New Challenge Encountered

[Eagle92]

Ok in my 15 years of being an active Arrowman I've encountered a problem in reference to unit elections and the Ordeal for the first time last year and while I tried some things to solve the situation over the past year, With unit elections coming up again, I may encoutner the problem again and want some other ideas.

 

I have a super unit of 50+ scouts who have little to no involvement. despite the fact that the old SM is a Vigil Honor member. When I went with the election team to the unit, I out of the 18 scouts eligble, about half didn't want to be elected as they wanted nothing to do with the OA. That was a shocker, but alright the OA isn't for everyone. When we had the call out ceremony, the ones chosen seemed surprised and apothetic. Sent out letter to all the candidates inviting them to a candidate's information session/ chapter social and none showed up.

 

Then came the deuzy. I was making calls to remind folks about the ordeal and how we have a carpool so that they can make it to the Ordeal. I had one mother of a scout from the unit be completely rude, wanted to know why i wanted to harass her son, and wanted to know what the old SM and new SM knew about the OA. I politely answered her questions and was told basically her son was working on his Eagle and didn't need any distraction before she hung up on me.

 

Called the next candidate from that unit and underwent a 1.5 hour interrogation of the OA because of what he has heard from friends and what they both read on the internet. Although he showed up friday nite at the camo, he backed down during the POC and went home that nite. only got 1 active youth member out of the unit.

 

OK your thoughts on the situation and ideas before I reveal what I did.

[croushorn]

Frankly, what you are doing isnt your role. Calling the boys to assist in driving arrangements and candidate information meetings (?) is something the chapter Arrowmen should be doing. A parent answering the phone may be a little more agreeable to another youth calling than an adult. While its wonderful you are promoting the OA and trying to improve involvement of a large troop, but the Chapter Chief, some of his officers, and advisors should be doing this. When they go around to do elections they need to promote and market the OA to the Troops.

Now, if you want to do something to help, make a point next time you are having casual talk with the SM about why the resistance. Ask for him to help some with the situation. Then pass that info to your chapter Arrowmen and hopefully they can build some bridges into the unit. Have the Chief or one his officers really work on getting that one kid involved (really his Elangomat should do this), set your hooks in him and others will follow. But the root of the problem needs to be found. Scouts build many of their attitudes from the adult leadership of the troop, so someone there has a strong dislike about the OA and has apparently poisoned a lot of people about it.

 

[NeilLup]

Ursus sonorus roarus has given some exceedingly good counsel. The fact that the SM was honored with the Vigil at one time doesn't mean that he or she doesn't have a major hair up their tail about the current OA and/or the current OA leadership. If possible, find out that history. If they are supportive of the OA, then co-opt them.

 

And as USR said, unless you are doing a one-time build of your chapter from scratch, you, as the DE, should not be doing this promotion. That's a volunteer's job.

[Eagle92]

Loud Snoring Bear,

Yeah I know I've been doing a little more than I should in the past 18 months. Attendance prior to me taking over as chap. adviser was on a good nite 3 youth members. At the time this happened, the membership VC dropped the ball and my CC and I decided to make the calls. It had got better later when some fresh blood caming in at that Ordeal and they took over some offices, and the CC took off and was. But we have lost some of those great folks to college or family moves with in the past few months so we are down to 2 officers again. Luckily the new CC is a young, motivated Arrowman who will go far and his dad is also a motivated Arrowman who took on the responsiblity of Assoc. Chapt. Adv. I don't want to say anything more because I will be giving away what I am doing to improve the chapter.

 

 

Neil,

As for me being a DE, I saw the light and left the profession. I am now a SCOUTER. And hopefully in May a Cub Scouter working with my son in the "Blue Terror."

 

 

 

 

 

[croushorn]

Sorry E92 - I made the same assumption. Heck, if that's the case then it sounds like your chapter needs a motivated and experienced advisor!! Actually, that's how I got a lot done as well, just keep working under the radar. Be involved; make some constructive yet subtle changes and encouragements. That's what a lot of these Arrowmen need, is just someone to take an interest in what they're doing and have some fun with them. They can smell an adult a mile away, so don't be one. Be their friend and you can inspire and guide them so much easier. I look forward to when my time as SM winds down and can offer to be lodge advisor (have a few more I need to see get their Eagle first). The OA is so much daggone fun for me and the young men I've gotten to know really inspires me that our country isn't in as bad of shape as a lot seem to think. It's really funny, two boys I've stuck a very good relationship over the past two years I knew nothing about. As it turns, neither has a father. I'll be watching them both with pride as they hold their Vigil this fall.

[Dizzy ona cliff]

In regard to the connections between the scouts of the super unit and the OA, does the troop attend the council summer camp, or other camps where the lodge is active? Are any members of the troop on camp staff with the council, or participate in service for the benefit of council property? What about other adult leaders (ASMs) in the troop?

In regard to the parents to whom you spoke it is possible that you just got lucky, or maybe what you found is typical and the whole troop is suffering from helicopter parent syndrome. I am no sociologist, but I have seen helicopter parents that start out by selecting the right children for play dates, the right soccer team, and basically herd them down the right path (including picking their college classes) so that they get the right degree, marry the right spouse, yaddah yaddah. I am just making a wild guess that maybe the helicopter parents of the troop consider the lodge or its members to be undesirable and so they want their boys to remain isolated.

[Eagle92]

D.O.C.,

Not using the council camp is part of the problem. Our camp has had it's problems in the past. Trust me I was on camp staff for two years and know first hand some of the problems. I also know that since I worked camp, the program has improved, the facilities have improved, and the staff have improved. I've seen the physical changes, have heard about the improvements form leaders, and see the changes with the staff as they are active year round and love the camp.

 

This troop goes to one of the nearby 'supercamps" in the mountains. When I did a survey of troops going to ooc camps, the comment from their leaders was that the boys prefer the coolness mountains compared to the heat and humidity of the sea. Also that camp has a lot more modern facilities.

 

As for the helicopter parent syndrome, that's a new one for me, but it probably is a major chunk of of it. This troop is extremely affluent as most of the leaders and parents are lawyers, doctors, bankers, etc. It was the one unit I was told NOT do do a family FOS presentation as most of the adults were leadership level or higher.

[Dizzy ona cliff]

A helicopter parent is one that hovers over their child to make sure that they do things correctly, and if not then they will do it for them so that they do not make mistakes. For example you could wonder why the mother of the one scout said that he needs to focus on Eagle since she is probably doing the work for him.

It seems like the concept of being a brother to all (not just those that meet your standards) and engaging in work that is irksome for the benefit of someone other than yourself is not something that will develop in the isolation of an exclusive troop, but at least you now have one and that is a start.

[croushorn]

Or as I've been told, "An Eagle on your resume means something. Summer Honors, OA, or Philmont doesn't." All some folks look for is for their little Johnny to build the best resume.

[Eagle92]

I've heard complaints about the troop being easy from several folks and how the parents are the ones either doing the work or pushing their Scouts. I don't know as I've only had contact with two of the scouts, and they do a great job. They do have a large number of Eagles in the 14-15 yo range, but if you have the financial resources they do to do the activities they do, well the advancement comes naturally. I mean they send at least 10-12 boys to national jamboree, go to Philmont on a regular basis, and do some really excellent weekend trips.

 

Here is what I did. I talked to the SM, and he really didn't know what the problem is. Although he isn't attending OA events, he is registered and has posted information about Conclave and other OA events on the troop's bulletin board. I know this because he also got permission from the CO to have use use the meeting room for the chapter meetings.

 

So I took this a sign that the chapter doesn't have much visibility outside of running the trading post and doping the Call Out at dis. camporee, having elections, and if the troop wanted, a camp promotion. Yes we had troops decline camp promos in the past I am told. So my goal was to improve the visibility of the chapter and the OA. My thinking was that if people knew what we do, they woulr be more inclined to joinand be active.

 

1) I got the district camporee to incorporate a point scheme in the judging that OA unit elections and camp promotions. So we had to visit you.

 

2) Got my chapter officers to make a presentation on the OA at a RT and signed up for unit visits.

 

3) I bugged the heck out os SMs who either didn't make RT to schedule a unit visit or wouldn't commit to one.

 

4) Working with the CC got arrowmen to commit to unit visits. And I also accompanied every election and camp promo team to ensure that there were no problems and answer questions that the scouts didn't know. We basically used alot of new Ordeal members and got them involved ASAP.

 

5) got new member involved ASAP as mentioned above.

 

6) got our secretary to add photos to the chapter newsletter, and had it sent out monthly.

 

7) utilized our chapter yahoo group more.

 

8) encouraged our adults to wear their sashes at special event like COHs and District banquet. This actually brought up some misconceptions on the wearing of the sash. For whatever reason many people don't think it's permissible to wear the sash at non-OA events, despite the fact that the HB says it's ok at special events that you want to recognize Arrowmen. the way I've been taught is that the unit recognizes you as being worthy of the Order. It is only right that you display that honor by wearing the sash at COHs. Although you as an individual go through the Ordeal, your unit selected you to become an OA member.

 

9) Had OA displays at public Scouting events like the District banquet and Scout Show.

 

10) Made the district camporee campfire an 'official" OA event with sashes required.

 

11) Changed our traditional call out ceremony to one in which an OA member of a unit "sponsors" a candidate and presents him to the "Chief of the Fire." That way more Arrowmen are involved now a. In cases of new units, find an Arrowmen who has been influential either in the unit's existence, or in one case the candidate's life (talk about a tear jerker).

 

12) Revived the chapter drum, and am currently looking to restart a ceremony teasm as I just lost 2 experienced members to out of state schools and one brand new member to the Science and Math school. Both groups this past year have worked in tandem to do AOLs, and other unit ceremonies.

 

Are there any ways of publicizing the OA that I may have missed/

[Eagle92]

I've been thinking about a comment USR made in reference to someone poisoning the attitude against the OA, and it hit me. While I was in another council, there was an incident between several Arrowman and the Associate Adviser. My understanding is he caught them smoking some marijuana. While several of scouts admitted to doing that, one adamantly denied smoking it, saying he was only hanging around. The scouts were asked to not come to any OA activities for a year. That particular scout did not ever come back and transferred to the super troop because the Chap. AA was also his ASM.

 

If this scout did indeed cause problems, then hopefully three guys I had from their troop made and impact while there. Of the three guys I did eventually get out of that troop, 2 became officers, and all three were on the ceremony team at some point. And I just lost two of them as mentioned above.

 

 

OK what else could I have overlooked?

[croushorn]

One thing I just recalled keep reminding your leaders to get their one adult nominee in each year. We had a very selective adult committee in the past. At one point I had 8 Arrowmen and I was the only adult that could drive. Its a hole lot easier to get drivers for fellowships, ordeals, etc at our camp when they can stay for the weekend instead of driving an hour to drop guys off then turn around and drive home. I know some of you all drive a lot further, even more of a plus in your case.

[NeilLup]

Hello Eagle92:

 

Are Brotherhood ceremonies held by your Lodge or by your Chapter? Another thing you can do is hold frequent Brotherhood ceremonies at the Chapter level. Make it convenient for someone to seal their membership if they so choose.

 

As far as your super Troop, if you want to crack them, you may need to have the SM agree, for a couple of years, to take a carful of candidates up to the Ordeal. If possible, I would have that SM announce as he prepares the Scouts for the election that he plans to take that carful of new candidates to the Ordeal, that he really encourages Scouts to be OA members if elected and that he very much hopes that his Scouts will stand for election and will accept election if it happens.

 

If the SM won't do that, then you probably will continue to have problems with the "super Troop."

 

If so, don't beat yourself up. The OA is a tool to help units. If a particular unit doesn't want it, so be it. Provide the tool to the units and Scouts that do want it.

[NeilLup]

I addition to "helicopter parents" I've recently heard "snowplow parents."

 

Helicopter parents hover around in the background ready to swoop in if their child runs into any kind of difficulty.

 

Snowplow parents blast any kind of difficulty out of the way before the child even has a chance to encounter it.

[Eagle92]

No, Brotherhood ceremonies are done at the lodge level only at this time. While it sounds like an interesting idea, I don't think it's going to be feasible since the Lodge is putting a major emphasis on the entire Brotherhood process. We have just impletmented the Brotherhood Hike into the Brotherhood process with some great feedback. Also we don't have enough active youth Brotherhood members to do the ceremony at this time.

 

In reference to new adult members, yes I've been pushing that as well as trying to get old adult members active again. We are definately having some success. Our carpool system is working out.

Also the SM has just stepped down and joined the committee. The New SM is a candidate, and hopfully with take the Ordeal next month as it is his last chance without havign to go through the entire niminating process again.