BetterWithCheddar

@oldasdirteagle: If it's an item you really treasure, then I would suggest dry cleaning. I've machine washed old neckerchiefs on a gentle cycle only to see some of the stitching come loose. Alternatively, I would suggest maintaining the worn look as a badge of honor to show you've been doing the work a long time. 😉

As a youth, I was part of a new Troop that quickly established itself as one of the best in the district. Looking back, I think it got off the ground so quickly for three reasons: We had a great Scoutmaster who was willing to do most of the heavy lifting. We had plenty of parents who were willing to go camping. We had a strong feeder Pack. You'll have to be the driving force (for everything). As your Troop matures, you can cede control to the PLC and to adult volunteers who may be willing to head up certain key functions (fundraising, new scout patrol, High Adventure, etc.).

Welcome, @lw3s. Good on you for reaching out! I don't have any programming experience, but here are some pointers that would be applicable to most industries: The best internships post in the Fall. Many places will begin the process of hiring summer students and Spring graduates in the Fall. That seems early, but they're trying to attract the best students to fill their talent pool. Try proactively reaching out to places of interest to inquire when they typically post their summer internships. Write for Blogs or Newsletters. Make a list of information sources that compile professional content for your industry. Reach out to them and offer to submit content or provide peer reviews. It might not be an internship, but you'll start to write and think like a member of your chosen field, and you'll make connections with the editors of these publications. Hire a Resume Coach. Go to Fiverr and pay someone $50 to review your resume. You can often find people with HR experience in your chosen field who will help improve your resume and make it stand out. They'll also alert you to any gaps that you might be able to address. Bonus: You've now added someone in your chosen field to your network. Good luck!

Isn't that the truth? I don't see many coaches saying "no" to a week off for Scout Camp. More than likely, they express frustration when requests pile up. For many kids, it's not just a week off for Scout Camp, but also a week off for a different activity and another week off for family vacation. Despite not being the smartest, or best-looking, or even the most diligent person at my place of employment, I've carved out a pretty decent existence over the last 15 years just by being consistently not stupid. I show up on time, I dress a little nicer than required, I try a little harder than required, and I rarely miss a day of work. Half of life is just showing up. A few coaches might be unnecessarily strict on attendance, but most are trying to convey the same life lessons as we are.

There are probably a few "hardo" coaches out there who make it difficult for kids to participate in other activities, but I'd imagine most are willing to make reasonable accommodations. The real issue lies in team sports where roster spots and playing time are scarce. Few coaches would punish a kid for missing a week of training because they took a family vacation or attended Scout Camp, but eventually, it becomes an issue of self-selection. You either demonstrate your commitment to the program or you take your chances. That's the unspoken ultimatum in many school districts.

Thanks for sharing. I thought that was a nice piece of marketing material - surprisingly well done for the BSA / SA. If SA positions itself carefully, there's a good opportunity to add and retain more athletes to our units. Scouting can be a nice counterbalance to the year-round youth sports grind, provided SA and local units maintain flexible programs. At our annual New Scout Information Night, our Pack always mentions "we're OK being your family's second favorite activity" and that has helped lead to some healthy numbers. When we look for a Troop, I'll probably steer my son to the one that has the best parent support, but a secondary factor will be the SM's philosophy on attendance and advancement. I don't mind if the Scouts who attend all Troop functions advance faster than my son, but I'd still like for there to be a path to Eagle if my son communicates his availability to his SM / SPL and is willing to do extra work when he's not playing basketball.

It looks like the Northern Start Council (Twin Cities Area) absorbed 2 of the Voyageurs' Districts, but I couldn't figure out where the other Districts went (assuming to either the Central Minnesota or Northern Lights Councils). This merger resulted in what has to be one of the more oddly shaped Councils in the country: Northern Star Scouting > About Us

It's definitely an uphill battle with the recent membership decline and abuse scandal. I often question the time I have invested in the program, but my son and his friends still seem to be having fun, so I'll push forward. We're providing a welcoming environment where they can exercise, socialize, and get outside. Some kids really need that.

I agree the PowerPoint requirement is unnecessary, but I also think it's a pretty reasonable request. If this were my son, I'm not going to expend a lot of social capital to push back. Most kids learn how to use the free Google Slides program in school. As for the unnecessary paperwork - I know a lot of people who make good money by doing things like filling out 3 different forms with the same information and just keeping their mouths shut. 😉

I think you hit on a few big factors that transcend Scouts: Too often, we raise kids to go through life and check boxes. I, along with many in my generational cohort, am a perfect example. My parents earned a decent living but encouraged me to go to college as they viewed it as a "golden ticket." I graduated during the Global Financial Crisis and, all of a sudden, I was overeducated and underexperienced. I did everything that was asked of me - got good grades, joined clubs, played sports, worked summer jobs, etc. and was underemployed for over 3 years. Today, I'm doing fine with a steady corporate job and decent long-term prospects, but I'm not a risk taker. I'm just a very diligent employee who is satisfied with his current career trajectory. I'm raising my son a little differently. My only expectation for him in school is to earn B's and behave appropriately. If he spends 2 hours after school tinkering with a computer instead of studying, that's fine as long as he's still getting his homework done. He and I also operate an eBay store that sells used Lego. For me, it amounts to a crappy part-time job, but at least he's excited and learning about markets, customer service, and e-commerce. Scouting can be a bit of a mixed bag. Some kids go through the program and check the boxes to earn their Eagle Scout Award. Others stand to benefit more from the outdoor program and patrol method. I'm hopeful the latter will push him out of his comfort zone and better prepare him for life. Kids are expensive. Cut us some slack. I love being a dad. I always figured I'd have 2-3 kids but am turning 40 soon and just have the one son. My wife and I are the same age, and our prime reproductive years (25-35) were bookended by the Global Financial Crisis and COVID. We're doing fine now, but having an only child was our form of "economic triage" (despite living rather modestly). Every generation has its challenges and I'm not seeking to minimize anyone else's struggles - we've just had a perfect storm of conditions over the past 15 years that have led to lower birth rates. Sure, there are probably a small number of young adults who value their freedom over parenthood, but most couples are limiting their family size out of economic necessity.

As a Scout, I would have loved the opportunity to pursue some of the more "academic" merit badges in a MBU setting. I don't see the problem as long as 1) the programs are well run and 2) they don't replace the outdoor program.

In my youth, most camporees had a theme and scouts could earn 1 MB by participating. You're telling me some districts try to cram multiple MBs into a single weekend campout?

To be honest, I recall being very motivated to earn merit badges as a young scout. I flipped through the camp handbook every winter to plan my "perfect" summer camp where I would earn 4 new merit badges. I would have turned down a high adventure outing for the opportunity to earn one more merit badge. I don't think the focus on advancement is a bad thing, provided each merit badge is taught correctly and gives the camper a meaningful experience. I take issue with all of the non-outdoor merit badges taught at summer camp these days - that just continues the "School 2" trend we've lamented about in other threads (how many camps now have a STEM Center?) Ideally, camps should offer outdoor merit badges that would be challenging for a troop to offer on their own (shooting sports, aquatics, etc.). Even if kids are "overscheduled" at summer camp, they are still having unique outdoor adventures.

Are you serious? How is that possible? My son is Cub-age now, but when I was a council camp staffer in the early 2000s, 4 MBs was the max at summer camp. There were 2 sessions in the morning and 2 sessions in the afternoon. They ran Monday through Thursday with Friday being a "free" day. We were accused of overscheduling kids back then.

I can't tell you whether this is feasible or even acceptable, but that parent is making an unusual presumption. Of all the points of the Scout Law, I best personify "thrifty" (wife can confirm). My penny-pinching brain would never devise a rebate system where I make a "donation" to a legitimate company match program only to turn around and expect that amount rebated to personal slush fund without first consulting the other parties. I'm sorry this puts you in such a difficult position.