InquisitiveScouter

Yeah, all around bad idea, IMO. Agree with @Sentinel947 Call them and ask for your Silver Buffalo medal, certificate, and knot! At around $25 per, and time to produce the certificates...if 10K survivors asked, you're looking at $250K min and a good amount of man-hours. Anyone willing to call and find out the phone number/contact info for the process??

Used to be a neighbor, Barry! Lived in Enid from 89 to 93. Great Salt Plains Council it was back then...

Welcome back @physics32 I wish I just made this!

It was a discussion forum, not a forum to engage with BSA employees. When someone put forth a wrong idea, others invariably stepped in to correct it. I think they shut it down because the discussions pointed out so many flaws in the way BSA publishes and promulgates information, that they just wanted to eliminate the embarrassment.

Was not meant as any insult to survivors... Please be careful, if you look for offense, you will always find it Any castigation of BSA is deserved given the track record. Ton of bricks, bad juju, heavy hand, iron rod, righteous sentence...choose any phrase you wish.

OK, then find another adult to go camping and offer it up. Even if you only get two Scouts, go hang out in the woods!

Have you complete the Youth Protection Training online??

They cannot unload Summit...half a billion dollars in debt 😜

Are you willing to be an adult leader to take them camping?

A second in-depth look at this... BSA is about to face the next excrement wave just as they see the light at the end of the tunnel on bankruptcy proceedings.

Yes, all at once, unless specifically required to be sequential, like the fitness stuff. So, you can help your Scout by 1) asking him if he would like to earn ranks (try not to impose your own sense of performance, accomplishment, and achievement); if he wants to earn, then he has to learn. That is absolutely the best when self-motivated, not imposed by others (you, Troop leadership, etc.) 2) if #1 is a "yes", then just review the Scout requirements with him, and let him pick one that he wants to do and learn first. Show him that the page numbers for those things are listed and that he can find lots of info in the book. After a brief review of the requirement, DO!!!! (according to the book) If you don't understand something, come here and ask 😛 [Wanna be an awesome Scouter Dad? Get your own copy of the Scout Handbook and read/go through the requirements yourself!!! Learn what they must learn!!!] 2A) Once he learns and does a skill, review it with him, then challenge him to find someone at the Troop to whom he can show what he knows and get the requirement approved in his Scout Handbook (signed off) 2B) Once he gets one signed off, wash, rinse, repeat. The skills and knowledge become more difficult to master as you go along. 3) if #1 is a "not yet", then relax and enjoy all the other bits of Scouting. Don't worry...if they are playing games, they are still learning. Remember, "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton."

Maybe...there is a physical fitness requirement for Tenderfoot (T), Second Class (2C), and First Class (1C), which requires, among other things: (T) An initial fitness assessment, (T) a plan to improve, tracking activity for 30 days, (T) a final assessment to measure improvement, (2C) 4 weeks of tracking 30 mins per day for 5 days per week (2C) fitness discussion and continuation plan, (1C) another 4 weeks of tracking 30 mins per day for 5 days per week (1C) fitness discussion and continuation plan So, all the fitness stuff takes a minimum of three months. I find that this is the biggest hold up for Scouts advancing to First Class. It seems the unit may be spoon feeding this program in order to have Scouts advance quickly. I personally disagree with the approach, but each Troop gets to set their own program. Our PLC has not chosen to undertake this model.

Welcome!

Welcome WilliamC! Much to talk about here! And, if you wish, a bit easier to retain your anonymity. Fleshing out ideas sometimes get peoples' feathers ruffled a bit, but that it the way it must be.

Here's another head-scratcher... https://discussions.scouting.org/t/please-ask-your-council-to-request-to-national-to-reinstate-the-program-forums/290465

I think you should crossover to your Troop as soon as you finish AOL. Start Scouting now, go back to the Pack for the ceremony later...

@fred8033 You and your council were following the rules. Most do not. Here, buy whatever you want in the store and hand it out like candy. It's about the money (you have any idea what the markup is on stuff in a Scout store?), not the program. Advancement report schmadvancement report....

Dunno how to do the programming, but the Scoutbook folks cracked the code... https://discussions.scouting.org/t/citizenship-in-society-clarification-for-star-and-life/270099

Just one rule...do not photoshop your results: (Not a cobbler of mine, but I wish it was 😜)

This is certainly one piece of the puzzle. A Scout should make first class when it darn well pleases him, and he has the motivation to do the requirements. In most Troop programs I see, everything is repeatedly spoonfed to them, or outright pencil-whipped. I love the idea of ILST and NYLT being required. An implementation plan might need a bit of work, but I think this is doable. Meaningful leadership roles? Now there's a failure I've been trying to crack the code on for a while. Librarian and Historian (and Bugler and Assistant Patrol Leader, for that matter) can be meaningful leadership positions. This depends on the Scout having a session to set meaningful goals (SMART goals a la NYLT), and having to be accountable for them. This leadership development takes a lot of time and follow up, but merit badges and rank accumulation tend to get in the way. I say make the writing and accomplishment of SMART goals part of the requirement for these leadership positions. BTW, "No" to requiring they must be a PL or SPL. You can be a great leader as a Den Chief or a Chaplain Aide, or Chief-Cook-and-Bottle-Washer. Trained adults who follow the program are the most critical element of successful Scouting. You are doing it well when you follow the standards set, and only deviate when good judgment dictates. (And be ready to have your judgment questioned.) Bingo.

Sounds like a software problem. Although technically not yet required for Eagle Scout (until 01 July 2022), you should be able to use it as one of the complete-an-Eagle-required badges for Star and Life.

Thought a lot about this last night... The market has only changed in that it is now easier to "be awarded" a badge or rank, than to earn it. This is the reason many pursue these "easier" opportunities. Waxing philosophical: I tend to frame a lot of things based on human nature. Here, it's our tendency to choose the path of least resistance...the easy way, rather than the right way. As I have said before here, it is fairly simple to lie, cheat, and steal your way to Eagle Scout. Most (yes, I mean most) merit badge programs I have seen at summer camps and merit badge colleges are lacking in integrity. Instructors, counselors, and leaders are all complicit in the scheme... pay your fee, get your degree. Few Scouts complete the requirements as written. First year camper programs across the board are egregious offenders. I was guilty of this myself as a youth. When on staff at summer camp, the Program Director tasked me to teach merit badges I didn't have, and signed them off for me after I taught the class. This still happens a lot these days. In hindsight, I didn't really earn those badges until about the fourth or fifth time through teaching them, as I actually learned and completed the requirements. We also did a merit badge trading scheme. In Scoutcraft, I'd put in a blue card for my buddy in aquatics for a merit badge, and he did the same for me. Thankfully (again, in hindsight) we got caught. Rather than firing us on the spot, the Camp Director used it as a discipline, teaching, and mentoring opportunity. I had lots of other great life lessons from him over the years I worked for him on staff. He helped put me on a good path. Matthew 7: 13-14 I see lots of corruption (for lack of a better word) all around. I see it in Scouts, schools, and everyday life. People lying about what they have done, cutting corners, and cheating themselves and others for the easy way to get some prize (like a merit badge or a paycheck.) Again, I have done the same on many occasions, so I'm not just casting aspersions on others. Guilty as charged. But I do not accept the behavior. Over my years, the frequency became less and less... and still not perfect, but trying every day. When I have discussions with Scouts about being trustworthy, I share my failures, too, and what I have learned. I often ask about some of the more difficult requirements for merit badges they have, to find that they did not complete them as written. There is a sheepish grin, downcast eyes, and the "I've been found out! look on their faces.) And then I ask them what they think they should do about that. Many have then gone back and completed the task as written. And we talk about how they felt after they did it the right way. There is a sense of relief, from a burden of sorts. There is a better lesson in integrity, confidence, self-esteem, and ethical and moral decision-making in that than any merit badge or rank itself can offer.

Young at heart! Love it!

Agreed. It's a shame that went the way it did... Another strange issue we just had...our lodge delayed our election due to team availability. The only week they could come was the week following all of our crossovers. So, we had 14 brand new Scouts there. I thought they should not vote, as they had no idea about anything... But, technically, they were on the roster, so were in the voting population. I talked with the SPL before the election and made sure he would clearly tell all of our Scouts, if you do not know any of the candidates, please consider not submitting a vote. We had an appropriate (in my eyes) outcome, but many of the new Scouts simply voted for everyone on the ballot because they wanted to be viewed as friendly, supportive, and "one of the team" It could have gone really badly, and I'm glad we didn't have to deal with that case...

I notice this as well...many Scouts camp just enough to fulfill requirements. It is about advancement and Eagle Scout. It's about padding the college resume and applying for scholarships and service academy appointments. For most, parents included, it is not about character or any of the other seven methods of Scouting other than advancement... my opinion/observation