Hedgehog

Bizzare. I've never paid much attention to that graph -- sort of figured that it was a guide to the types of activities that make sense for various age groups. I'm voting for ignoring it. Well, my son earned his 50 miler award for backpacing 54 miles in the backcountry when he had just turned 13 last summer and earned his backpacking merit badge in the fall. Nobody told me that he couldn't do that. Nonetheless, I'm too busy putting the OUTING back in ScOUTING for my unit -- going camping with hiking, fishing, mountain biking in April, camping with horseback riding in May, spending a day sailing and boating in June, doing a 20 mile AT trek into summer camp in July, spending a week at summer camp, doing a 5 day - 30 mile backpacking trek later in the summer, camping and whitewater rafting and beach camping -- and the boys haven't planned November and December's actiivites yet. Now I'm working on doing a Wilderness Survival training and campout for the older guys (9th grade and up) in our Troop and maybe for another local Troop.

My suggestion is to go by G2SS and ignore the charts and suggestions. G2SS controls.

Under the Department of Revenue’s regulations for sales by exclusively charitable, educational, and government organizations, the organization is permitted to have two "occasional sales" per year where the selling is allowed to be done tax-free. See 86 Ill. Adm. Code 130.2005: Under this second exception, examples of exempt sales are infrequent sales of cookies, doughnuts, candy, calendars or Christmas trees by Scout organizations or by other exclusively charitable organizations or by exclusively religious organizations.

OK, this is not personal legal advice, but merely my opinion as a tax lawyer for your amusement and entertainment purposes only... 1. If the CO is a tax-exempt entity, a 501©(3) for Federal and similar exemption for state purposes, then the entity does not pay income tax on its charitable, educational, etc. operations. However, if a tax-exempt entity operates a business that competes with other businesses, the income from that business is considered to be unrelated business income and is taxable (think gift shop or coffee shop at hospital). For state sales tax purposes, a tax-exempt entity can engage in fundraising activities without charging sales tax. However, if a tax-exempt entity operates a business (think the Council Scout Shop), they have to charge sales tax on all taxable transactions. A tax-exempt entity does not have to pay sales or use tax on its purchases that are directly used for the exempt purpose (i.e., it can't buy lumber used to build the Scoutmaster a new deck). 2. If the CO is a taxable entity, it pays tax on its income (which would include donations and popcorn sales) but likely would get a deduction for what it spends on the scouting program presumably because it generates goodwill toward its business (like sponsoring a Little League team). So as long as the monies raised are spent, there probably isn't a tax issues. The taxable entity cannot purchase anything as being exempt from sales tax. The better idea is to set up a tax-exempt foundation to be the CO and to make donations to that foundation.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm not planning to use Powerpoint at all. The games sound interesting, but Im thinking of using real challenges to teach leadership and teamwork

@@Stosh Isn't your advice about a "lack of support leadership" contradicting your criticism of my statement that the PL is responsible for making sure the other scouts are suceeding their positions of responsibility? Sometimes, I get the feeling that if someone else says something, you will tell them it is wrong. But if you say the same thing, then it is the best way to proceed. I've studied leadership not only in college, but throughout my life. One of the things that stuck with me was that excellent leaders ADAPT to a situation. What works for one situation may not necessarily work in other situations. The best solution is one that takes into account all of the nuances of the situation. Much of what you advocate is a scouting utopia, where every scout is perfect and does exactly what is required of them without any supervison or guidance from other scouts or adults. Maybe that is your troop, but the rest of us have to deal with imperfect scouts, imperfect parents and imperfect leaders and we do our best to deliver a quality program under those circumstances.

I've also found that making a decision to be the most difficult part of leadership for the boys. For example, when the boys are deciding on outings, there is a tendency to come up with ideas, talk about them and then move on to something else without actually making a decision. There is a balance between listening to people and trusting your own instincts (or you own wants) but ultimately a decision has to be made. Even putting something to a vote is making a decision. I also think that the exercise you did gives the boys a sense of how difficult it is to actually lead. I find that people who are used to servant leadership make the best followers. I would disagree. A group without a leader is less likely to engage in teamwork. A football team where the quarterback (or coach) doesn't call a play is not going to succeed. The Grubmaster and Quartermaster are positions of responsibility, not leadership. There is a difference. A Quartermaster can do everything themselves (exercising their responsibility but no leadership) or can work with other scouts to accomplish what needs to be done (exercising both responsibility and leadership). A PL can facilitate his patrol in deciding on the menu, remind the Grubmaster to talk to the QM to make sure he has the right gear (e.g. Dutch Ovens for the pasta), work with the Grubmaster to assign cooking duties and work with the TG to make sure that boys who need to demonstrate cooking skills get the opportunity. That is leadership on the PL's part by making sure the GM, QM and TG all suceed in their positions of responsibility. Ultimately, the answer to my question seems to be that I's starting with a blank page of paper and developing this myself.

I like @@MattR's approach of learning through doing and I agree with his learning through doing. But I agree with @@Stosh that leadership isn't JUST telling people what to do and having them follow. Servant leadership is about listening and building consensus. Servant leadership is about working to enable the scouts you are leading to succeed in their roles. Servant leadership is asking not what the scouts you are responsible for can do for you, but what you can do for them. @@Eagledad and @@qwazse, I agree -- challenging activities can teach lessons better than any simulated activities.

Any chance your cousin would let you share it with me to use as a reference? My problem is that the boys view it as a game and don't really internalize the lessons. I guess I'm thinking more real life challenges that require leadership, decision making and challenges. Yep, that's the one... 4 hours of PowerPoint, check the box... you're trained. That is the method I've been using. Took one boy aside this weekend and told him that he was showing real leadership because every time I saw him he was doing what had to be done without anyone telling him what to do. He was taking care of the guys in his patrol. I'll have to track that syllabus down... Do you have any materials that you could share? Your assessment is pretty much the same as mine.

Our youth training program is awful. It is the BSA troop leadership training program and really is a waste of time. We do it on a Saturday in a classroom setting and I don't see any of the skills being either useful or used. That being said, we've got two 8th graders going to NYLT this summer with a couple other scouts thinking about it. I'd love to develop a weekend (Friday through Sunday) training program within the troop. Some of the ideas (off the top of my head) that I'd like to focus on are: 1. Servant Leadership (or Leading by Doing) vs. Command Leadership 2. How Leaders Build Consensus 3. Planning for Success vs. Failing to Plan 4. Making Decisions 5. Situational Awareness 6. The Advanatages and Pitfalls of Adaptability 7. The Importance of Relationships 8. Finding Everyone's Role / Encouraging Strengths / Addressing Weaknesses My questions are 1. How does your Troop do leadership training? 2. Do you have any materials you can share? 3. Do you have any references, books, websites that I can draw from?

A neighboring council has a merit badge event (for lack of a better term) that is at least closer to actual learning. The classes are held on two Saturdays that are two or three weeks apart. There was one STEM fair done at the Princeton Plasma Physics lab. It was clear on the prerequisites and what needed to be done before you got there. It also provided that certain badges required post badge reports that had to be submitted. My son too young (11 years old) to do the Nuclear Engineering, but man, that would have been exciting if he could have done it. That being said, we didn't do either of the merit badge events, so I really can't comment on them other than what I found to be different than the badge-for-attendance type fairs. All that being said, I had a blast earlier this month doing the Chess Merit Badge with 12 scouts. It was from 9:00 until 1:00 and the guys loved it. But then again, these guys have four chess matches going at night during summer camp.

Troop has around 50 scouts. SM, 10 parent ASMs at each meeting (probably around 4 to 5 on outings), 4 Eagled Out ASMs. SPL and PLs are elected on a troop-wide basis. ASPL is selected by SPL from a list provided by SM. APL are assigned by SM. Patrols are assigned by SM on an annual basis. New scouts are assigned to patrols when they cross over. We have 3 to 4 Packs that send us scouts anywhere from the beginning of March to mid-April. We have gotten around 10 new scouts each year and keep around 9 of them. As for the new scouts, they complete most of their T-1st requirements as part of the First Class Adventure at summer camp, so there isn't a big focus on that. We tried an NSP last year. We found that trying to teach the new scouts the requirements as a separate patrol seemed to be like Webelos 3 in that they are being instructed in skills -- with the only difference being it is an older scout rather than an adult. It wasn't what the new scouts wanted to do. The boys just wanted to have fun as part of the regular patrols. Our Troop has an amazing feel to it because the older boys really do include and make friends with the new scouts. A lot of them know the older scouts from when they were in Cub Scouts together. The boys decided around 10 years ago to go to mixed age patrols because those boys remembered what it was like to be the patrol of new scouts when the older scout patrol ignored and shunned them. Their solution was that all the patrols would be mixed age. The troop grew under that model from around 12 scouts to 40 scouts. We made the jump from 40 to 50 by ramping up our outdoor program and becoming more boy led over the last couple of years. I realize there are a LOT of things that we need to do better in terms of boy-led using the patrol method. As an ASM, we've made a lot of progress in other areas (such as leading on outdoor program) but we have miles to go. The irony of the situation is that it will take adult leadership to move the troop further toward being boy-led. If they ask me to be SM....

How about something with rope? There is a magic trick called the Popcorn Knot where you tie a knot in a rope and then when you pull the rope, the knot pops off to the floor. You could talk about scouting being the knot that ties things together. Starting in tigers it bring parents and their kids together, as the kids in a den move through Cub Scouts the become friends and work together. The diffferent dens come together as a pack. As you talk about this you tie the knot. You have two boys hold each end of the rope. Tell the audience that there is a magic in Cub Scouts because the knot that ties us together becomes so tight, you can hardly tell that the ropes were ever seperate. Have the boys pull on the rope on the count of three and the knot flys off leaving a single rope. If you are interested, I send me a private message and I'll type up the handling. The Popcorn Knot is published in Karl Fulves' book, Self Working Rope Magic. A great book for a Cubmaster or Scoutmaster to have. Actually, the Cub Scout Magic Book is really a lot of fun. http://www.scoutstuff.org/cub-scout-magic.html#.VtIJu8dBaT8

I love jeans and given the opportunity, I'll wear jeans. However, when backpacking and camping in the conditions in the Northeast, wearing cotton isn't a good idea. I've been on backpacking treks in the late fall where it was 45 degrees during the day. That is enough to work up a sweat carrying 30 pounds on your back doing 10 miles. If you are wearing cotton, the cotton will absorb the mositure. When the sun goes down, the temperature drops below 30 degrees If that moisture hasn't evaporated, you are at risk of hypothermia. Most scouts (and a lot of scouters) believe hypothermia is a result of being cold, when it really is a result of being wet. You are more likely to get hypothermia if you ar wet and the temperature is between 35 an 45 degrees than if you are dry and the temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees. In the summer, cotton clothing traps moisture and heat. If your sweat can't evaporate, it can't cool your body. Plus, who wants to be walking around with the arm pits and back of your shirt drenched in sweat? Heck, I've even gotten rid of my old cotton polo shirts in favor of the new breathable fabrics. It actually is the humidity. I've had scouts get the equivalent of diper rash from wearing cotton underwear during backpacking treks during the summer. Wearing cotton socks and hiking or backpacking 10 mies will result in blisters. Did a preselntation to some Webelos and parents last night. When I said "no cotton" the parent asked about underwear. My answer was "no cotton even for underwear." Non-cotton clothing absorbs less moisture keeping you cool and dry. Also, for backpacking, non-cotton clothing is lighter and more compressible (compare a cotton sweatshirt and a polyester one and jeans with non-cotton pants). In snow and rain, non-cotton clothing dries faster. We've banned jeans on cold weather outings and switched our Class B shirts to non-cotton breathable materials.

Burn out typically isn't a result of doing too much of something you enjoy. From the adult side, it is a result of having too much to do without any assistance (e.g. Cubmaster of pack of 50 boys where no other parents help with anything) or getting too much aggrivation from others in trying to do your best (e.g. adults who ignore BSA rules and interpret the program the way they want it). For the boys, burnout is doing the same thing, over and over and over again. By the 5th year of Cub Scouts, the Webelos are just doing more of the same. My son's den tried to ramp it up and make it more exciting. I think we succeeded, but there still was some burn-out because despite our best efforts is still had components that feld like "school." In Boy Scouts, it can be the same thing. If a Troop does the same campouts each year, it gets old. There is no new adventure.

Or they might want to join a bunch of different patrlols. When we get a group of 2 or 3 guys from a den, they want to be together. When we get 4 or more, they usually have a buddy they want to be with. I think the there is a big draw for they crossovers to be with the older "cool" scouts. I like the NSP concept. It would make our patrol leaders' lives much easier. They just are getting the hang of leading after six months and then three fifth graders join their patrol causing all of the 6th graders to regress ( I tell them that is is just another challenge and that in life just when you think you have things under control, the situation changes). However, as I said before, we got pushback from they new Scouts because they didn't want Webelos 3.

SM conferences must be scheduled a week in advance. BORs can be done the same week as SM conferences or the following week. EBORs are scheduled by council and take up to a month after the paperwork is approved. That just represents a complete misunderstanding of the purpose of a BOR which is to see how the program is working for the scout. Unfortunately.

https://www.chess.com/blog/jim_ostler/history-of-chess12 https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-10-most-important-moments-in-chess-history http://www.mark-weeks.com/aboutcom/caa-hist.htm Also, Troop 334 has a great powerpoint on the merit badge (although the history portion is somewhat lacking). Just search BSA 334 Chess Merit Badge on Google. The MB book is not that good on the history part.

When we tried a NSP last year, the overwelming response from the new scouts was "when do I get to join a real patrol?" We listened and let them join existing patrols. Most dropouts are boys who aren't sure they want to do scouting but do it because their parents think it is a good idea. I suspect that any Den leader can tell you who will stick with scouting. We find the Webelos are sort of burned out on the Cub Scout model and the NSP just makes it seem like more of the same. The biggest indicator of who stays with the troop is if the new Scout goes camping before the end of the school year. One campout and they stay.

The one question that I like to ask is how the scout thanked the sponsors.

I have a difficult time interpreting telling the boy to go to the CC and COR with his issues about the Scoutmaster as anything but telling him to take on the Scoutmaster. Also, I think your disparaging comments about a 14 year old who is struggling (and it appears succeeding) to lead AS A RESULT of a Scoutmaster who appears to be doing everything in his power to have the boy fail are out of line when you (as well as the rest of us) don't know the situation. NO SCOUT should have to function in a hostile environment. That is not part of the program. This Scout seems to be trying to make the program more boy led and more outdoor oriented and all you can talk about is "more than just wearing a patch?" Give me a freaking break. The role of adults is to build up the boys into men, not tear them down. It seems like the SM and you are both trying to tear this boy down before he even has a chance to suceed. That is not my idea of the program. Again, I think you are out of line blaming the boy in this situation when the SM provides no guidance and then reams him out for not doing what the SM expects. That is the hallmark of an adult led troop -- setting the boys up for failure. It is very difficult for me not to take that as a sarcastic personal insult. If someone is bullying (defined as using a position of supreriority to manipulate them) my child, I will rectify the situation by using whatever power is at my disposal. Sometimes, that will be the power of advice to my child. When it is an adult using a position of power to belittle and demean a child, I will intervene - regardless of whether it is my child or someone else's child. Sometimes, all that is needed to stand up for yourself is the knowledge that your parent will stand behind you. You know more about scouting then you give yourself credit for. A Scout is Friendly, Courteous and Kind. Remind your son that a Scout is Cheerful and Brave. And NEVER stop being a MOM.

Let me ask my son who is a 13 year old Star Scout.

Stosh: I don't think that any Boy Scout should be expected to take on an adult who: 1) has a grudge against the boy because he won as SPL rather than the SM's son; 2) shows no respect for the BSA program (no blue cards, no merit badge counselor registration, no uniform, no CoH); 3) shows no respect for members of the Committee; 4) violates YPT guidelines regarding texting; and 4) has expressed a belligerent attitude toward the boy. I can tell you that if that was my son, it would not be a battle he fights alone.

My suggestion for what it is worth. Start by having a discussion with Dad. Explain the rules and that a mistake was made through no fault of him or his son. Then explain the plan to get things back on track. Stress that this could cause problems when he goes for Eagle and you want to fix it once and for all. Next, have a Scoutmaster conference with the Scout. Explain the rules and that a mistake was made and it wasn't his fault. Tell the scout that he is amazing for having accomplished what he had done so far. Then (preferable with one of the boy's leading the discussion) go through the Tenderfoot through First Class requirements. Anything that he "learned" can be demonstrated. Anything that he did, would have to be after end of 5th grade (assuming he was 10). It may not be the same event that he had credit for originally, but if he has done it since he gets credit. Come up with a plan to have him "redo" any requirements that were done before he was eligible such as the exercise, cooking, orienteering, etc. You could even make it so that he leads younger boys through those skills and events. Make it a priority to have those done by the end of the school year. Then do SM and BOR for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class all at once. This is the only way that there is NO QUESTION when he comes up for Eagle. I'm all for letting the boys take care of their own advancement, but this is an adult caused problem that requires an adult implemented solution. Finally, this is a great teaching moment for the Scout (and the leaders and parents). We can teach that rules matter. We can teach that all problems have a solution. We can teach the value in mastering skills rather than just doing them once (still working on that with our Troop). We can teach what it means to be Cheerful in the face of adversity and what it means to be Obedient. We can teach what it means to be Brave in the face of disappointment.

The miles for the 50 miler can count toward other requirements (Scout son counted three days and 30 of those miles toward his backpacking merit badge). The hikes for the Hiking MB can count toward the Second Class and First Class requirements but not toward other merit badges. The First Aid requirements are "Satisfy your counselor that you have current knowledge of all first aid requirements for Tenderfoot rank, Second Class rank, and First Class rank." There is no requirements that they need to be signed off on. I suspect any merit badge counselor wouldn't rely on the sign off, but would have them show they know.