What Is BSA Doing Right?

[dkurtenbach]

Many discussions have lots to say about things BSA is doing wrong or not doing at all. Just for a change of pace, what is BSA doing right?

 

Dan Kurtenbach

Fairfax, VA

[BSA24]

Congressional Charter.

Government support.

Trademarked expressions and badges.

Fundraising.

 

 

 

 

 

[Venividi]

High adventure opportunities

[johnponz]

BSA does a lot right. The biggest, current accomplishment is the Summit Base in WV. The idea to open an East Coast equivalent of Philmont that will be the permanent home to the National Jamboree was excellent thinking on BSA's part, and from what I have seen they are doing it world class.

 

Some will say that I am wrong, but I also believe that the rewrite of the GTA (Guide to Advancement-edited after Outdoor's comment-I made a mistake and typed GSA instead of GTA)to make it more clear and user friendly was a plus. National's focus on the Commissioner corps and the activity level of the National Commissioner and his staff is also a definite plus.(This message has been edited by johnponz)

[Get Outdoors]

In addition to what other have already siad; The new Guide to Advancement is a home run. I like they they took some of the gray out of it.

[Twocubdad]

Chartering thousands of units across the country which are delivering the promise of Scouting to youth.

[JMHawkins]

Let me ask a slightly different question. What is BSA doing better today than it was doing in 1962?

[dkurtenbach]

Better than in 1962? Using computer technology and electronic communication. But that doesn't mean that BSA is doing it well now.

 

As for what BSA is doing right, I'd agree that promoting high adventure and outdoorsmanship is one. It wasn't many years ago that I was very concerned that BSA was turning away from outdoorsmanship.

 

I'd also add: retaining the Scout Oath and Law unchanged.

[Brewmeister]

Not bowing to political pressure and/or PC correctness to compromise its principles.

[Eagledad]

What is BSA still doing right:

 

Mission statement

Vision statement

Scout Law and Oath

Three Aims and Eight Methods.

 

I know those are a bit idealistic, but when used as intended, they provide the best youth scouting program in the world. Personally I'm still impressed by it.

 

Barry

 

[Papadaddy]

Better than in 1962? Apples and oranges. Different times, different culture. In 1962, we had few options to compete for our time. I could sit in the house with no A/C and watch 3 channels on a B/W TV...or join the Scouts.

[Basementdweller]

I disagree that the summit is like philmont.....

 

The summit is going to be a group of X game like activities that can be sampled over a week period in a Resident camp like setting. Mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, Zip lines, mountain skate boarding, white water rafting and probably kayaking.....

 

Some one called it McAdventure. But ya know my son is excited by the offerings.

 

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Philmont type activities. My preference is for a quality low cost type camping program.

 

Perhaps that's not practical in many parts of the country, but around here it's a fifty mile drive to the Pacific Crest Trail or a ninety mile drive to the Wonderland Trail that circles Mt Rainier National Park.

 

There are loads of wilderness trips available for 2-3 day or fifty miler type trips.

 

As a result, I've never been to Philmont or a National Jamboree. Neither have I seen Patrol Leader Councils that proposed those as activities on their own initiative.

 

My bias is to suggest that we are making a mistake by defining Scouting as involving very expensive trips to something like a manufactured Disneyland kind of experience. I have no objection to units doing that kind of activity if they wish to do so, but it seems we are creating a program that requires very large investments to do it.

[Twocubdad]

Agreed, SP, which is why I think the Summit is a good idea. From here, more than half the cost of Philmont is getting there. Finding adults who can make the commitment to the full, two week trek is tough.

 

I'm looking forward to being able to drive to The Summit in a few hours, doing a couple days of whitewater or climbing, then heading home.

 

By the way, we've got a crew at Seabase now. Absolutely the driving force behind the trip was our SPL. He's a SCUBA diver and decided he wanted to do Seabase so he put the trip together.

[JMHawkins]

I'm not a huge fan of high-cost McAdventure trips either (and SP is right, we do have it pretty good here in the PNW for roll-your-own outdoor adventures. 50-miler through hikes of Olympic National Park at varying levels of difficulty, sea kayaking the San Juan islands, climb Mt. Saint Helens and look into the crater...).

 

But, I do think the X-games notion is a good step in the "Scouting is cool" department. Mountain Boarding, zip lines, white-water rafting, SCUBA, I think those help the image. So that's definitely something BSA is doing right. Also something BSA is doing "better" than 1962.