InquisitiveScouter

This is the ideal!! This makes me happy 😜 Except for the final clause of the last sentence...that one makes me a bit sad...😞

It is...Scouts want fun activities, not academics. Parents want academics and merit badges earned. Fun is our hook, built around patrol-based activities where we slip in all the character, citizenship, fitness, and leadership opportunities. I challenge you to sit in on the First Aid class at your camp, and see what I mean. Rarely is this one counseled to the requirements. To elaborate, each Scout must complete the requirements as stated. So, can you imagine how long it would take to teach and evaluate just requirements 1, 11, and 12?? 1. Demonstrate to your counselor that you have current knowledge of all first-aid requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks. 11. Demonstrate the proper procedures for handling and immobilizing suspected closed or open fractures or dislocations of the Forearm Wrist Hand and Fingers Upper leg Lower leg Ankle 12. Describe the signs and symptoms, proper first-aid procedures, and possible prevention measures for the following conditions: Anaphylaxis/allergic reactions Asthma attack Bruises Sprains or strains Hypothermia Frostbite Burns—first, second, and third degree Concussion Convulsions/seizures Someone who is unconscious Dehydration Muscle cramps Heat exhaustion Heat stroke Abdominal pain Broken, chipped, or loosened tooth (Sorry, formatting is all messed up on those, and I dunno how to fix it.) @InquisitiveScouter Fixed or better?, I recommend you first cut and paste into a word editor, edit accordingly, and then cut and paste into post. ~RS And I routinely see classes of 15 to 25 Scouts in First Aid at camps... Basically, the instructor demonstrates the bandages in #11, or lectures on the items in #12, and then signs everyone off. And that is wrong on so many levels... Primarily, to earn any merit badge, each Scout must individually complete the requirements to earn the badge, unless it specifically says you may do it with help/assistance/or another Scout. Here are a couple of examples for those: Canoeing: 8. With a companion, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following: Pioneering: 9. Working in a group, (or individually with the help of your counselor) build a full size pioneering structure, using one of the following designs in the merit badge pamphlet:

Yes, many councils have created the merit badge mills, which parents love because their Scout gets lots of badges fast, and they can get their Eagle quicker, and move on to the next college-resume-padding activity... Merit badge mills get a lot more attendance. Our council is a perfect example: small camp offering 75 merit badges. 60% of our council revenue generated by the camp... A fairly industrial operation, camp is stuffed to the gills with people. And there are other camps very much like this... They went from giving the customer what they need to giving the customer what they want. Now, that is how our society is based. (Which is why we have an epidemic of obesity in this country.) Rather than BSA (and councils) saying "This is how the program works, enjoy!", they say, "What do you want? Maximum merit badges? No meal prep? Tents set up in advance? Individualized instruction? Troop sites versus patrol sites? None of that pesky patrol stuff? No worries, we have got the perfect place for you! That will be $500 per head, please."

There are some camps left where this is still the model.

Yeah, I wish people weren't so messed up in the head, and would stop building cars for their kids. When you go to some district/council events, it is OBVIOUS that many were not the product of a Cub Scout. My son's car never won those events. He built one two years in a row, and competed. Where we lived at the time, it was blatant that parents were building and tweaking cars. Honed axles, graphite, teflon, or other lubes, etc, etc, I wouldn't do it for him. He got a little upset with me, but think he learned a valuable lesson...life isn't fair, and many people cheat and cut corners. He never built another one. Adults ruin so much of the fun. (I suppose I ruined it for him, too...) When we moved here (his last year of Webelos), this Pack did a modified build day... you could build and trick up the body at home, but everyone had to put on Pack-provided axles and wheels at the event. No mods, and one adult would lube all the axles. If you won and advanced, you get get another squirt of teflon before the next race. It restored a lot of integrity to the race, and the kids had a whole heap of fun. And there were lots of categories for competition, other than fastest. Best Scout-theme Car, Best Patriotic Car, Best Alien Car, Best Military Car, Best Star Wars Car, Best Pokemon Car, Best Transformers Car, etc. The Cubs picked the themes when we handed out the blocks (weeks before), and we announced them to the rest of the Pack. Cubs could purchase extra blocks and build more than one car, if desired. I love that this guy spent so much time, effort, and money to make a great event for them. We should ask him to make us a full up pioneering kit on a trailer 😜

As long as the instructors and counselors mentor Scouts to meet the requirements as stated, then sure. This should be a different topic, though... Summer camp is supposed to be a week in the woods "under canvas", with all that entails... “A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room.” BP It should focus on "...making camp, putting up a shelter, cooking over a fire, exploring our surroundings without getting lost, learning about the natural world and how to use what it provides, constructing things with pieces of tree and rope, tracking, and finally gathering socially around a fire." https://scoutmastercg.com/essential-scouting-skills/#:~:text=The skills Baden Powell (BP,provides%2C constructing things with pieces Here are some tenets of an ideal summer camp: - separate patrol sites - patrols pitch their own tents - patrols plan their own menus, do their own shopping, cook their own meals (if possible, over a wood fire!!), do their own dishes, store their own food - the PLC chooses the activities they want to do, and the adult leaders help them develop a support plan to make it happen. - a swimming hole - a place to shoot (if Scouts want to have that activity) - a campfire (or three) with songs, skits, cheers, and general silliness - map and compass work, with some hikes to distant places - exploring the natural world...water, rocks, soil, trees, plants, flowers, insects, fish, mammals, birds... stalking them to learn about their habits and behavior (I am really good at stalking rocks and trees!) - ropework and pioneering, building structures that are actually used around the camp, not just a gateway etc, etc, etc... the focus should be on the activities themselves, under the patrol method, rather than individuals going to school-like classes taught (in general) by Scouts who have little to no experience or skill in those things, and only geared toward getting a piece of cloth The focus of the summer camp program is not advancement. Advancement should happen as a result of the program. What you get in most council-run summer camps is just a poor shadow of the ideal, and our Scouts' development suffers for it

@RememberSchiff, sorry, but this does not meet the country-club merit-badge-mill motif we are going for. Gotta shave off as much Troop & Patrol work as possible to maximize the number of merit badge classes a Scout can attend and be awarded!!! (I did not say earn) C'mon, man! Get with the revenue program!

Agreed...the Cit in Soc MB is a pig in a poke. With lipstick.

Adding to the requirements?? No no

No, they aren't...the key is the Troop Guide. Wanna really understand the Troop Guide role? Look at the patch. He is the Patrol Leader-mentor. We use Troop Guides to great effect. Usually, they are past Patrol Leaders for their Patrol. For six months, they go side by side with the PL of the New Scout Patrols until they "get it". Six months is about all it takes, depending on program. We camping trip every month, immediately followed by a PLC, a day trip every month, and have a service project every other month. Plenty of leadership opportunities. Train 'em, Trust 'em, Let them lead!

Just makes you proud to be a part of it all, doesn't it?

^^^^^ There is no justice among men that can remedy this. My heart swells every time I read a similar account. And my anger burns at the mostly now nameless and faceless people who protected pensions and organizations rather than flesh and blood. It is my fervent hope and prayer that the burdens of victims be lifted one day with righteous judgment and recompense.

Welcome! Constant contact through our COR. Frequent contact with our IH. Service projects and Eagle Scout Service Projects for CO, Scout Sunday, and participation in some of their events. We are very satisfied with our arrangement.

I use my experiences in the military to teach these exact principles to Scouts. It is a beautiful thing to see when a Patrol Leader understands his Mission/Task/Purpose and just gets it done. Scouts tend to struggle with this at first, because they are so used to parents/teachers always telling them exactly what and how to do something, then constantly looking over their shoulders to see that it is done the way the adults would do it. (Russian style of leadership.) Thanks for the video link! The US has been working with Ukraine over many years to teach exactly this Patrol Method style of leadership, and we are all watching the outcomes. Very effective in combat, yes, but also very effective in any endeavor.

Esse quam videre

Welcome! And may the Good Lord bless you and keep you and smile on your effort!

20 Centuries of Catholic Church on review, but with obvious analogies to the century of BSA... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRsaxXrjk3w&ab_channel=playinhard please take 20 minutes to view

Hope you don't mind the suggestions. It is we who do these things. It is we who bring the idea to life. Scouting is an idea and a movement, but it doesn't do anything of itself. BSA is a organization with a culture... The people in that culture knew there were wolves in the fold. They made decisions about dealing with the wolves that seemed (repeat, seemed) to sway more towards protecting the image and existence of the organization rather than the lambs in the flock. And, the continued decisions, actions, and conduct of those people, throughout this process, still seem (repeat, seem) to belie an attitude which sways more towards protecting the organization, image, and coffers rather than damaged and crippled lambs who grew into the strongest sheep they could. (Please pardon the analogy...it only goes so far, and I think stretched it a bit past that point.) My allegiance lies with Scouting, not with BSA. I am ambivalent about BSA's continued existence. Scouting, I believe, will continue on without it. And the wolves are still out there, BSA or no BSA.

Exactly, we did not solicit the donation. Units may accept any and all unsolicited donations. Make sure you never give the council's or national's EIN when doing this, otherwise, the money is technically theirs!! And use your CO's EIN only with permission!! It's an IRS reporting thing We are talking several thousand dollars. $500 per employee per year... YMMV

Follow up: So, it all depends... Grants can be tricky, depending on the IRS reporting. In order to apply for this grant, the grantor wanted an EIN to verify we were a bona fide non-profit. Depending on nature of the grant, grantors and grantees may incur some IRS reporting requirements as well. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/private-foundations/grant-defined https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/private-foundations/grants-to-noncharitable-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/private-foundations/reports-from-grantees In this case, we asked our CO if we could use their EIN. They gave enthusiastic permission! However, the grantor in this case rolls up all grants to Scout units in their program. The question was, what will they do for reporting? If they used a single EIN, and it was either a council or national EIN, then we would need permission to accept the grant from the EIN holder. So I corresponded with their corporate finance office, and they assured me that their reporting did not use our CO, any BSA council, or BSA national info for their filing. When I relayed all of this to our council finance and SE, they understood they had no dog in the fight. You do not need council permission, UNLESS the council is your CO! Scout on!!! btw, @qwazse I only sought their input because of a certain animosity on our council's part towards our unit and the way we do business. Council does not appreciate it when we know and apply the rules to our advantage....which we repeatedly do 😜 But you have to know the rules!!! Especially when it comes to money. P.S. Reveling in, rather than regretting this one

We live near a big pharma corporation. Several parents work for them. When the parents donate volunteer time to our Troop, the company will also make a $500 donation to the non-profit who sponsors you. We asked our chartering organization if they were fine with us using their EIN for IRS reporting purposes. They gave us enthusiastic approval. The first year we did this, the corporation sent the check, payable to our unit, to our local council. Fortunately, someone in accounting caught it, instead of trying to deposit it for the council. The council Director of Development was livid, and tried to pressure us into giving them the money. Not only NO, but "H" "E" double-toothpicks NO. I picked up the check from the council office with a big smile. Scout on!

Welcome @MattySchnides! Zero percent!!!!!!!! And the DE response is laughable.🤣 Units do not exist to provide a cash cow for the council. Give them zero and ignore any other correspondence on the matter.

It is bad...no need for any of that. It's just a scheme to generate revenue.

A Scout is thrifty!!!