What is an Activity?

[nndawson]

I have been a scoutmaster for a couple of years now (LDS Unit). I now have a boy in the troop whose parents are questoning what we count as an activity. I have always used the FC requirement as my guide. For a boy to reach first class they must "...have participated in ten seperate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings),..." If the troop or patrol do "something" as a unit I count it as an activity, otherwise I don't.

 

Now, to the real question. In our council and district we have merit badge pow wows. Should these be counted as an activity? Historically, I have not counted them, as individual scouts are going working on their own goals. I would just like to find out what the consensus is. I am willing to change my view but have not had a convincing reason to as of yet.

 

Thanks for any input.

 

[purcelce]

My two cents...

 

If you go the MB Pow Wow as a troop, then count it as a troop activity.

 

Other things I've seen as Troop/Patrol activities other than meetings are:

 

Campouts.

Day Trips.

Scouting For Food Drives (If done as a unit)

Unit Service Project Days.

Parades.

Flag Ceremonies.

 

My feelings are if the Troop does something as a Troop, then it's a troop activity.

 

 

[dsteele]

First of all, welcome to the forums! It sounds like you've read enough to have some sort of respect for the opinions posted here and are now taking the plunge and joining us around the electronic campfire. Please feel free to post whenever it tickles your fancy. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

 

I have to admit that my first reaction to your question of counting council/district merit badge pow wows as activities was defensive. I've been wearing a council hat for 6 years now and it took me a second to think it through. My first reaction was of course you should count them -- is this guy saying that council sanctioned Scouting activities shouldn't count? Is he belittling his local council?

 

Then I put on my old troop t-shirt, meditated briefly, and began to think like a Scoutmaster again. I know you're not belittling your council. You're interpreting the requirement as it is written.

 

That led me to do a little thinking. There's a philosophical issue here and, while some will disagree, I think whichever side you land on is fine according to the guidelines I have seen.

 

I think the intent of the requirement (You site the First Class requirement) is to get relatively new scouts involved in their troop and patrol and that's where the best scouting takes place. For the sake of activities and participation, I think you're right to count only troop and patrol "stuff" outside of the regular troop meetings as activities.

 

Offhand, I can't think of other ranks that require a specified number of activities. You can reference the thread questioning what active in your troop and patrol means. It's full of lively debate that I have chosen not to enter.

 

Re-reading your question, I'm guessing that you have parents telling you that you should count their son's participation in the district merit badge pow wow as a troop activity. This is a gray area, to an extent. On the one hand, it was a sanctioned Scouting activity. Whether your troop participated as a troop and made it a troop activity is up to interpretation. Did the Scout sign up on his own, or through a member of the committee, or yourself? Can the argument be made that the troop participated in the council/district merit badge pow wow as a unit? If so, you should probably side on the side of the Scout and let him claim it for his first class rank.

 

If not, you can fall back on the exact wording you provided (I haven't checked it's accuracy, but I trust you.) The requirement clearly states "troop/patrol" activity.

 

Sorry if I haven't provided a hard and fast answer. I don't think there is one on this issue. I can tell you that I tend to side with the troop leadership on this kind of thing.

 

I'll watch with interest to see other opinions.

 

Have a nice Sunday, nndawson. I hope you'll post more in the future. Welcome!

 

DS

[sst3rd]

Here's the hard and fast answer. Merit badge Pow Wows from the District or Council do not count as Troop/Patrol activities, as they are designed for individual Scouts. However, as stated by purcelce, if they attend this activity or any Scout activity as a Troop or Patrol, that's where it can count. So, if a Patrol or Troop see's a merit badge(s) that may not be often offered within their Troop program, they organize and go. This activity would count.

[evmori]

Welcome to the campfire!

 

If an entire patrol or troop attends a merit badge pow-wow then I would count it as an activity! Why not? sst3rd says these are designed for individual Scouts. Well, so are the merit badge classes at summer camp. What's the difference?

 

Having returned yesterday from comleting my Vigil (I am still tired) and having som of my Scouts in attendance for the work weekend, we don't count OA activities as patrol or troop activities. Why? Because not everyone in the patrol or troop is eligible to attend an OA function.

 

I feel if entire patrol or troop is eligible to participate in an activity then it can be counted as a patrol/troop activity.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[mk9750]

How's this for a possoble guideline:

 

If the Patrol, or the Troop via the PLC, voted to attend, count it. If the boy or his family decided on their own to go, praise him for the effort, but don't count it.

 

Welcome! Always glad to have another "one hour a week" warrior!

 

Mark

[purcelce]

Ed,

 

Congratulations on Vigil!

 

 

WWW

Cary P

Vigil Honor 1984

 

 

[acco40]

I tend to agree with many of the posters. To foster the patrol method and patrol identity, activities AS A PATROL should occur. A council MB event is an activity, but not necessarily a patrol or troop activity. Also, the number of boys from a troop or patrol who attend should not matter in counting it as a patrol/troop activity. In our troop, we designated an orienteering activity (sponsored by another unit) as a troop activity. Only two boys attended. I counted that as a troop activity for the boys.

[Glenn]

I agree with the idea that if the boy and/or his family decided to attend the merit badge pow wow, then it should not count as a troop/patrol activity. If the troop or patrol organized it, especially with transportation, then it should count as troop/patrol activity.

[nndawson]

Thank you all for your input. I just wasn't sure how I should be counting the pow wows. Only once have I counted it as a troop activity. It turned out all of the boys went bowling instead of going to their classes. Ever since then I have let the parents do all of the registration and transportation of the boys, hence not counting it as a troop activity. Anyway, thank you again. My first experience on the forums has been a good one. I will definitely participate again!