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Vote by peers the only way in?


Momleader

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To restate JP's advice: if at first you don't succeed, bail.

 

I'm sorry, 4 years in a troop entitles you to NOTHING.

 

One half year being an honorable camper. Making sure everyone's pack is in order, making sure all other tents are up before pitching your own, polishing those grills, being obsessive about litter pick-up, whipping the ends of every frayed rope, coiling every loose rope, being THE GUY scouts can go to when they can't figure out a skill, cleaning windows and mirrors during the fuel stop, being first gathering kindling to start the fire. And doing all of it with a cheerful and friendly disposition ... THAT entitles you to other boy's votes.

 

That, and sharing an imported chocolate bar that you pull out at the end of a long day hiking. ;)

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This is another reason to reinstate the old previous BOR through 1st Class the responsibility of the TLC, done with a "non-voting" adult supervisor. Not only was it really a leadership development tool, but you saw better results because peers are much harder to fool.

 

Apparently some of our local schools think peer review is a good idea, as they have selected students that sit on some cases and give recommendations. Most of the time, some version of their decision is used by the administrations.

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"One half year being an honorable camper. Making sure everyone's pack is in order, making sure all other tents are up before pitching your own, polishing those grills, being obsessive about litter pick-up, whipping the ends of every frayed rope, coiling every loose rope, being THE GUY scouts can go to when they can't figure out a skill, cleaning windows and mirrors during the fuel stop, being first gathering kindling to start the fire. And doing all of it with a cheerful and friendly disposition ... THAT entitles you to other boy's votes."

 

Well, yes and no. A lot of OA is about brotherhood and leadership. To me, brotherhood implies team effort. If your potential OA candidate led agroup in gathering kindling while telling them which wood made good kindling and which did not, organized a race to see which could clean their half of the van windows quickest, initiates teaching a skill... then he would be the ideal candidate.

 

When I was elected to undergo the OA ordeal, I was the only one from my school in my troop

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From What I read..Scout has been in The Same Troop for 4 Years...Has Achieved First Class Requirement (Life)...Has been Very Active (Missed about 4 Things in 4 Years)...Active in Community Service. Assists Younger Scouts..Etc

 

Yet Everyone Says he Needs to Politic...A Scouts Politics by Doing Actions, not by Asking and Talking..

Obviously something is wrong so where...Something we don't Know about..

 

 

 

 

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..Scout has been in The Same Troop for 4 Years...Has Achieved First Class Requirement (Life)...Has been Very Active (Missed about 4 Things in 4 Years)...Active in Community Service. Assists Younger Scouts..Etc

 

...Something we don't Know about..

 

The two scouts I knew who were just like that and didn't get elected on first (sometimes 2nd, 3rd) round:

 

One had a penchant for practical jokes.

 

The other was foul-mouthed.

 

Parents were clueless. We just told them that we identified with the boys things they could work on, and we'll see if that changes things next year.

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Not everyone said he needs to politic.

 

I think begging, asking or pleading for votes is very contrary for what the OA is supposed to stand for.

 

 

This lad and more to the point his mom is all about check marks. Well he has earned all of the merit badges but one for eagle, he had gone to the jamboree, he spends an extra week at summer camp.

 

 

So he will do what most boys do in the OA.......Sash and Dash, line complete check mark

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From What I read..Scout has been in The Same Troop for 4 Years...Has Achieved First Class Requirement (Life)...Has been Very Active (Missed about 4 Things in 4 Years)...Active in Community Service. Assists Younger Scouts..Etc

Yet Everyone Says he Needs to Politic...A Scouts Politics by Doing Actions, not by Asking and Talking..

Obviously something is wrong so where...Something we don't Know about..

 

 

If the boy is as helpful, etc., as the mom claims, then he can't do anything more in terms of service--he is doing actions. His only choice is to get the boys to like him. That said, I doubt he is as helpful as mom claims, at least when adults aren't looking. As BD said, boys aren't stupid. They know who works hard, etc. They know who has to be prodded to break camp, vs. those who are working hard withou being told.

 

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Some troops are just tough when it comes to the elections too. A couple weeks ago I went to a troop election with 23 names on the ballot. Of those 23, only 3 were elected. Those scouts have set a high bar to get into the OA. This obviously isn't a new thing otherwise there would have been more members in the OA and less on the ballot.

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