Category Archives: Varsity

shovel

Check the BSA’s tool-use guidelines before your next service project

1 May 2012

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Hey, you with the post-hole digger! Let me see some ID!

When it comes to service projects, nobody does it better — or safer — than the Boy Scouts.

But before you gather equipment for your next Good Turn, ask yourself some questions:

Can my 14- and 15-year-old Boy Scouts use lawnmowers and string trimmers to cut the grass at the local church?

Can my 16- and 17-year-old Venturers use a chain saw and log splitter to cut firewood for elderly residents?

In this case, the answer is no and no.

That’s why it’s critical to follow the Age Guidelines for Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations, a new document that details how old Scouts should be to use certain hand tools and power tools at service projects (including Eagle Scout service projects).

I’ve got complete details below.

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grand-canyon

During National Park Week, the great outdoors becomes even greater

20 April 2012

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What’s the only thing better than visiting a national park with Scouts?

Taking that same trip for free.

That’s the beauty of National Park Week, held this year from April 21-29. For these nine glorious days — spanning two full weekends —  all 397 national parks waive entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees.

National Park Week is one of several fee-free periods each year, but it’s by far the longest, giving you plenty of time to put your wallet away, find a park, and watch America’s Best Idea get even better.

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safety-crossing-sign

What’s the No. 1 killer of children? (or: How the BSA keeps your Scouts safe)

19 April 2012

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Every hour in the United States, a child dies from a preventable injury.

Car crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls took the lives of more than 9,000 children in 2009, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released this week. Preventable injuries kill more Americans under age 19 than any other cause.

And for every one child who dies, 925 more are treated in emergency rooms.

Fortunately for Scouts and Scouters, the BSA has been a health and safety pioneer for more than a century, working with medical and risk management experts to make the program one of the safest out there. (Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety, anyone?)

That doesn’t mean injury prevention happens by itself, though. Following the BSA’s carefully worded safety guidelines can help you avoid a trip to the emergency room on your next campout — but only if you’ve actually read them.

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Central Park, shown above, is considered the ultimate "urban forest" as it sits in the heart of New York City.

Submit your ‘urban forest’ photos to win U.S. Forest Service contest

13 April 2012

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While you may dream of a picturesque backyard—dotted with mountain peaks, green trees, and acres of land for you to explore—more than 80 percent of the U.S. population resides in urban areas.

And, as our cities grow, it’s more important than ever to appreciate, conserve, and cultivate urban forests in our neighborhoods. That’s precisely the goal of the U.S. Forest Service’s “My Neighborhood Forest Photo Contest.”

Snap a digital photo of your favorite urban green space—including parks, gardens, greenways, natural areas, and more—and submit your photos at urbanforest.challenge.gov.

After the contest ends July 22, three winners and 12 finalists will be selected by U.S. Forest Service judges. The “Grand Prize” winner will take home $200 worth of outdoors gear (including a daypack, trekking poles, and more); the “Runner Up” will take home $25 worth of gear; and 12 finalists will receive a U.S. Forest Service T-shirt, pen, and water bottle.

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iphone-nature

Smartphones: The modern-day camper’s Swiss Army knife?

14 March 2012

23 Comments

Maybe. But here’s the debate: Should you allow your Scouts to bring their smartphones on camping trips?

Sure, Scouters and Scouts can do it all with these powerful gadgets. A smartphone (or tablet) is a watch, an alarm clock, a digital compass, a camera, a GPS navigator, a Boy Scout Handbook, a constellation map, an encyclopedia, and a guide to tying knots—all in one device.

Costs and size are down, while battery life and cell coverage are up.

And with those factors in mind, many troops, teams, and crews now allow Scouts to carry an iPhone, iPad, Android device, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry on campouts—with certain restrictions, of course.

Still, how did Scout units come to that decision? And if Scouts can bring their smartphones or tablets camping, how can you ensure that they don’t abuse the privilege?

To find out, I asked our Facebook fans for their take on the subject. Here’s what I learned:

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vote-liberty-bell

Can packs, troops, teams, or crews participate in political rallies?

8 March 2012

31 Comments

The Boy Scouts of America might be the most patriotic organization in the U.S.

But don’t take that to mean we endorse any one political party.

The same applies to your pack, troop, team, or crew. You and your Scouts should Do Your Duty to Country but not by endorsing any one candidate.

During election years, though, the line between patriotism and political favoritism becomes thin, making it important to remind you of the BSA’s official policy on Scout participation in political rallies.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions and the BSA’s official answers: Continue reading »

resolutions-2012

Nine ways to be a better Scouter in 2012

29 December 2011

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Here’s a New Year’s resolution you’ll want to keep: Be a better Scouter next year.

I should point out that you’re already pretty great. Like in business, a big part of being a successful Scouting volunteer is simply showing up.

By being there at meetings, campouts, and events, you’ve already secured a place in the upper echelon of society.

So thanks for a great 2011, folks. But hey — why rest on your laurels?

Let’s make 2012 even better. Here’s how:

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scoutstrong

Move it! Take the SCOUTStrong PALA Challenge today

20 October 2011

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To keep myself physically strong … 

It’s right there in the Scout Oath, but chances are you or someone in your pack, troop, team, or crew needs a little reminder.

I’ve got just the thing: The SCOUTStrong Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge.

The program, a result of a partnership between the BSA and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, rewards you for being physically active in Scouting and your daily life.

Who can participate? Anyone associated with the BSA. That means Scouts, Venturers, parents, volunteers, council staff, board members, friends of Scouting, and BSA alumni.

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KABPledge

Bullying: Stop it from hurting a Scout in your unit

6 October 2011

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Think bullying doesn’t happen to your Scouts?

Consider this sobering fact: More than 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school each day from fear of being bullied, according to the National Bullying Prevention Center.

That means the odds are good that someone in your pack, troop, team, or crew deals with a bully on a regular basis — at school, in Scouts, or both.

And if the bully is lurking in your Scout unit, you can bet the victim will think twice before he or she attends another meeting or campout. What a tragedy it would be for a youth to drop out of Scouting because he or she is scared of a bully.

Ignoring it won’t work. It’s up to you and your fellow Scout leaders to understand the warning signs and know how to stop it. Now.

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