How do you count activites for Second and First Class?

[gaucho]

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.

 

-Agreed

[Eagle92]

bac,

The when in doubt, ask the DAC was meant to say that if a question in regards to advancement come up in a unit and the exact meaning is understood, ask him or her. There job is to support units i advancement.

 

Not saying that you should go to straight to the DAC and complain/demand results. You are correct it will cause problems. But make to make a phone call for clarification.

[Buffalo Skipper]

"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?"

 

Actually I agree with this. Key word, though, is "patrol." If the "troop" is camping, and the "patrol" organizes an activity, then

I see this as a separate action/activity. We have 3 patrols, and at most campouts, each patrol holds a separate meeting, which is recorded in our troop records as a separate meeting (does not count as a 2C/1C activity). But if one patrol organizes a hike and the other patrols each organize something different (or nothing at all), then I would count that as a "patrol activity." I have recorded this as such in TM, but I don't think it got anyone to FC any faster.

[Jeffrey H]

"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.

--I Agree

A campout is a troop activity and you can have 10 campouts count as 10 troop activities if you want.  TFC only requires that at least 3 of the troop/patrol activities be campouts. 

If I was writing the requirements, I would require at least 5 campouts for First Class.

 

[Horizon]

"If I was writing the requirements, I would require at least 5 campouts for First Class."

 

Hmm - interesting thought.

 

Trail to First Class - cumulative nights camping:

1 night camping for Tenderfoot.

3 nights camping for 2nd Class.

5 nights camping for 1st Class.

 

Star: 5 nights camping as a First Class Scout

Life: 5 nights camping as as Star Scout

Eagle: 5 nights camping as a Life Scout

 

TOTAL: 20 nights minimum camping for Eagle (which also is the Camping Merit Badge Requirement and is not changing the total nights currently required). By spreading it out, you don't end up with a Scout doing all of his camping early, then never showing up for a weekend event after that while still on the Trail to Eagle. I have had that issue with a Life Scout who never made a campout during that period.

[John-in-KC]

Sweet mercy. Would someone pass me the hip waders, please?

 

If a Scout is reasonably participating in the life of his Troop, the activity requirements to Second and First Class will happen naturally. If he's not participating in the life of his Troop, then his PL and SPL needs to be checking in with him, and Mr SM or one of the ASM's need a quiet and friendly word with the parents.

 

 

[Knot Head]

I like this idea!

 

 

>>>>>>>

 

Trail to First Class - cumulative nights camping:

1 night camping for Tenderfoot.

3 nights camping for 2nd Class.

5 nights camping for 1st Class.

 

Star: 5 nights camping as a First Class Scout

Life: 5 nights camping as as Star Scout

Eagle: 5 nights camping as a Life Scout

 

 

[Basementdweller]

If your boys are having a problem getting their activities completed then your program is weak. And counting summer camp as two functions is ridiculous and you are selling the boys short.

 

 

So an interpretation on what has been posted. I could conceivably make 3 events on a single camp out. The patrol fishes Saturday morning for the first one. then hikes in the afternoon for the second and then the camp out is the third. That is absolutely the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

 

If you count the activities that way you have no business leading a troop. You are short cutting the intent of the outings.

 

Get off those lazy city dwelling cans and help the PL's get their Patrols out and active.

 

We have one Patrol that hiked 16 days last year. camped 8 times last year plus resident camp. Visited a tv station in addition to working the food pantry. They love to fish too so I am not exactly sure how many times they got together in the evenings and fished. Activities and counting them are the least of my concerns.

[Oak Tree]

I'm generally in line with everyone else here, but I have a number of specific questions that come up from time to time.

 

Basics:

Summer Camp - 1 activity (even if a patrol does something within it)

Camping Trip - 1 activity (and all 10 activities can be camping)

Troop Service Project - 1 activity

Patrol hike - 1 activity

 

Other items that come up:

1. Working on someone's Eagle project - if the entire troop is invited, it can clearly be a troop activity. What if a Scout asks just a few of his friends to help out?

2. PLC meeting. We do this once a month on a different night from our troop meeting.

3. Working on a merit badge with a friend or two.

4. Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

5. Eagle Court of Honor held on a weekend.

6. Eagle Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

7. Troop meeting night, but it's an activity (troop hike, or waterfront activity)

8. TLT - basic training, 2 hours in a meeting room (could easily be a "troop meeting")

9. TLT - all day training in the outdoors

10. Taking a course (den leader training, or University of Scouting). Clearly a Scout activity, but is it a "troop/patrol activity"?

11. Working on advancement. In a troop of 50, maybe five Scouts show up to work on the orienteering requirement on a Saturday. Invitation went to anyone who needed the requirement - so not really the entire troop nor to a particular patrol.

12. Camping with another troop.

13. Camping with your family and you worked on requirements for most of the weekend.

 

How would you count all of these?

[Eagle92]

Here is how i would interpret it, but your results may vary.

 

1. Working on someone's Eagle project - if the entire troop is invited, it can clearly be a troop activity. What if a Scout asks just a few of his friends to help out?

 

If the Friends are in the patrol, yes.

 

2. PLC meeting. We do this once a month on a different night from our troop meeting.

 

Yes if in a POR and needs to be there

 

3. Working on a merit badge with a friend or two.

 

No, unless entire patrol is doign it.

 

4. Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

 

Yes

 

5. Eagle Court of Honor held on a weekend.

 

Yes

 

6. Eagle Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

 

Yes

 

7. Troop meeting night, but it's an activity (troop hike, or waterfront activity)

 

Yes

 

8. TLT - basic training, 2 hours in a meeting room (could easily be a "troop meeting")

 

Need to think on, but possible if outside a normal meeting and needed for POR

 

9. TLT - all day training in the outdoors

 

Definately

 

10. Taking a course (den leader training, or University of Scouting). Clearly a Scout activity, but is it a "troop/patrol activity"?

 

If used for POR, yes, esp. Den Chief training.

 

11. Working on advancement. In a troop of 50, maybe five Scouts show up to work on the orienteering requirement on a Saturday. Invitation went to anyone who needed the requirement - so not really the entire troop nor to a particular patrol.

 

Probably, need more details to think on it.

 

12. Camping with another troop.

 

In what capacity? Is it b/c he is part of a HA activity with them, Jambo contingent, being a mentor for a new troop? If there is a reason for it, probably, if to just

 

 

13. Camping with your family and you worked on requirements for most of the weekend.

 

Nope.

[gcnphkr]

I'm not sure it really matters. It is rare that I have a scout that is delayed in advancement because of the activity requirement. In the few cases that it has occurred, counting these would not have changed things, except counting courts of honor on a meeting night.

 

The main bottle necks for our troop seem to be: identifying animals and plants, map and compass skills, and rope work. By the time they've learned those they have more than enough activities under their belt.

[Beavah]

Yah, I'm always a bit mystified when I hear about a lad being held by da activity requirements. Can't for the life of me figure out how he could possibly have really learned all da other skill requirements with so few activities. To me it's the sign of of a very weak troop program that needs to be addressed.

 

 

[Gary_Miller]

Here is my input.

 

Other items that come up:

1. Working on someone's Eagle project - if the entire troop is invited, it can clearly be a troop activity. What if a Scout asks just a few of his friends to help out?

 

Yes, If its a patrol.

 

2. PLC meeting. We do this once a month on a different night from our troop meeting.

 

No, PLC is neither a troop or a patrol activity. Its a leadership planning meeting.

 

3. Working on a merit badge with a friend or two.

 

No, unless it is planned as a patrol activity.

 

4. Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

 

No this is considered a troop meeting not an activty.

 

5. Eagle Court of Honor held on a weekend.

 

No this is a troop meeting.

 

6. Eagle Court of Honor held on a regular troop meeting night.

 

No this is a troop meeting.

 

7. Troop meeting night, but it's an activity (troop hike, or waterfront activity)

 

Yes.

 

8. TLT - basic training, 2 hours in a meeting room (could easily be a "troop meeting")

 

9. TLT - all day training in the outdoors

 

No, this is a training seminar for the troop leadership. Its nether a troop or patrol activity.

 

However, if it the whole troop or patrol was invited then I would say yes.

 

10. Taking a course (den leader training, or University of Scouting). Clearly a Scout activity, but is it a "troop/patrol activity"?

 

No, this is usually done as an individual.

 

However, if it the whole troop or patrol was invited then I would say yes.

 

11. Working on advancement. In a troop of 50, maybe five Scouts show up to work on the orienteering requirement on a Saturday. Invitation went to anyone who needed the requirement - so not really the entire troop nor to a particular patrol.

 

Yes, since the invitation went out to everyone.

 

12. Camping with another troop.

 

Yes, if its the whole troop or patrol involved, or the boy was duel registered with the other troop.

 

13. Camping with your family and you worked on requirements for most of the weekend.

 

No.

 

The Key is separate troop/patrol activity (Other than troop/patrol meetings).