How do you count activites for Second and First Class?

[gcnphkr]

Second Class 3a: Since joining, have participated in five separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), two of which included camping overnight.

 

First Class 3: Since joining, have participated in ten separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), three of which included camping overnight. Demonstrate the principles of Leave No Trace on these outings.

 

So what do you consider a separate troop/patrol activity? Say the scout going to summer camp. He goes on a hike, does an orienteering course and attends two campfires. He works on five merit badges. He participates with his patrol at camp wide games, does the night swim and the mile run(walk). He did KP at the mess hall with the troop. So, how many of those activities do you count? What is your reasoning?

 

 

[Horizon]

Good one. In the past I have counted summer camp as one activity, each Troop campout as an activity, service project as an activity, a patrol hike as an activity, etc.

 

I have never been asked to sign off for more than that.

[Eagle92]

Ditto. Summer camp is one activity, not 7. A service project is 1 activity. BUT if you have popcorn sale in the morning, and then a a COH that nite, say the popcorn sale ended at 12PM and COH prep is 7PM, that would be 2 activities.

 

EDITED, but if you go straight from the the sale to the court of honor via troop transpo, then it''s one activity.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[skeptic]

Agree with Eagle92 overall. I do, personally, count additional summer camps as two camping days towards the camping merit badge and OA, just like a long weekend camp. But, they still only get one whole week counted towards that merit badge.

[gcnphkr]

Eagle92: "via troop transpo"

 

I look at an activity as an instance of being away from home. The first activity doesn't end until they've gone home.

 

skeptic: "I do, personally, count additional summer camps as two camping days towards the camping merit badge and OA just like a long weekend camp."

 

Never thought of that. It does seem a bit unfair not to count those weeks at all. I do have a couple of scouts that for the most part only go to summer camps. One has 40 nights of camping but 30 of those are at 5 summer camps so he only has 17 qualifying nights after 2.5 years.

(This message has been edited by jet526)

[markrvp]

Let me ask for clarification, because this was an issue that delayed a scout from reaching 1st Class for a couple of months...

 

when this scout had completed all the other First Class requirements he had attended 6 separate troop activites AND 5 campouts. The Scoutmaster believed that only 3 of those 5 campouts could count as troop activities since the requirement says, "three of which included camping out." So this scout was stuck at 9 troop activities during a two month period where the troop didn't have any other non-camping special activities.

 

It is/was my belief that the "three of which included camping out" is a minimum requirement, and as such any additional camping activities should also count.

 

Do you guys only count 3 campouts or do you allow additional campouts to count towards the 10 activities?

 

PS... Please don't flame me or question my character/integrity (Beavah)... I am simply asking for clarification.

[gcnphkr]

I think your interpretation is correct.

[Eagle92]

yep 3 is the MINIMUM number of camping trips. My advice, when in doubt, bring it up with the District Advancement chair.

[shortridge]

"So this scout was stuck at 9 troop activities during a two month period where the troop didn't have any other non-camping special activities."

 

That's one of the screwiest things I've ever heard of!

 

Yes, your reading is absolutely correct.

 

I'd also point out that it can be troop/patrol activities - so if a Scout is stuck at 9 by a moronic Scoutmaster, his patrol can do something on its own (with the SM's clearance).

[evmori]

Summer camp counts as one.

 

Separate troop/patrol activity is anything other than a troop/patrol meeting.

[Knot Head]

We count summer camp as 1 activity. Each campout is counted as one activity even though we may do multiple activities while on that campout such as a swim and a hike and a compass course.

 

We allow all campouts to count toward the activity requirement also. So if you camp 10 times you would be good to go. Now I've never seen that happen but it would count. Usually there will be an eagle work day or two mixed in with campouts, memorial day flag placement, Christmas campfire party or 4th of July swim party or a day hike or something to get a guy to 10 activities. As mentioned above if a patrol visits a fire station for a safety lecture or does the flag ceremony for a city council meeting we would count that also as an activity.

 

 

[gcnphkr]

Going to play devil's advocate for a moment.

 

Why would a patrol hike on any other day count as a patrol activity but if done during a campout or at summer camp it would not count? The scouts are doing the same thing in both cases. They need to plan the hike, get ready to go and execute the hike. Why one and not the other?

[evmori]

The activity is the campout. What happens during the campout is part of the activity.

[bacchus]

Eagle92: "yep 3 is the MINIMUM number of camping trips. My advice, when in doubt, bring it up with the District Advancement chair."

 

Eagle, I agree the number is a minimum. However, going over the unit's head to the District might be starting something you don't want to start...

[rdclements]

"The Scoutmaster believed that only 3 of those 5 campouts could count as troop activities..."

That's ridiculous. I'm going to surf over to failblog.org so this won't remain as the dumbest thing I've heard today.