Best Camp Program ever

[Fuzzy Bear]

Hear is the challenge:

 

The Program Director of beloved Camp Brownsea Island has quit in disgust and embarrassment. The program is struggling because it has been steeped in years of tradition and neglect. Scouters, parents and Scouts have evaluated the program and unanimously said that it has been a virtual merit badge mill with a dining hall attached and they want to close it down and go elsewhere, unless there are drastic changes. Nobody has any idea on how to fix it but your name kept coming up around the Council and National office water coolers and several letters were written on your behalf from prominent members of many communities. The person chairing the board to restructure the camp program is wealthy and wants to assist in any way she can.

 

You are known for your intelligence, creativity, and enthusiasm and everyone is looking to you to fulfill this mission.

 

It is up to you, so write with all of your known attributes. Save the Camp by giving us a great program! (Note: keep it under 600 words)

 

All of us thank you again and again!

 

[dan]

Fuzzy, I like the way you think!

 

1. All merit Badge Instructors will be told that the goal is not to get the badge done, but to fulfil as many requirements as possible in the given time. And the new Merit Badge police will be monitoring each weeks advancements, to make sure that requirements are not being rubber-stamped.

The goal for merit badge classes are to have fun and fulfil some requirements.

 

2. Mini high adventures will be available during summer camp.

a. A 3 day of hiking on horses.

b. A 3 day low impact hiking and camping

c. A 3 day kayak camping trip.

 

2. A Trail to First Class program that is fun and well done (purcelce is handling this one)

 

3. Plenty of open swim and boating time. This will mean we will have to open up another swim area.

 

4. Troops will have the options to eat in the dining hall or cook at there campsites. Or they can split it one half at campsite and one half in the dinning hall.

 

5. A prize will be given not for the cleanest campsite, but for happiest troop.

 

6. Campsite will be setup more along the lines of patrols sites.

 

7. Adults that are unhappy on do not get it (sorry eamonn could not resist) will be given the infamous raspberry award.

 

[scoutldr]

Hire the best and brightest camp staff you can find. This will mean paying them more than they can make by working 1/3 the hours at McDonalds. At staff week, tell them that the Scouts and Scouters are CUSTOMERS, and their evaluations and bonuses (yes, Bonuses!) will depend on how happy their customers are at the end of the week. Fire the "smile police" (those whose job it is to find a scout having fun and then finding a rule that says he can't). Have enough rules to ensure safety, but eliminate those whose only purpose is to aggravate people and encourage them to camp elsewhere next year. Have a program for adults as well...offer training during the week, and if someone with a special skill offers to help, welcome him/her warmly instead of "thanks, but WE are the staff and if we need you we'll let you know."

 

Do not overlook the food. A 15 year old scout offered a single pancake and one sausage link for breakfast will NOT be happy. And be sure to offer adult friendly choices, for those whose scouting "rounded them out", such as salads.

 

Do some research and get copies of other camp's program guides. Incorporate the best of each of them.

[andrewcanoe]

The first step would be to go to district roundtables and ask the leaders there what they want to see at camp next year.

 

Second step mail a survey to the parents in the council and ask what they would like.

 

Third step take all this information sift though it take the best and brightest and implement a program that has what you would have wanted from a scout camp program if you were a scout.

[Glenn]

Our Council Camp developed the Pipestone program back in the 1920's and has been very popular with the scouts. In fact, we had a boy move temporarily for two years to Oklahoma but asked his parents to fly him back to Ohio both summers so he could continue earning his Pipestone. The idea is that each year, you earn a larger Pipestone up to 5 years.

 

The requirements to earn the Pipestone range from a Good Turn project (can be done before camp), nature requirements (identifying plants/animals/constellations etc.), and advancement requirements.

 

Check out the program at http://www.buckeyecouncil.org/Pipestone.htm

 

Of course, the camp must also be well run, which ours is. The program (i.e. skits after meals, etc.) are well liked by the boys. The meals themselves are generally well received (except for our one vegetarian - not much selection for him). Most merit badge classes do the requirements as stated in the books. Sometimes you do get a counselor that is not well trained (or was not prepared). Free time in the afternoon (after siesta - a welcome break for both the staff AND Scouters) allows the scouts to participate in any activity they choose (swim, boat, rifle shoot, etc.).

 

Good luck on developing a 1st rate camp!

[LauraT7]

First, survey boys, leaders, staff and parents as to what THEY think is FUN at camp? More swimming? more boating? Waterskiing? Sailing? animals in the nature hut? a ropes course or climbing wall? Metalworking? leathercraft? Cooking? putting on a play? free time to swing in a hammock? biking? wilderness survival? Try to think OUTSIDE the typical camp offerings of outdoor merit badges & advancement only.

 

Take inventory of your staff's skills, interests and abilities.

 

While you are surveying, take inventory of current camp facilities, space, equipment. Repair the good and TOSS the bad (Boy scouts are BAD at keeping junk around!)

 

Make sure basic comforts are met - campsites cleared, level spots for tents or repair platforms and place them in patrol groupings, latrines are in good shape,decent showers, Shelters for rainy days would be really nice at both the campsites and activitiy areas. (we just spent a whole week at camp in the rain - not fun with no shelters!) Kitchen is equipped, great meals are planned (boys are HUNGRY!!) and please, take the 63 varieties of CANDY, Pop and Pizza out of the trading post!?!? Have decent snacks available - what boy eats only 3 meals a day? put in sandwich, drink and fruit machines, some sweet stuff, but not enough that they eat nothing but junk. let the troops ORDER a snack for mid afternoon or before bedtime, if they wish.

 

Keep in mind 2 things - a rested, well-fed camper is a happy camper, and offer LOTS of choices in activities - the only UNAVAILABLE choice is to be bored - a tired camper sleeps well.

 

Take the three groups of information, and work out a program that is what the boys WANT to do. Fill out the staff with skills you don't already have, and train them ALL in more than one area, for flexibility between sessions. Make sure they understand the BSA program and how to council merit badges. Use the information you gathered and plans for program to expand and fix up your facility appropriately to house and equip the program.

 

Offer BSA training programs for the adult leaders that give them time with and away from their troops. Offer fun things of interest for them, too - they are often giving up hard-earned vacation time to the boys. yes, they WANT to be there - but they need some adult time and breaks, too.

 

Lastly - as you are building and training and creating this program - LOOK at the BSA advancement requirements, and the BSA merit badges. See where program areas and ideas might mesh with the requirements.

 

Remember that Scouting is a 'game with a purpose' - pick the activities FIRST and match them to merit badges second. Set up intermediate goals and rewards for the boys to 'earn' by participation in the program, whether or not they earn rank or badges - a patch or hat, etc.

 

Look at your new programs activities and areas, and see what things they have planned that fit with BSA rank advancements. use this as the base for your 'first class express' program. Fill in or change activities slightly to mesh with needed requirements. Give a reward or acknowledgement of reaching a goal here, too - even if they don't make all the requirements for a rank.

 

if a certain program area's activities can fulfill MOST requirements for a badge, find out what is needed to offer the remaining requirements and implement it, if at all possible - don't leave the boys hanging with partials because they COULD NOT be completed.

 

Do not make everything merit badge 'classes'. Some things, for safety reasons, have to be scheduled into group sizes and times for safety - waterfront activities and shooting sports, particularly, come to mind. But make program areas mostly open - a boy can simply putz around, wander through activities as his whim directs, and have fun, spending his whole week in one or two areas, or he can work through as many requirements as he wants - Working on one badge a day, or few badges, a little every day. Schedules are for school - not camp.

 

 

Camp should feel FREE. Camp should be a universe unto itself - a magic place where time slows down and adults don't interfere, and the chance to climb a wall (or a tree), sail a boat, and do fun stuff you can't find in your own backyard. Merit badges and rank advancements should be a side effect of all the interesting things to do - they are the method and not a goal in themselves.

 

Laura

 

 

 

 

 

[Eamonn]

Base the program on the National Jamboree program.

A Merit Badge Midway.

Action Areas.

Areas of interest.

Serve only one meal a day in the dining hall.

Have the other meals cooked in the patrol site.

Find out who trains the staff at Philmont and kidnap that person.

Eamonn(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

[willysjeep]

In light of the recent situation I would like to propose a new plan for our old beloved summer camp. Taking Camp Hiawatha *wink wink* as an example I would like to

 

1) do away with the dining hall as it does nothing to support the patrol method. Instead I would like to require patrol cooking. Of course we would need to have some equipment available if the troop requested it, but no more of this dining hall nonsense.

 

2) I would like to see that every campsite is equipped with only a latrine and fire pit. Dining flys, and tents should be available from the camp quartermaster if a troop should request it. After all, we are supposed to be teaching these boys about camping, so why do all of the work for them? Let them pitch their own site with the guidance of the site guide and their leadership. If a troop wishes to provide their own tents for the week the camp should offer them some discount to compensate them for the savings on our equipment.

 

3) hire a staff of scouts, pay them a decent wage, and have an intensive staff week. I would like to have enough staff so that if some people wished to leave they wouldn't be letting anybody down. Don't make the one or two bad apples feel obligated to stay, as all staffs will have a few.

 

4) reenforce some of the more traditional scoutcraft skills. I would like to see a nature class where scouts learn to move quietly and observe animals without scaring them off. I would like to see more scouts cook over open fires when they can. and I would like to see more scouts less dependant on half a truck load of equipment to be "comfortable" in camp. A high adventure program offering minni over night and 3 day options would be nice.

 

5) I would also like to see a "traditional" overnight campout established. I would like to look at it as sort of a living museum exhibit. I'm sure with all of the long standing troops in the council that a collection could be put together for some historic gear to stock in the quartermaster's building for just such an occasion. A patrol could sign up and have the loan of a patrol cook set, wool blankets, canvas tarps, and an axe. Other historic items like canvas backpacks could also be available. These scouts would take a short hike to an outpost campsite and enjoy how caming once was long ago, and possibly come to appreciate their modern equipment more, or possibly learn to enjoy some older equipment.

 

6) I would like to get rid of our camp's rumor as a merit badge mill and approach badges from a less strict goal oriented method. All to often a scout will forget half of what he memorizes for a badge anyways. Why not instead of forcing the entire thing on him, take it at a slower pace and let him learn what he is supposed to. Of course this would lead to more "partial" merit badge cards for the scoutmaster, but I can gurantee that the scouts could remember what they did when they might actually need the information later on.

 

7) I would like to see our shooting sports programs become more mainstream. make them as fun as possible and encourage more things like open shoots, friendly competitions, the postal shoot, and of course offer all of the shooting sports badges we possibly could.

 

In closing..... please hire me because if you don't I'll spend all year hibernating in my cave off in the woods with nothing to do but post into internet message boards!

 

Oh and lastly, I would like to develop a short, end of the season, and possibly congruent with the boyscout program, cub camp. Cub packs don't go camping nearly enough, so I would like to offer them another opportunity other than resident camp to come up and camp. I would especially like to offer a Webelos overnighter some time during Boyscout camp just to possibly introduce the webelos a little better to boyscouting.