Top 10 Reasons for Summer Camp

[ianwilkins]

32 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

The Scouts I know who are (quietly but openly gay) are among the most opposed. 

Do they not want the competition? 

[Tampa Turtle]

19 minutes ago, NJCubScouter said:

I have never heard Scouts talking about this.  That does not necessarily mean they don't talk about it, but if they do, they have the good sense to talk about it outside the earshot of adults.  My memory of what I discussed with my fellow Scouts back in the day is a little hazy, but of course there were no girls on staff to talk about anyway. 

I guess our boys lacked good sense.

[Eagledad]

10 minutes ago, NJCubScouter said:

I have never heard Scouts talking about this.  That does not necessarily mean they don't talk about it, but if they do, they have the good sense to talk about it outside the earshot of adults.  My memory of what I discussed with my fellow Scouts back in the day is a little hazy, but of course there were no girls on staff to talk about anyway. 

The three things I remember our patrol talking about in the 1970s at the patrol campfire was cars, movies and girls. It was educational for the younger scouts. I can say at least 50% of the reason I joined the Scuba Explorers was because of the girls who wore bikinis during many of our activities. 

As for boys talking about girls at camp, I remember once a young very attractive Webelos leader causing quite a stir with the camp staff at our council Webelos summer camp. Especially at the swim area.

Scouting does not stop human nature.

Barry

[NJCubScouter]

12 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

The three things I remember our patrol talking about in the 1970s at the patrol campfire was cars, movies and girls. It was educational for the younger scouts. I can say at least 50% of the reason I joined the Scuba Explorers was because of the girls who wore bikinis during many of our activities. 

As for boys talking about girls at camp, I remember once a young very attractive Webelos leader causing quite a stir with the camp staff at our council Webelos summer camp. Especially at the swim area.

Scouting does not stop human nature.

Barry

It doesn't.  I did not mean to suggest we did not talk about girls.  I was just responding to Tampa Turtle's list that included female camp staffers as an evaluation point for camps among the boys.  It wasn't a checklist item back then because the camp staff was all-male, I guess with the exception of the camp nurse, but the point is there were no girls.  I didn't know about Scuba Explorers back then. 

[Eagledad]

1 minute ago, NJCubScouter said:

It doesn't.  I did not mean to suggest we did not talk about girls.  I was just responding to Tampa Turtle's list that included female camp staffers as an evaluation point for camps among the boys.  It wasn't a checklist item back then because the camp staff was all-male, I guess with the exception of the camp nurse, but the point is there were no girls.  I didn't know about Scuba Explorers back then. 

As a pilot and Aero Engineer, you would have thought I'd join Aviation Explorers. But sometimes hormones...........

[RememberSchiff]

Another reason, good chance to come back as CIT and later, possibly a Counselor.

 

[WRW_57]

# 12 Interact with great roles models

I remember many of the camp* staff showed that one could be accomplished, skilled, true to the scouting ideals, and be cool all at the time. Most all of them were Eagle Scouts.  Far more impressive than the adults we had with us.

*Camp Emerald Bay, Camp Cherry Valley, Camp Pico Blanco

Edited December 29, 2017 by WRW_57

[sst3rd]

I brought this thread back, as another thread was going a bit off topic concerning what summer camp programs have evolved into.

 

Relating to the title of "this" topic: the troop, of which I have been mentoring their new scoutmaster, is going to our local camp next week. I suggested months ago to continue to build up this reorganized troop for one more year, and then go to summer camp. I was ignored by the CC who was already making plans for these new scouts to go. She wanted all of them to max out on merit badges, as three classes were available in the morning and two in the afternoon. The parents supported this too, although I tried to explain how summer camp can certainly include advancement but should also be FUN! This camp offers all merit badges. When I read the leader's package, I couldn't believe it. They were doing everything they could to draw scouts from where ever they could. Needless to say, you can guess the quality of the courses. This camp hasn't had a good reputation for years. Staff turnover is big every year. They operate with very young staffers who simply can't teach and get no respect from the scouts for obvious reasons. But this camp has air conditioned the dining hall, and opened a new facility to teach all STEM merit badges (air conditioned of course). It's hot and humid in this area of the country. I'm afraid these scouts are going to come back from camp wishing they'd never gone. They've done none of the pre-requisites, and I would not be surprised if all of their merit badge classes come back as incompletes. But I forgot that this camp gives merit badges away.

There's so much more to summer camp then advancement.

I have my memories,

 

sst3rd

[MikeS72]

25 minutes ago, sst3rd said:

I would not be surprised if all of their merit badge classes come back as incompletes. But I forgot that this camp gives merit badges away.

There's so much more to summer camp then advancement.

We did our first of 2 summer camps three weeks ago.  Seven out of the twelve boys who attended are new to the troop since February, and participated in the camp's Trailblazer program.  They spent a good portion of the 'instructional day' working on Second Class & First Class requirements.  They also had time in the middle of the day for merit badges, most of them earned 2 for the week.

I say most of them, as this camp is, thankfully, a stickler for completions being actually earned.  A couple of the younger boys, along with some of the older ones, came back with incompletes that they will have to finish back home.

One of the things they really enjoyed was the 'troop time' activities each night after dinner.  They went on a long swamp trek, which I had better sense that to try; they did mountain biking, zip lining, archery, rifles, shotgun, and much more - all things they chose to do.  One of the highlights of the week was a very impressive Native American Pow Wow.

We are leaving at 6am for our second trip, this one an out of state camp that the boys chose.  It has an excellent reputation.  Hopefully they will have as much fun there as they did locally.