Venturing Eligibility for OA - An Idea...

[BadenP]

UCEagle

 

The Ranger is way too much overkill for OA membership. I view Ranger as the nearest Venturing equivalent to Eagle, yes, even more than the silver for some obvious reasons.(This message has been edited by BadenP)

[shortridge]

Lisabob wrote: "I know at least one boy who is currently planning to stay registered with a troop ONLY so that he can remain involved in OA. If he could join a Crew and also be active in OA, he might have gone that route instead. I have heard the same thing from some other parents of older boy scouts/OA members, too."

 

Color me confused ... I've always thought that Venturers elected to the OA as Boy Scouts could continue their OA involvement, wear the flap, etc., as Venturers. The prohibition that exists is against Venturers being elected to the OA as Venturers. So the boys you mention certainly could drop the troop registration, join the crew and stay active Arrowmen.

[Eagle92]

Lisa,

Any registered member or leader of the BSA that has gotten into the OA can remain in the OA IRREGARDLESS of what unit they belong to. So a Venturer, if elected and goes through the Ordeal while in a troop, can remain active in the OA while registered with a crew. Ditto the Cub Scout leader who was an Arrowman as a youth, that's my case now. remember the OA si SCOUTING"S national Honor Society now.

 

Even Sea Scouts can remain active in the OA while a member of the ship, they just are not suppose to wear OA insignia on their Sea Scout uniform. that's a hard one for me to do at the moment, taking off my OA flap, as all the "plankowners" of the ship I was associated with were Arrowman, and I believe the lodge was the CO for the ship as the ship's number was identical to the lodge's number. We're number 1...17!

 

You just cannot be elected as a youth through a ship or crew, nor can a leader be nominated through the ship or crew. They got to be with a troop, district, or council.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[Lisabob]

Sorry if I might have misunderstood and/or going off on tangent. Scoutson got told he had to remain registered with a troop to be active in OA as a youth. Not so? He could completely drop out of any troop membership, be registered only in a crew, and still be an OA member?

 

If I've misunderstood, I withdraw my previous comment.

[nldscout]

Once your a member of the OA, it doesn't matter what type unit you are in after that.

 

So he can drop the troop if he wants a still be a youth member.

 

As to allowing venturers to hold elections, NO. If the OA wants a honor camping reogram, create one, its just that simple.

[IM_Kathy]

as an outsider to OA (my son is an ordeal member and I am not an OA adult and since I'm a female I was not an OA youth member)...

 

I have no opinion on whether this should or should not happen, but if it were it wouldn't be hard... for ordeals have an area where females are place for their sleeping and have female OA members at the ready... and then when it comes to an OA weekend I'm going to assume they are all done the same as my son's lodge where they take place at the summer camp - just assign certain campsites for females only

 

now I'll let you all debate back and forth whether it should happen or not - I'll stay out of that debate LOL

[rdclements]

Lisabob - there is a crew near me that exists only so older scouts who joined the OA while in a troop can maintain their OA membership after their tie to their troop fades. It is a bit inconsistent with the concept of arrowmen focusing on unit service, but that was why the crew was formed.

[sherminator505]

On a tangent - why would the BSA lower the entry age for Venturing if it was concerned about retaining boys in its core program?

[UCEagle72]

Sherminator -

On a tangent - why would the BSA lower the entry age for Venturing if it was concerned about retaining boys in its core program?

 

What they did was allow those who completed 8th grade by age 13 to join Venturing. The completion of 8th grade is still the key criteria. Had we not moved, my daughter would have completed 8th grade when she was 13 (her birthday is mid-summer).

 

Honestly, based on the maturity difference, I'm glad she had to wait until she completed 8th grade when she was 14.

 

[emb021]

"Lisabob - there is a crew near me that exists only so older scouts who joined the OA while in a troop can maintain their OA membership after their tie to their troop fades. It is a bit inconsistent with the concept of arrowmen focusing on unit service, but that was why the crew was formed."

 

I know of several such crews. Some were formed as Explorer posts.

 

I also know of indian lore crews (again, many were Explorer Posts) were are heavily associated with their lodges because they are basically the drum team, dance team, OA indian hobbyists, etc.

 

"On a tangent - why would the BSA lower the entry age for Venturing if it was concerned about retaining boys in its core program?"

 

the lowering of the age had ZILCH to do with that. It was about kids who were in high school, but due to age, couldn't join Venturing crews. Hence the "finish 8th grade" tied to 13.

 

 

[Lisabob]

Thanks for helping me to better understand. I'll be sure to pass along this info to other scouts/parents who want to know!

[John-in-KC]

For the benefit of my young, currently voting brothers ...

 

When I was a young, voting brother, EXPLORERS were permitted elections.

 

I will say this: If your Council has young women serving the youth staff of your Scout Camps, I will bet you a dinner here and now at the Golden Ox they are giving more cheerful service than any 10 Scouts in Troops, not members of camp staffs, who are "dues paying" Order Brothers. (You have to get yourself to Kansas City).

 

Until Councils can recruit and retain all male staffs, imnsho opinion, the Order is flat dab WRONG in not admitting women Venturers to it.

[belayer_StLouis]

I agree with John-in-KC, not very often but this time I agree about young women in Venturing. Our full summer Venture base has some great Venture women staff members who contribute greatly to the outdoor program. I wish the OA would recognize their contributions to the outdoor programs and their sevice to the BSA.

[emb021]

"Until Councils can recruit and retain all male staffs"

 

I know of no council who has such a goal.

 

Most councils have adult females on their staff, and have done so for a long time. Further, many have been including female Venturers. I doubt there is any interest in being all-male for their summer camp staff. When you have female volunteers & professionals, its silly to try.

 

[John-in-KC]

emb,

 

Adult women are not an issue, they can be selected for the Order.

 

Youth women are the issue.

 

I volunteer as a commish at one of our Reservations. Central Camp (home of Boy Scout and Webelo sessions) has women youth staff. Cub World (home of Bear Family Resident Overnight Camp) has women youth staff. All the young women I know on staff are fantastic people. My issue is they are not being recognized by their Councils for the service they are cheerfully giving.

 

That's why you've seen this comment from me, both here and at the FB OA group. The young women serving Scouting deserve membership in the Order. Period.