Venturing Honor Societies

[Owl62]

I have heard the topic of Venturing and Order of the Arrow being discussed over the pass couple of years. OA is a program within the Boy Scout program of the BSA.

 

There are some who feel that Venturers who meet certain requiremens should be eligible for membership in the OA.

 

But I have heard that there have been some honor societies that have been started in the Venturing program (not sure if they are officially supported by the BSA or not).

 

Does anyone know about any Venturing Honor Societies that have or are in the process of being formed?

 

Thanks.

 

[Crew21_Adv]

Owl,

 

Greetings!

 

Here is my 2 cents.

 

"Does anyone know about any Venturing Honor Societies that have or are in the process of being formed?"

 

No, I don't believe so. yet....

 

As I've seen, new BSA programs will have a pilot program in one or two selected councils. Of course, National would look at everything, ethics, educational or recreation benefits, and risks assessments. Before, any new programs are published, National would want be sure it is safe and well planned.

 

National usually debuts any new programs during the National Convention. Under the Commissioner tab of the National Websites, there are speeches and items usually debuting these nationally accepted programs.

 

Also there are a couple of unofficial websites for the National Venturing Cabinet and Venturing News from the Venturing Division of National.

 

www.nationalventuringcabinet.org

www.venturing.info

 

Is it a good idea? I think so.

 

The OA had a small and humble beginning. (someone may need to help me out on my history here.. lol) In 1915 the Order of the Arrow honor society was an experiement of two young twenty-ish year old camp staffers E. Urner Goodman and C. A. Edwin. It wasn't officially adopted as a BSA program until 1948, over thirty years later.

 

But in addition of being honor campers, the OA has a purpose and mission. In short(to support the camping program). Yes this is very paraphrased, but I feel the key mission item.

 

www.oa-bsa.org/misc/basics/purpose-mission.htm

 

I don't believe it would take 30 years to have an honor program for our Venturers. Some of our own members (here in Scouter.com and other Scouting newsgroups) participate in Council level Venturing Honor programs. i.e. "Corps of Discovery"

 

A good review of some of our unofficial Venturing Honor Societies may be the foundations of an official "Venturing Honor Society" like you asked. That was the way E. Urner Goodman and C. A. Edwin started.

 

Lastly, let's remember. After meeting the eligibility criteria, and nomination from the Scoutmaster, our fellow Arrowmen become members by the election from their peers. A Scout doesn't join the OA, A Scout is elected to become an Arrowman. Establishing a program like this for Venturers, should be more than just becoming eligible for membership.

 

It's is a great idea, but as our "grassroots", "pilot programs", "experiement" honor societies begin in our councils, let's all consider a purpose and mission to follow the Venturing goals.

 

Maybe National will enjoy the benefits of these societies and adopt it as an official program, in less than thirty years this time.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Miki101]

The OA did not become an official part of BSA until 1948 because it was somewhat based on the philosophies of Ernest Thompson Seton. Seton was outsted as the BSA's Chief Scout in 1915. Seton's own Woodcraft Indian organization was repugnant to then Chief Scout Executive James West, and he would not allow any form of Indian Lore to be a major part of BSA during his tenure. Although West agreed to let the OA become a "trial" program about 1938, that was about it. He retired in 1946 (Ed Rowan, confirm me on this date)and BSA was integrated into the BSA program 2 years later.

 

I'm sure that the present BSA Chief Scout Executive would not do this to the present Venturers.

 

By the way, it was Carroll A. Edson...not Edwin. Hope this helps.

 

David C. Scott

[Crew21_Adv]

Miki101, (et al)

 

Thanks for watching my back.. lol

 

That explains why it took so long for an experiment to become an official progam...

 

Hopefully, an "experimental" honor society for Venturing will move along much faster. Like I stated earlier, across the nation we have some "groundroots" honors bestowed from the local council Venturing programs just to their local Venturers. They already have some good vision for a nat'l pilot program to be commissioned.

 

Then hopefully, a Venturing honor society would follow a similar style to the OA. Being honored by election into a Venturing society, plus having a mission and purpose that benefits Scouting as well as the Venturer themselves.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21_Adv

[dana_renner]

Corps of Discovery is what some councils are using for a Venturing Honor Society. COD is flexible and more crew oriented

and can be tweeked. Our council was considering the COD approach for Venturing Crews here. It is hard to get something like this into Venturing though because so many of the male Venturers that are Boy Scouts are already in the OA and also

because of time considerations many of the youth in the program do not really want to have another activity to be responisble for. Female Venturers seem luke warm to the idea and in the VOA here when they were asked about a Venturing Honor Society were not very interested. But however people do change and maybe a year from now this may be completely the opposite and Venturers might be more interested.

[SWScouter]

There was an earlier thread that talked about the Corps of Discovery: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=106700#id_109128

 

I know that some people are interested in it here in Grand Canyon Council

 

SWScouter

[dana_renner]

On the net there is a category for Venturing Honor Societies and it lists Corps of Discovery, Member of the Year, Order of the Trident as well as the Order of the Arrow, I guess because there are so many Boy Scouts that are Venturers in the OA still. Corps of Discovery would probably be the best bet because of it's flexibility and adaptability to the crew program. But COD does honor the Lewis and Clark expedition and within the COD there is a Permanent Party the membership rules for COD is a male or female Venturer or Sea Scout nominated by their crew and one adult leader can be elected by the crew as well however the adult cannot be a member of Permanent Party.

the COD especially in the Permanent Party promotes community service projects. I think this is a great idea. But how would this appeal to

Venturers in Arts and Hobbies, Religious Life, Sports and Sea Scouts

This is mostly geared to outdoor crews. Earlier before 1998 and the reorganization of Exploring and the creation of Venturing. Sea Scouts then (Sea Explorers) proposed an Order of the Trident very heavily influenced by the OA except it would have been open to co-ed

membership and the many levels were given nautical or Naval titles.

Venturing needs an honor society for 2 reasons, #1.To be open to co-ed crews and ships. #2.This will take the pressure off of OA to become more co-ed and OA then can continue the traditional path that they have done so well in for the past many years. Venturing needs a tradition of it's own, There were days that Explorers under BSA could call for Post OA elections but these days are past. Venturing needs to blaze some new trails of its own. This new Venturing Honor

Society needs to be 21st Century it does not need to re-create OA there is only one OA. Venturing needs to appeal to Venturing as a whole a more modern vision of a traditional program and also to appeal to it's constituency, the future leaders of America.

[Eamonn]

I'm not sure that there is a need for any sort of an Honor Society in Venturing.

I have nothing against the OA.

I was very proud when I was bestowed with Vigil Honor last year.

I really like the new direction that the OA seems to be heading toward.

But with such a vast amount of different things for the youth that are members of our Sea Scout Ship to work on or for, I can't help thinking that adding something else would only act as a distraction.

I used to think I did a good job of keeping up to date and knew what was going on. But right now trying to cover Sea Scouting awards, Venturing Awards, Ranger Awards, Quest, Kodiak, as well as religious awards. I'm in over my head.

And of course all the Lads in the Ship that came from Boy Scout Troops are still in the OA.

So we have the Lodge Chief and two vice chiefs, along with the Section Secretary.

I know this may sound a little unfair to the female members. But we just couldn't manage anything else.

Eamonn.

[purcelce]

Venturing honor society?

Has anybody asked if the Venturing youth want it? My guess would be no.

Venturing needs to keep the focus on the crews, keeping the kids motivated, and having fun. I think the kids are honored to be a part of a crew or ship.

 

BTW I asked a few of my crew guys what they thought of the corp of discovery program and they said it had some merit but they hated the name. Around here Corp of Discovery has been beaten to death.

 

 

(This message has been edited by purcelce)

[TrainingScouts]

Being a relatively new crew committee chair I am still trying to et a grasp of our program and the differences between the crew and troop. Our crew officers invite other youth to be members on a probationary period. This allows them time to learn and comply with the oath and code and learn our crew's bylaws. Then if they come to an agreement they become official Venturers and can join in the descision making processes for our programs; high adventure andd otherwise. You may say this in itself has become a type of honor society. With its pro's and cons this method keeps things running smoothly.

 

I said all that to say this. Venturing is not as widely supported here as elsewhere, however A program similar to COD or whatever it would be called may give venturing the extra oomph it needs to become a viable program here in the North Florida Council. More desirable are the high peaks that require great effort than the easily ascendable peidmonts.

You can quote me on that.

Bill Newton,

Crew committee chairman-C403

[TrainingScouts]

Being a relatively new crew committee chair I am still trying to et a grasp of our program and the differences between the crew and troop. Our crew officers invite other youth to be members on a probationary period. This allows them time to learn and comply with the oath and code and learn our crew's bylaws. Then if they come to an agreement they become official Venturers and can join in the descision making processes for our programs; high adventure andd otherwise. You may say this in itself has become a type of honor society. With its pro's and cons this method keeps things running smoothly.

 

I said all that to say this. Venturing is not as widely supported here as elsewhere, however A program similar to COD or whatever it would be called may give venturing the extra oomph it needs to become a viable program here in the North Florida Council. More desirable are the high peaks that require great effort than the easily ascendable peidmonts.

You can quote me on that.

Bill Newton,

Crew committee chairman-C403

[Miami_Chief]

As an active OA member as well as a Venturer, I'm looking forward to the day when Crews are allowed to hold an OA election. It may not be in the near future, but I believe it's coming. I know several qualified Venturers (both male and female) who are very deserving of this honor. However, in order for them to become an OA member, the male Venturers must be elected by their Troop or Team (if they are even in one) and the females must wait until they are at least 21 and are registered as an adult leader in a Troop or Team. I understand that the OA is more of a Boy Scout honor society, and is a lot less focused on the Venturing program, but I can see the two growing closer as the years progress. Take a look: One of the main aspects of the OA is camping, the outdoors, and high adventure. Venturing is a major supporter of all of these. (some more than others, depending on the focus of the crew) In the OA, one is considered a youth up until age 21. This is because of the youth involved in Venturing. Also, take a look at the leadership of the OA: most are older boys between 15-21 and many are Venturers. It's not something that will happen overnight, but I believe that the two will eventually come together.