Rejecting ASM Applications from College Students

[Lisabob]

ex Eagle? (sorry, couldn't pass it by)

 

Maybe the kid is missing scouting and wants to be involved with an organization he has been part of since 1st grade?

 

Maybe the kid enjoys being in the outdoors and wants to get away from the college dorm at least once a week?

 

Maybe he has an insatiable craving for dutch oven cooking and dump cake?

 

Maybe he saw the local troop at some event recently and thought "hey, I bet I could lend a hand?"

 

Of course in a lot of college towns there's a sharp class distinction between locals and the college population. But that's a shame. Here's a kid who does not want to be cut off from society for the next 4 years of his life. He wants to be part of a community. And the boy scouts are turning him down? Hmmm...

 

 

[Engineer61]

"Statistically it's far more likely that one of the dads will molest a boy, eh? "

 

That's a given... That's why I don't trust them either... they aren't my buddies, I don't know then other than by sight when I see them 3-4 times a year at CoH's.

[jrush]

Sasha,

 

Who has more influence with a teenage boy? A 21 year old cool older brother, or mommy?

 

I don't doubt there was fear involved, but I do doubt it was fear over physical safety.

 

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith]

Well Im glad I didnt end up going too far for college because I would have tried to join a troop where ever I ended up. And we tell every one of our boys to think about looking into troops where ever they go in order to stay involved with scouting.

 

The younger adults have a tendency to be able to connect with the boys better and be more up to date with the program as they just went through it. Im saying this generally as some leaders will put nose to grind stone and learn every little change since they left and some young adults just didnt pay attention.

 

The young adults are a great resource and if they want to join a troop there is no reason to assume that its for the worst possible reasons. Thats one of the real problems with our culture now a days there is zero trust. Do some background and if it checks out trust that they are there to help and not to cause problems.

 

I havent been too involved with my troop recently (but I remain involved in other areas of scouting) because of some internal problems which a lot of you know about but at the jamboree i was there with a differnt group and every one of the boys from my troop made a point of coming and hanging out with me and talking to me. I was a young adult in the troop and I had made a difference in their lives.

 

[Cambridgeskip]

I find it extraordinary that any willing adult volunteer would be turned away without very good reason. So what if he is a student? We currently have two student assistant leaders with our scouts and two with our cubs plus a 3rd who only graduated and stayed in the area a few months back. In fact scouting in Cambridge would fall over if it were not for the students who volunteer across the city. In addition the uni scout and guide club run a number of events at district and county level which are fantastic. Do US uni's have similar organisations? They are a huge success over here. The Cambridge website is well worth a look

 

http://www.srcf.ucam.org/cusagc/index.php?l=home

 

[Eagle707]

That's a pretty impressive group. Thanks for posting the link.

 

Scout/Guide clubs aren't as common in the United States but they're slowly gaining popularity and some schools even charter Venturing units. According to Mike Walton's Scoutinsignia.com, the BSA used to charter Exploring units to universities but they didn't make the switch to Venturing.

 

In my case, my friends and I created an informal group at our university but we're still working toward full university recognition. We volunteer for council and district events when our schedules allow and encourage Roundtable attendance.

[skeptic]

Many of the larger universities and colleges have Alpha Phi Omega fraternities, which is a service group aimed at BSA and similar groups whose past members are attending the institutions. Of course they were also the forerunner of NESA. They have a web site, and were represented at the jamboree in 2010.

 

As noted, there is really very little reason to NOT accept the young man's help, as long as you check his credentials and references properly. But that should be done with any adult app.

[sherminator505]

We do look askance at younger Scouters sometimes, don't we? Well, what would motivate a college-aged Eagle Scou to volunteer with a Troop in his adopted college town? Maybe a simple desire to continue Scouting? Maybe a sincere desire to pay what he received from Scouting forward to the next generation of Scouts? Now I'm sure there are folks like Engineer61 and the person quoted in the OP who are cynical enough to dismiss such notions out of hand, but I for one still have enough faith in the program to accept the idea that it still produces Eagle Scouts that are capable of quality leadership no matter where life takes them.(This message has been edited by sherminator505)

[Eagle92]

Since I turned 18, except for when I turned to the dark side and was a pro , I have served as a volunteer on the unit and/or district level. I served while in college, I served when I didn't have kids in the program, I served while in grad school, and now I serve b/c my oldest is in Cubs.

 

Why did I serve all this time all this time.

 

1) FUN. No lie I am addicted to Scouting. I enjoy being in the outdoors. I enjoy putting together programs that the scouts will have fun with. I enjoy working with and mentoring youth. Despite the pettiness of some adults, despite the politics that can arise, and especially despite national and their assinine rules like the ones that just came this week in regards to training, I enjoy Scouting.

 

2)Someone served as a leader and mentor to me when I was a scout, now it's payback. My dad was not the best one around. It was the adults in my troop that were my role models: Messrs Kenny, Mike, Tom, Doc J, and especially my SM, Mr. Joe. They were my father figures.They were the ones I looked up to. And if wasn't for them giving of their time, talents, and treasure, I honestly do not know where I would be at today. They set the example of service, and it is only right that I continue it.

 

3) Scouting has been good to me, now I need to be good to Scouting. As a youth and young adult, scouting gave me opportunities that most teens and young adults do not have. I've gone through leadership training that I use to this day, and amaze folks when I say I learned this as a scout. I've had the opportunity to meet folks from around the country and world at a national scout jamboree. I've had the opportunity to travel out of the country twice, first to go canoeing in Canada, the second as a participant in the European Camp Staff Program where I worked with scouts form all over the world. I feel that I need to provide some of the opportunities for the youth.

 

4) Camraderie. it really is true, no matter where you go, scouts are brothers. When overseas I was able on my days off to go kayaking with British Sea Scouts near the camp, or go to on tour with an English troop, or be invited to dinner with a Scottish troop. In the US, I've had leaders and former who have "done their good turn for the day" when I was in need. I've had them approach me in supermarkets and restaurants and talk about their time. I enjoy my friendships in scouting. And this was especially important when moving to new areas and not knowing anyone in the area.

 

I admit my reasons now are a bit more selfish; I want my son to have fun and enjoy scouting as much as I have. But as my wife has pointed out on a few occasion (today was one of them) sometimes my son makes sacrifices because I am helping others.

 

Anyway, the reasons above are why I stayed in scouting until I had a son old enough to join.

 

(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[hotdesk]

I'm 24 years old. Since turning 18, I've served as a scout leader for all but 12 months. I have served as a Membership Coordinator (2006-2008), New Scout Assistant Scoutmaster (2006-2008), Spaghetti Dinner Coordinator (2008), Chartered Organization Rep (2008-2010), Den Leader (2008-2010 and 2011), and Cub Scout Committee Chairman (2011). I have served for three different units, which have been at the leisure of those units and at my desire.

 

I have done this for many similar reasons to Eagle1992. I enjoy giving back, enjoying help kids become strong, and the relationships I have built with adult leaders.

[hotdesk]

I'm 24 years old. Since turning 18, I've served as a scout leader for all but 12 months. I have served as a Membership Coordinator (2006-2008), New Scout Assistant Scoutmaster (2006-2008), Spaghetti Dinner Coordinator (2008), Chartered Organization Rep (2008-2010), Den Leader (2008-2010 and 2011), and Cub Scout Committee Chairman (2011). I have served for three different units, which have been at the leisure of those units and at my desire.

 

I have done this for many similar reasons to Eagle1992. I enjoy giving back, enjoying help kids become strong, and the relationships I have built with adult leaders.

[Eamonn]

I was very young when I first became a Scout Leader (SM).

Thankfully, there was in the District a great guy who was SL of another Troop who was willing to take me under his wing.

Still even within my own Scout Group, there was a feeling that I was very much like a bull in a china shop.

The Committee thought I was moving things along too fast and spending way too much money.

I was young, I didn't like to wait for anything and I hated being told "No".

When I wasn't around Scouts, I liked to hang out with my mates in the local pubs, drive my motorcycle maybe a little too fast, my hair was kind of long, my pants were kind of very wide, my music was kinda loud and I was very vocal about being anti-conservative.

While maybe? I didn't see it at the time. I'll bet a good many of the Committee were worried and had a few sleepless nights.

 

I'm very much for having younger guys and maybe? Girls be part of the Troops leadership team.

While I do see a few areas that might need to be addressed and talked about, for the most part I see having younger people around as being a good thing.

Many, in fact most of the Troops in the area where I live has had the same SM for a very long time.

Most also have a handful of ASM's who have served alongside the SM for a good number of years.

Every now and then a Dad or a Den Leader will cross over with his son, or with a group of boys from local Packs.

As a rule these new faces don't tend to be around or last that long.

In part because they never feel that they are part of the "Inner Circle" Or part of "The Team".

Wrong as it might be, there are a lot of units where the leaders are so used to doing things the way that they have got used to doing things, that new faces are seen as being the face of change and change isn't very welcome.

The sad thing is that a lot of the time these older guys who want to close ranks and not accept new faces are the same guys who harp on and complain that no one is helping them.

Sometimes you just can't win for losing!

Ea.

[OldGreyEagle]

So, did the young man propose a trip where he, by himself, would take patrol of First Year Scouts on a trip? No?

 

Would a 67ish grandfatherly type man be better? One with an excellent resume of working with youth AND associated with a major Univiersity Athletic program? A retired Football defensive coordinator of two National Champions? Would that be safer?

 

Anybody want Jerry Sandusky as anything on your unit roster? He is about as far away from a College student as you can get and he WAS abusing kids. You do your job and make sure the Youth Protrction rules are followed.(This message has been edited by oldgreyeagle)

[Stosh]

The best scout I have ever had in any of the troops is in college now.

 

At first he was a major pill to say the least. He did a 180 turn around, Eagled, served as 4th ASM at the 2010 Jambo. Spoke at the Golden Eagle banquet last year, served as the assistant program director for the high adventure program at a boy-led, patrol-method summer camp and has now moved on to college. He's joined ROTC and one day wishes to be a fighter pilot.

 

Any troop that turns down this man's application because he's only 19 years old is a total fool.

 

Each application needs to be carefully checked out, but age should not be one of the criteria by which a person is accepted/rejected.

 

It was a very sad day when I bid him adieu as he went off to college and his last words to me was he was excited about joining a new troop in his college town so he could stay active in BSA.

 

These kinds of young men serve every year at BSA summer camps all over the country, yet when it comes to the everyday work of a local troop, somehow that automatically disqualifies them because they are too young? Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Stosh

[Jay K]

We had a young man at a college very near our Charter partner's facility. He's an Eagle. He was with us October-May one school year, was gone over the summer, came back and was with us August- May, graduated, and went into the Amricorps.

He was outstanding. He worked well with the Scouts, and he encouraged the scouts regarding advancement in a way that us middle aged men could not. I think of the Peanuts tv specials, where the adults sound like squawking muted trumpets.

"My" own Eagles, as they go off to college, are encouraged by me to find a local Troop and offer their support.