InquisitiveScouter

Actually, tell the Scout to download the pdf and make the corrections himself... I have just finished round 5 of working with an Eagle candidate to get his paperwork correct. About round 2, his parent implied I could just make the corrections myself. Yes, I could, but, no, I would not... Scout will be bringing his form to the meeting tonight to get Scoutmaster and Committee Chair signatures, then he will deliver it himself to Scout office tomorrow! @qwazse is right on. You may help and guide them, but do not do it for them. BTW, a handwritten application is fine!!!

Your registrar should have caught that! We had a situation like that when I first came to this Troop. Luckily, based on previous experience with the same issue (caught by the registrar the previous council), I found it and was able to help correct. Here's one way a situation like that happens (it's what happened here...): - Scout joined Troop in June, just as school was getting out. Troop leader had the parent-signed application, but did not submit it to council (sat on it.) Scout went on outings and to Summer Camp with the Troop (where he earned merit badges). Troop leader did not sign and submit application to council until after the summer was over (in September). Registrar entered Date Joined Scouting as in September. Also in September, they submitted an Advancement Report from Summer Camp, with Scout's name and badges. Registrar entered advancement as recorded on the form. I believe there were no internal checks in the software to flag these dates. (The problem to identify was that a Scout had earned advancement before his joining date... that's a no-no.) Troop was using TroopMaster at the time. After that, Troop transitioned to Scoutbook, and began to use system generated-forms with all dates automatically input. (Scoutbook also does not flag these kinds of errors.) We generated this Scout's Eagle Application, and, as I was reviewing it with him, I saw the error. To correct, we had the registrar pull his original application and correct his Joined Date to the date his parent signed the application. Then we generated a new Eagle Application with the corrected dates. Our Registrar told me she could do this because there was "intent to join" at that June date (as per parent signature), and they were not going to hold up the Scout because an adult leader sat on an application. (If parent and leader signature dates had both been September, the Scout would not have been "eligible" to earn the badges at camp.) Those controls could be programmed into Scoutbook, I think. Or into the form itself (but I don't know that much about pdfs and whether internal checks like that can be coded into them.) Much of the Registrar's job has been automated. And I believe much more is in the works to be automated. This will help with council consolidations, as members will not have to travel to the council office to file paperwork. One thing is filing Eagle Applications electronically... I see no reason (other than coding) that we could not do logic checks and electronic signatures on a form in Scoutbook and have it automatically submitted to "National Registrar" after EBoR approval.

I would agree. I think we have reached the time when, as soon as an EBoR is done, that Scout is an Eagle Scout. What, if anything is preventing us from making this so? Or, what would it take to get us there? Only the stroke of a pen (or a few strokes on a keyboard), I think... I would love to see a a statistic on the number of Eagle applications National has returned with questions or errors. They have to have this data.

See page 22 https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/350867962_201912_990_2021021817717804.pdf in 2019, CAC SE received $326K total compensation package. Show that to the parents there, and see how they react to the fee increases. LOL

Nothing new around here... The mindset in most units here is that, after the EBoR, the chances of National turning it down is near zero. And, if they did, there'd be appeals and corrections until the Scout received the award. So they charge forward, because (I think that they think) waiting takes the joy out of the occasion. We recognize the achievement in six ways! 1. When a Scout is Eagle Scout Service Project complete, we make a big deal out of it at a Troop meeting. 2. When a Scout is "Merit Badge Complete", we make a big deal out of it at a Troop meeting. 3. In our Troop, we have a big Trail to Eagle board with each giant rank patch on it. Under each rank are all the nametags of all the Scouts in the unit with that rank. For our new Scouts, we put their nametag on the board upside down under Scout rank when they join. When they make Scout rank, they turn it right side up. At each rank announcement, the Scouts chant "Change the Board!" and the Scout earning his rank comes forward (with a huge smile!!) to receive his patch and move his nametag to the next rank. When a Scout submits his application for Eagle Scout, we have him Change the Board! and move his nametag under Eagle Scout, but upside down! 4. After his Eagle BoR is complete, we have him Change the Board! and turn his name right side up, while explaining that he is not yet an Eagle Scout in the eyes of the National Council, as we are awaiting the paperwork processing. 5. Once his credentials come back, we announce that at the Troop meeting and present his Eagle rank patch (yes, with "Insta-palms"), and explain it is official, he can wear it on his uniform, and that now we get to help him plan for his Eagle Court of Honor. There is much rejoicing! 6. The Eagle Court of Honor. After Eagle BoR, I tell parents the "rules," but also tell them the process normally takes between four and six weeks to get credentials back. I have seen them return as fast as two weeks, and as slow as ten weeks. It depends on the workload at National. I advise them they should pencil in a date no earlier than six weeks from EBoR for Eagle Court of Honor. We also give them options. You can have an event here at our CoR facility for free. If you want some other arrangement, then you will have to make the financial arrangements for that, but you take a risk by putting money down to reserve something without having credentials back. The Troop does not pay for Eagle CoH decorations or refreshments. (Some people want a "big wedding." Others are happy with having it as a part of our normal quarterly Troop Court of Honor. It all depends on the Scout's (and his mother's) wishes. (Yes, I said that 😜 ) I tell them we can not present an Eagle patch or medal until we receive the credentials back from National. At the ECoH, we present the Eagle Kit, an Eagle Scout Neckerchief, and Eagle Scout Slide. (all gifts from the Troop) We used to purchase a five year membership in NESA for them, but NESA upped the cost from $35 to $100. No thanks... If a Scout wishes to present more than one Mentor Pin, they have to purchase them... we help with arranging that, if needed. In handling Eagle this way, our unit is the exception around here. And yes, our Scout shop will sell you every Eagle kit they have in stock, no questions asked... They never check for any advancement report or other record before selling Merit Badges or Ranks. I used to bring in the printed report from Scoutbook, but eventually got the question from them of "why bother?"

I do not see a Notifications icon or a Messages icon on the mobile. Only an Unread Content, Create New Topic, and Search. I've never tried to access PMs from mobile. I use an Android device, and, on can pull down the browser menu from the top right corner, scroll down and select Desktop Site. You can see the Messages link there.

Yeah, I would have been happy to donate my time and talent to work at the jamboree. Just not going to pay $1200 for the privilege. (Plus travel costs to and fro.) https://jamboree.scouting.org/jamboree-service-team/

LOL, you are right. I am often the one "breaking news" to our pros and district/council volunteers here based on things I have picked up here. Thanks for having a place where we can openly and civilly (well, at least attempt to, if you look at other threads) discuss our Scouting program!

It didn't. Obviously a misprint or mistake...

Wow, are you sure that was their target? 15K seems really low. https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2013/08/26/putting-jamboree-attendance-numbers-in-historical-perspective/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Scout_jamboree_(Boy_Scouts_of_America)

"As a Family Life MBC, I help them plan it, and make sure they do it. But I ask for no details." This is the way!

We have a lot of open spaces for jambo in our council. Wonder why Scouts aren't going? (No, I'm not wondering, really...)

We did a unit camp during 2020 (COVID), when all other Summer Camps in our area shut down. Eleven adults and thirty Scouts. We rented a local campground for the week, had parents and leaders as "staff", and (after looking at what a lot of our Scouts needed or wanted) offered three MB programs in the morning including Wilderness Survival, Environmental Science, and Mammal Study. We were going to do Motorboating, but had some mechanical issues with the boat, so could not. The actual primary focus, and most of the "heavy lifting" was coordinating Cooking MB requirements. Scouts camped and cooked by patrols, and the week was divided into three "cooking sessions." We had six patrols camping, so there were eighteen Scouts who worked on these requirements. Sessions one (Sunday dinner to Tuesday lunch) and two (Tuesday dinner to Thursday lunch) were to focus on Cooking MB, session three (Thursday dinner to Sat Lunch) was for Scouts who needed cooking requirements for rank. Scouts submitted menus and shopping lists for all sessions prior to camp. First session shopped before camp. Second and third sessions used one afternoon of camp to shop for their sessions. We had eleven adults attend (not all for the whole time), so for each meal, a different adult went to a patrol as a guest, and to provide the "evaluation" for Cooking MB. Smashing success! Scouts enjoyed the challenge. Adults got to know Scouts better. Everyone had "skin in the game." Afternoons were "free time" for Scouts, but adults always "staffed" fishing, canoeing, swimming, or Scout skills (primarily Totin' Chip and Firem'n Chit) Many worked on building survival shelters to sleep in on Thursday night. Older Scouts often "hung out" in their hammocks just breezing the time away. And they loved it. (Note: We really didn't do "swimming." We had an area on the river suitable for getting wet, so we had each Scout wear shoes a life jacket while in the water, and treated it as a boating activity without boats 😜 . They didn't care. In fact, I think it made them feel a bit more comfortable in the water.) Our Friday night closing campfire, we brought out lots of alumni and families, and did a Scout planned campfire with each patrol contributing one skit, one song, and one cheer. We also had two Eagle presentation ceremonies. (The Eagle families brought individual servings of ice cream and cupcakes for everyone.) About sixty people total at the campfire. One afternoon, we did a float trip on the river. Our older Scouts, most of whom had been to three or more Summer Camps, said this was the best summer camp they had ever had. I agree 😜 We did all of this, including campground rental, food for all sessions, and supplies, for about $220 per head (original estimate was $300 per head). By far, the biggest expense was campground rental ($7500). But this was a special place that really added to the experience. If we did not have to rent the campground, the cost for food and supplies was, for the entire week, about $65 per person. One of the ways we saved oodles of money was, at the end of each session, we gathered all food items left over, and each cook for the next session would take items which fit their shopping list, or they'd make a substitution on their menu to use an item left over (A Scout is Thrifty!) For example, if there were five apples left over, and a Scout had put bananas on his menu, he'd just take the apples as a sub. Hope this helps with thinking, costing, and planning...

Advancement over adventure. You and I both know they have it backwards.

The Summer Camp near us (different council) upped their prices $200 per head from 2 years ago when we attended. A one-third increase. So, we dropped them from consideration in favor of other councils' camps who did not do the same... But... see link page 3... the Summit 2022 Summer Camp is about average market price. https://summitbsa.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Summit-Bechtel-Reserve-Program-Planning-Guide.pdf

You mean that Summer Camp on steroids that is competing with all the Summer Camps of the surrounding councils?

But!, but!, but!, I thought councils were independent of National!!?? <sarc>

One thing I have done is to become an MBC for much of the stuff I can do also, outside of professional or deep hobby interests. So, although I am no ski instructor or coach, I can do and teach all of the skills for Alpine and Nordic skiing in the Snow Sports Merit Badge. I do not mess with Snowboarding. But, if there is a Scout who Snowboards, and they work with an instructor or coach who does know those things, I can have a conversation with the Scout and coach about the requirements and reach a level of satisfaction that the Scout has completed the requirements for the Snowboarding portion. I have no issue signing off the badge then. I firmly believe a great part of being an MBC for a particular subject does not mean you know everything about it, but that you have more than a passing knowledge of the subject, and KNOW where to tap into resources to guide the Scout as he completes the requirements, or needs some instruction or guidance to complete the requirements. There is no need to recruit a Subject Matter Expert to be the counselor...

Looks like the torso cut is much longer now. Maybe those shirt tails will get tucked in now?? (Doubt it 😜 )

The restriction (on under 13) is based on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). "COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age. https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa So they don't have to deal with COPPA, and put in additional coding and controls, the websites simply put on the age restrictions. The same is true for mail servers, like Google Mail (gmail.) Like @qwazse, I tell parents that they should create their own accounts for their Scouts to use, but they should monitor the activity to supervise content and conduct. If they feel their Scout can handle it at 13, then they can help the Scout create her own accounts. This also applies to Scoutbook. A Scout cannot activate their own Scoutbook account until they are invited by their parent with a unique email address, and email servers have to comply with COPPA. The Scouts should have them, because it is part of learning responsibility in the digital world. But, we always defer to the prerogative of the parents. We have a few 14 year old Scouts who get all of their messages, texts, correspondence, etc., through their parents.

Maybe we can ask Elon Musk to buy BSA!

That is a question I am certain is circulating the halls in Irving, TX

They either secure loans, donations, sell more assets, etc. (some form of cash infusion), or file Chapter 7.

One of the best ways Lodges used to serve units was with a Where to Go Camping Booklet (WTGCB). It was researched and published frequently by the lodge. My home Lodge did this, and there was even an award at our Conclave for Best WTGCB. Some lodges still do this service for units. https://danbeard.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Dan_Beard_Council_Where_to_Go_Camping_Guide_June_2018.pdf http://www.nisqually155.org/resources/Where_to_Go_Camping_Guide.pdf https://eswau.net/where-to-go-camping-guide/ Ours does not.

Let's take that analogy, and substitute Arrowman back in, and appropriate terms to reverse the analogy... If an Arrowman does not pay his annual Lodge dues, no one is going to say "that's OK, we'll take care of it." (????) Instead, the Arrowman loses their power to serve their unit and can't actively participate in their unit. They don't stop being an Arrowman, they just aren't allowed to serve their unit. It's not a good idea for that Arrowman to grab his sash and go back to serve until the issue [paying his dues] is corrected. At that time [upon paying his lodge dues] they become a full fledged Arrowman again and can get back to work serving their unit.