but there are far more parents who are willing to let someone ELSE do the work with their kids, than those who are willing to WORK for ALL the boys. your other choice is to convince your son to move to another troop - preferably, a better one. this is hard, too -because all the boys see at this point is their friends and they don't want to leave them - they don't see the lack of program or realize (or care, now) what they are missing until they get more mature. And once they start realizing (if ever) what they are missing out on - they are even more entwined with their friends in the stagnant troop, and STILL don't want to leave.

Foil packets are GREAT - but for a change, instead of hamburger (dull and tasteless) do them with HAM or Spam - sliced thick. Potatoes, slice thin, with butter, salt & pepper. Or chicken breasts - salt and pepper BAnnana boats - lay the bannana on it's side, so it doesn't roll. cut/ peel away the top strip of bannana skin - slice the bannana inside the skin, lengthwise - and stuff the crack and between the bannana and the skin with choc chips (or choc cunks from hershey bars) & mini-marshmallows. place the skin 'flap' over the opening, wrap in tinfoil and heat in coals until marshmallow and choc are melted - YUMMY!

on a canoe trip last summer - we 'forgot' some of the cooking pots - so we had only one dutch oven and individual mess kits. We were supposed to have breakfast burritos for breakfast - but the bacon and sausage was supposed to be "on the side" for those who didn't want/ like everything. It did help that for expediency and packing - the boys had chopped all the veggies at home ahead of time and had them in baggies. Instead - the bacon and sausage were cooked up together in one big dutch oven - we poured off the grease, added the eggs and peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc all into the big pot and scrambled it all up. Toss a spoonful in a burrito shell and sprinkle on some grated cheese and roll. Picante sauce optional. Best breakfast I ever had!

I'm a single mom of a 13 yr old scout, too - welcome to the board! I have to say that being a part of Boy Scouting with my son and his friends has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I've been active in girl scouting all my life, and was active with my son's cub scout pack when he started in as a tiger cub. I, too, joined the troop committee when he joined the troop, and for awhile, i sat back, listened, learned, attended roundtables and got training. As I became more and more aware that our troop, while a great 'boys club' was not the ideal of scout structure, I became more involved in effecting change. In a volunteer organization, especially one in trouble - you can't just "fire" the bad guy and hire a new one. You'll find that good volunteers are tough to come by! There are lots of "troops" that go by the name of Boy Scouts - but that are really camping clubs, eagle mills or badge groups. Run by adults very efficiently and they often attract large groups of boys - often 50+ in membership - they do lots of cool things, and often have a set program they repeat, year after year. They also often have a very beloved SM or small group of adults that run their 'program' with military precision. But boys come out of those troops not knowing how to plan their OWN trips, or think for themselves. To my way of thinking - that's not 'scouting' - that's just a club for boys. Often, as you seem to be finding out - the problem is not ONE person - it's that there were not enough TRAINED and EDUCATED volunteers on the committee and as SM and ASM's to follow the BSA program. No ONE person in a troop should have all the 'power'. As one of my trainers once said, "Boy Scouts would be perfect - if it weren't for the adults!" What often happens is that it IS tougher to teach the boys to run the troop themselves - they make mistakes, and the adults sometimes think it's easier to just do everything themselves. In the end - it isn't. In the end - the BOYS learn much more and get much more out of their successes if they made mistakes along the way. I would suggest that you start just as you are - ask questions, get copies of the SM manual, and boy training literature, go to roundtable, talk to other troop leaders in your area about how their troops do things. There's great information to be found in training - but Training isn't 'just' going to class - though the certificate holds some clout with 'some' of the 'old guard'. I've learned much, much more 'training' from scout boards like this one, reading everything I can get my hands on, and mostly - talking to other scouters at every event I can get to. There's also alot of mis-information out there - so you have to sift it all and figure out what is true, effective and workable for your troop. "Fixing" a troop that has let itself get sidetracked from the program is not something that can be done by changing one person, or a few. However, it is very worthwhile to see boys come into their own in a REAL, boy-run troop. We're still working on this in our troop - we have a number of hold-outs on the committee that still think THEY should be 'voting' on everything and making descisions on where the boys go and what they do. Our troop is not yet, totally, boy-run. But it has come a LONG, long way in 2-3 years! We have gained, and we have lost - some families chose to move to to the "boys clubs" or 'super structured' troops in the area. but the boys/ families that chose to stay with us have grown tremendously! And our commitment to the BOYS has been noticed, and has boosted our recruitment with MORE families who want to support the 'boy lead' traditions of scouting - both from other troops, and from webelos crossovers.

Our troop tried having a NSP last year, and blew it big time. We didn't follow the plan - didn't have a troop guide, a specific advisor for the patrol, didn't change PL's, etc. this year we are trying again - we have 14 new 5th graders and are heading out on our first patrol campout this weekend. - Just a local one nighter - Sat to Sun - learn how to set up camp, put up the tents, do some cooking, basic stuff. We have a Troop guide this time, and I am the adult advisor for the patrol. I have been trained and have 4 yrs experience as a BS ASM and/ or committee member, as well as a background of camping, and girl scouting. We have the Troop Guide, 2 star scouts and a JASM going along to teach and guide the NSP. Two things I could use help/ suggestions with: I want to really emphasise to the new parents - BOY LEAD. We want to welcome the adults/ parents & encourage them to participate - but to keep them from hovering over the boys and doing for them. That was a big problem with last year's group - and some of our older scouts - some of their parents are still 'hovering'. Some of these moms and dads have been very active in cubs, and have had training and experience camping. I'm sure many have valuble experience and knowledge, and i don't want to belittle that - but I'd like all of us to get to know each other and work FOR the benefit of the boys - not run it like an older cub scout den. the other thing we have a slight problem with is - I suspect - simply due to the boys being fresh from cubs and used to being 'lead' by adults and having adults do for them. That is, they jabber all the time, can't stay on track on a task (like planning the meals) and they are just so squirreley! (I guess I've gotten used to the older boys - what a difference a few years make! LOL!) part of this we plan to handle by 'divide and conquer' - we'll break them into smaller groups for cooking and advancement work. we'll probably end up with two patrols instead of one - but we wanted to get at least one campout in on their own, on a very easy pace - before they went on a troop campout and had to deal with setting up tents in the dark, etc. Anyone have any suggestions for the NSP and the New 'parent' patrol on this first campout?

We have similar policies in our troop - We encourage boys to invite friends and siblings on trips and outing that are appropriate for the friend's interests, abilities and ages. On thing we stick to, however, is that the 'friend' must meet all the requirements that the scout must meet - for example, if we are canoeing, they must have previously passed a BSA swim test and meet any other posted requirements for the trip - such as preparational packing / training meetings. Any activity outside of a troop meeting, the 'friend' must have a BSA health form completed and any other permission/ waiver forms completed. For example, we are going to a climbing gym for and overnight this weekend - the climing place has it's own waivers ans permission slips - if a friend wanted to come along, they would have to have those completed AND any troop forms required in order to participate. Inviting a friend along on a trip or event has been the best way to recruit NON- scouts or dropped scouts/cubs back into scouting. we encourage our boys to bring along a friend whenever appropriate - if they have a good time, they often become scouts. Out council recently pioneered a new cub program "My best friend is a Scout" working off just this premise. there are plans to launch it as a National program and expand it to boy scouting, as well. It works. I think one thing we have to remember, however - is that not EVERY boy who joins scouting is interested in advancement, badges, etc. Some WILL join simply to be with their friends and go on fun outings. This is OK - better to have them there in any capacity - than to make them feel they don't belong if they are not on the 'Eagle track'. I'd like to see all boys have the opportunity to be Scouts, even if they aren't big on advancement. We have a few boys in our troop, who aren't reall good at organization and follow - through, who aren't that interested in badges - their parents aren't real supportive, but THEY want to participate. They have all grown from whatever level of participation they get.

in our troop the JASM, SPL, ASPL generally eat with the adults, but camp with the boys. They are still under 18, and Youth Protection applies. they usually choose to eat with the adults, because the adults choose more interesting meals (and we always make extra for the boys who want to try a taste) to encourage the boys to try more interesting or challenging cooking. However, sometimes they will choose to eat and cook with the older boys (venture) patrol. We find that this 'duality' of being included in the adults circle AND the boys circle is helpful on many levels - it creates a bridge in aiding the JASM, SPL, ASPL in bringing to the adults attention any problems that may arise - esp the personality / teasing problems that are sometimes hidden from the adults.

Don't i wish! I recently had a post on the board about something similar - we were having a Merit Badge college starting in Feb, and I was to be teaching/ counseling Communications MB - Our MB classes run every other Sat for 6 weeks - Feb 7, 21 and Mar 6. A week or so before the class started, end of Jan 2004, they published the new badge requirements! Of course, the new version MB books are not out yet - not in our council office or anywhere. Communications hadn't changed much, but Personal Management and Emergency Prep had. Luckily, I think Pers Management had been changed a few months ago, and it's new booklets are out and available. But either way - it threw the MB counselors into a quandary, how to teach the new badge requirements, without the book being available to the boys? While the requirments are out - many people use the worksheets from MB.com and they also have not been updated yet - tho some of us made our own. Still, the new requirements were not out to the poublic in time to have the dozens of NEW REQUIREMENT copies made for the hundreds of classes already scheduled. Most of us are winging it, and some are continueing to teach the old version of the badge. What would it hurt to give councils a warning or a general timetable of revision dates? Even when they DO 'update' the books, they are still often terribly outdated. the photos, concepts & language often go back 20-30 years, or more - so many of the books photos are from the 60's and 70's and really have a lack of appeal to 21st century boys! I mean, has anyone looked at that long-haired kid carrying groceries on the cover of "Family life"? - he may have been pretty "normal" for 1970 - but he looks like quite a nerd for 2004! No self-respecting boy would want to be caught dead carrying that book - much less actually READING it! Almost ALL the MB books, even the newer ones, have cover photos from the 50's to the 70's. they would almost be better off illustrating the books with cartoons, or having NO illustrations - to lend them a feel of timelessness. After my first year in BSA, I learned not to waste money on buying merit badge books myself - or the 2001, 2002, etc 'official' merit badge books - as SOMETHING is outdated almost as soon as they are printed. I let the troop buy books and borrow as needed. I get my new requirements, worksheets, resources off the web and confirm them against the book the troop gets - In fact, I found out about the changes from MB.com - our council and district weren't even yet aware of the changes! I do feel it is part of a MB counselors responsibility to keep up with changes to the badges/ areas they counsel, but that doesn't mean we should have to scramble for info. BSA should at least, notify councils and the councils should include that info in general roundtables and newsletters BEFORE it affects the boys who want to work on a badge!

That's what i like about this board - I come here for comraderie,ideas, a little info, and somebody slaps me upside the head with something, and I have one of those "DUH!" moments! LOL! OF course! I think you're right about including G2SS in JLT and the PLC - I'm going to mention it to our SPL and our JASM's tonite. If we truly want boy-lead troops and events, THEY have to know the guides as well as the adults. Yes, the adults have 'veto' power in regards to safety, but the safety guides shouldn't be some big secret used to keep the boys in the dark and hold them back, as they sometimes are in our troop. (As in, No, you can't go canoeing if you haven't passed your BSA swim test) As an incentive, I'd bet that you would get alot less dissention from the boys about doing things like paintball & lazer tag, IF they know from the start what the guides are! If they make their plans with the guides firmly in mind - then there is no NEED for adult veto power, is there? having never been involved in a JLT training myself, It never occurred to me that the boys don't know the rules as well as I do - but you're right - it's not in any of the material my son has been given as a scout, so how would he know? I'm going to make it a point to get the info to our PLC and have our SM include it in troop JLT's. thanks!

I haven't been around much lately one the board - Been too busy job hunting and scouting almost every weekend!but it's always great to get back among friends - as I feel so many of you are... I do tend to ignore the 'issues' board - I'm not in scouting for the arguments - but for my son, the boys I love and my own sanity. Despite some of the headaches involved in working with a volunteer organization (mostly created by the adults! ;-) NOT the boys! ) I always find my reward in just being with the boys in whatever they are doing. Being along for the ride while they grow and learn and mature - Aren't we lucky to be a part of this? Fuzzy Bear - I can really relate to "Have you ever been sitting next to a campfire late at night and thought that it is where you are supposed to be for the rest of your life? With the smoke and the wood and ash, sometimes I have felt a part of the experience so much that I really didn't want to be anywhere else ever again. " Campfires are magical. and they don't necessarily have to be 'campfires' to evoke those feeling and memories. For me, where ever I am or whatever I am doing, whatever stresses I am facing, or how far removed from nature I am at the time - the smell of woodsmoke, the call of a redwing blackbird, or a loon, a gentle roll reminiscent of a floating canoe or dock, the smell of musty canvas or coleman fuel -dozens of things - can take me instantly back to "Home" - the many hours I spent camping with my family, scout troop, summer camp and later, with my son and his friends. all those memories and feelings rolled into one; a sense of comraderie, peace and contentment. It is a feeling that most scouts and scouters share, and a legacy to pass on to future generations.

I also got my copy this week - and my son has watched it twice already! I also thought the boys would think it kinda corny - but it does have a timelessness to it - a continuity that follows thru. Jon got a real kick out of the part where the boys 'captured' an army tank... and I overheard him telling another scout about the movie at Monday's meeting.... The boys have talked about having some 'family' events - i guess the troop used to have family get-togethers for pizza, etc. So I have offered to bring my DVD player to the church and I think we might have a family movie,pizza and popcorn night to show it. We'll have to see who might be interested. Laura

Hi Midwest Mom! I'm another scout mom from the midwest - Illinois! Welcome, and drop me a line anytime you want to compare notes! I was 'almost' a girl scout dropout - like many, girls and boys - the shift between grade-school and Jr high was a real strain. it wasn't 'cool' to be in scouts - not that I was ever considered 'cool' anyway.... I had been really gung-ho in Junior scouts (grades 3 - 6)and had practically every badge there was, participated in everything, never missed a campout or event. But when I hit Jr high and 7th grade, a whole lot of things conspired to make it tough for me to be in a troop in my school district, and i just wasn't that interested. however - I DID like Camping, and my mom convinced me to stay on as a 'scout at large' - which was GSA's designation for a GS that didn't belong to a troop, yet maintained membership. That way, I could still participate in summer camp and a few other things. So for 7th and most of 8th grade I didn't do much of anything - I did go to camp, and I discovered music. I learned to play the guitar (somewhat!) and I was pretty good with the younger girls at camp. sometime into 8th grade, my mom found out about a troop in a nearby town that had a leader who did things a little differently - she dragged me to a meeting, and the girls were so friendly, they actually WANTED me to join them - I was hooked. I was almost OUT of Cadettes by then, so I scrambled to earn my First Class - which, at the time, was the highest award a Girl Scout COULD earn, and had to be done while a Cadette (before 10th grade). i was a CIT at summer camp, and later, a camp counselor in high school. Sr. Scouts didn't have 'awards' like they do now - Gold Award, etc. The only thing they had was these Career Exploration bars - I earned about a half- dozen of those. ( sure don't know what they mean now! but I still have all my pins!) But more importantly, i got to participate in a number of 'wider opportunities' - the GSA equivalent of boy scout Jamborees, or going to Philmont. I've always been glad my mom had me hang in there, yet didn't push too hard. I was a Girl Scout for 15 years - right thru college. I used the same strategy with my son in Boy Scouts - when he hit a rough spot in 6th grade - having ADD, changing schools, homework, confirmation, deaths in our family (we lost Grandpa and our dog that year) just dealing with everything that year was just too much for him. After being in Cubs from Tigers through AOL - and then joining a troop in 5th grade; he was tired of what seemed like more 'schoolwork' to him. I let him back off, and didn't push him to do any advancement or badges in 6th grade - just to go on the activities and campouts that he thought would be fun. The summer AFTER that tough year - he caught the 'bug' from some of his scout friends. it really helped that he HAD some solid friends thru scouting - and that he did go to summer camp - he does LOVE camping. He still has his ups and downs - he's now 13 1/2 and in 8th grade - but he just earned his Star - and has enough badges for a silver palm, if he completes the other requirements and time in between - and HE sees the goal in reach and is excited about it. ----------------- i HAVE seen boys in our troop 'drift off' and i do think that we have a pretty good handle on maintaining contact with them. many are into sports - and if we DIDN't maintain that contact with the boys & their families, we would very likely have lost a few. But our boys are always welcomed back after an absence - and they are kept up to date while they are gone - so some my CHOOSE to leave ( some have) - but we don't really have aproblem with boys 'drifting' away - at lest until they are older - cars, jobs and girls. and I don't think anyone has found a 'cure' for that yet! LOL! Laura

Bob - its this "The couselor, and the available resources, determine which version the scout starts with." that is giving me problems. the people (adv chair, othe MB counselors) in my district are telling me that because the requirements aren't commonly known yet, and because the BOOKS aren't available yet, that they don't feel they should have to change yet and do the new requiremnts. ( the major impression I'm getting is that for this event, it's too much work to change at this late date - one of the inherant problems of doing a MB college) What I am getting out of your statement is that, as the Merit Badge counselor, I have the option of chosing which version I teach? this puzzles me, because it leaves open the possibility of people just being too lazy to learn new material. In this particular case, the requirements are SO new, that it is a legitimate argument that the info is not commonly known. But still, to me, ignorance and hiding your head in the sand (by saying they are too new and I'm going to ignore them) are at about the same level, and neither is an excuse for not doing the right thing, once you are aware of a change. so at what point are MB counselors REQUIRED to go by new material? when the books are out in their council? __________ the other issue is - is there some system in place by which a boys MB cards for Eagle badges ARE checked before he gets his Eagle? Do they just veryfy that they ARE in the system? or do they check and verify dates and things? i know on some things in TroopMaster, dates can be very tricky and precise. I'm guessing that other record- keeping software that a council might use would be similar. IS there any possibility that a boy's qualifications could be jepardized by not doing the new version of a badge once it is out? Thanks - Laura

It also strikes me that this can't be a 'new' problem - which could be very easily solved.... I know BSA is working on revising ALL the badges over time. They obviously have SOME kind of plan or schedule - why can't they simply TELL us a few months in advance - "we are working on these Merit Badges and expect to have revisions out by June, 2004" If they don't make the goal, fine. But at least Badge couselors can have a 'heads up' and WATCH for expected changes in their areas - and not be surprised by sudden revisions - instead of having them filter slowly into councils as old stock is depleted! why is that so difficult for National to do? laura

Once again - my scouter friends have pointed the way and given me direction for my answers. I found this information origially by going to merit Badge.com and then confirmed it with the Scouter site - both of which showed revisions for Jan 2004. The 'workbooks' on the site, naturally, have NOT been updated, because they are written by volunteers like you and me - so when someone updates one for a class and submits it, they'll adopt it, I'm sure. I went to the council office today - the revised merit badge pamphlets are not out yet, but the 2004 requirement books are - and the changes are in there. That tells me the changes ARE "OFFICIAL BSA". I bought a book. However, no one IN the office at the time, could give me a concrete answer as to which version to use. Their attitude was that it really didn't matter, it was so new, why bother? Meanwhile, the director of this Merit Badge Opportunity Days (MBOD) and the other instructor for this badge, are telling me to go ahead and use the old stuff. The director says she checked with the District Advancement Chair, and he doesn't see a problem with using the old requirements. MBOD opens saturday, and we have over 250 boys registered - all 1st Class and above, all the badges are Eagle Required badges. As far as Communications goes - a summary of the changes is that they took out one req, added another, and scrambled the rest. they also added some options to some relating more to computers. So the old worksheets would work - even if they are out of order, with the addition of that one new requirement. So.... since the workbooks are probably already printed and assembled - i will use that material. BUT - I have asked to have the new requirements (2 pages) copied for me in a quantity to give out to the boys in my classes - to add to their folders - and I will make sure they know of the changes and additions, and i will teach the NEW revisions. There may be a few boys who have already started the badge prior to the change - but the vast majority of the 50-60 boys in my three classes will be starting fresh. However, since many of the communication badge requirements are covered by standard 8th grade speech class (the 5 min speech, selling a product with visual aides) and computer class (creating a brochure with desktop publisher) - I also don't have a problem with the SM back-dating the blue card so that the boys have a choice as to WHICH set of requirements they use. I'd be glad to counsel both versions - I just don't want a boy to be punished for a mistake in dates/ requirements that the ADULTS couldn't settle! _________________________________ That takes care of ONE problem. the other is that my son, and about 10 of our troop boys are also signed up for these badges. Emergency Prep has TONS of revisions for Jan 2004 (that is one my son is taking, as well as quite a few boys in our troop) and Personal Management is completely re- written - it's now about 3 pages, much more detailed in the items that remained. I don't want ANY of our boys to be shorted on badgework - especially EAGLE badges. Our troop IS now aware of the changes, but as someone pointed out - if another badge counselor chooses to sign off a badge as being 'completed' or, refuses to teach the new version because they don't want to re-work their materials, what can we do about it? laura

PS - i don't know if it matters - I forgot to mention that the classes are running three saturdays - over 6 wks - Feb 7, Feb 21, Mar 6. so the books 'might' be out by the time we finish - or not.

I have a quandary - I know that if there is a "new" and an "old" version of a badge out there, that a boy should 1 - use the new badge requirements if he has not already started the badge and 2 - if he HAS already started the badge, he may finish under the old requirements OR choose to follow the new, but he can't 'mix & match' requirements. OK - so here's my problem. Sat, Feb 7, I am supposed to teach/ lead the 'Communications' badge for a merit badge college our district is running. As I am looking on the internet for worksheets, I discover that the badge has been REVISED as of Jan 2004! It's not a whole lot different - they scrambled some things, made a few more choices, more computer options, and took away one and added one requirement each. But no one has worksheets for these (so I made my own, no biggie) No one in our area, so far at least, knew about this change, and I don't think the council has the new badge books in - I KNOW no troops have them yet! there is another counselor teaching the SAME badge at MBOD. She wants to stick with her old materials. Originally, my plan was to use her stuff so ALL the boys would get the SAME stuff at the same time. But now my gut is telling me that I SHOULD do the 'NEW' version, despite not having all the materials yet.... What would you do? help! laura

ok FOG - brace yourself - I agree with you! ;-) I have gotten alot of good information from this board - but I realize that much of it is OPINION and not necessarily FACT - and I cross reference any 'BSA' Guidelines or rules given here with material from BSA literature, my council or district before I pass it on to my troop or others. I advise the boys and adults in my troop to do the same - use the net as a terrific resource for ideas and information, but ALWAYS cross check with official BSA literature before quoting anything as 'official'. laura

But no one is answering his question - "Does anyone KNOW (not guess) why martial arts is not allowed?" and/ or who or where do you contact in BSA to find out why or how it might be suggested to change the rule on the sports badge? It just plain doesn't make sense that they would allow Judo and Football and Wrestling, but not allow other martial arts. besides - who teaches Judo anymore?

I think the point you are trying to make is that if there is a problem, it should be addressed long before the 6 months come to a close...... We have put clear expectations of boys taking and office for advancement - actually for all the boys. If a boy is not going to make a meeting, he needs to call his PL, the SPL or ASPL, or the SM and let someone know that he isn't going to be there and why. A PL need to let the SPL or SM know. Not that we would tell someone, "no, that's not a good enough excuse, you gotta show up" - but requiring the boys to call someone, usually eliminates those who just "don't feel like it tonite" Separate from Advancement stuff - we have an annual outing that each boy has to 'earn' in order to participate in - and part of the requirements for that is no more than 3 unexcused absences from planned meetings and activities. if a boy has a commitment to sports - we sit down and look at the schedule and he STILL has to LEAD, even if he misses meetings. We had one boy who left his APL with the bag - so the SM had a talk with him, and the APL got credit for 3 months of 'POR', as the PL had just blown off his duties. The PL woke up and did his job after that. BUT - it was discussed with him a couple of times before he took it seriously, and we addressed it long before the 6 months was up. We have also had problems with harrasment - we now have a very clear troop policy and a ZERO tolerance for it. Within the troop and outside it. We have a 1st Class scout from anther troop that transferred into our troop last fall. He already knew some of our scouts as he goes to school with them. He has been teasing some of them, in school and at troop events, calling them "gay" and "moron" - for no reason except that it's typical behavior for an 8th grader to a 6th grader. However, it is NOT acceptable in our boys - ANYWHERE. The SM talked to him privately a month ago, and when the behavior persisted, last night he had a conference with the boy and his parents. If the boy does not stop the verbal harrassment in school and at scouts - he will be asked to leave the troop. I don't know if your troop's expectations are spelled out clearly for the boy in your question. if they are, then he has probably NOT met the expectations and does not deserve to advance. If they ARE very clear, and his actions have been discussed with him before, then he should not be surprised to have his advancement turned down until he changes his behavior. Advancement is not guaranteed - boys have to earn it! If they are not clear, and he hasn't been held accountable for his behavior in the past, then the ADULT leadership is as much to blame as the boy. For starters, i would sit him down, explain where he went wrong, what is expected of him and give him a (shorter) time period to show some positive changes, at which time you would do another SM conference to review and possibly approve his advancement. In addition, I would get the PLC to come up with a clear, WRITTEN set of expectations and job descriptions for your troop. Laura

We have a local (our town only) weekly paper that will pretty much print anything we send them. We also have an area-wide (county plus) daily paper that will take articles, but they edit them alot, or may only print the photo. The trick is to get someone from the troop to put something together and SEND it. the daily paper 'might' send someone out to an event if we call ahead and if it sounds interesting enough. I and my son take alot of photos for the troop - I also counsel photography so the boys are allowed to use my cameras after they have gotten their badge. I have a digital camera and a 35 mmm and we used both. We also often by the throwaway camera (esp the waterproof ones) for the troop and give them to a boy - (we get lots of photos of thumbs and feet - but that is improving with the badgework) However, when taking photos it's good to remember that in the paper they are black and white - so good contrast and lighting are essential to getting something a paper will want to print. With Digital photgraphy, you can often edit them at home to improve them (crop them, fix red eyes, delete trees growing out of people's heads, etc) Many photo editing programs also have an option to change a photo to black and white - you can then have it printed on photographic paper at the store. the thing that frustrates me (and surprises me) is neither of our local papers will take submissions by e-mail or fax, - nor will they take digital photos on a disk. They want them printed. I would think it would be alot easier for them to get the photos as a .JPG file than in print and by mail. anyone know why this would be? Laura