Radio-active JOTA participation reaches new heights

20 November 2012

JOTA, I hear you loud and clear.

More than 18,000 American Scouts participated in the 2012 edition of the Jamboree on the Air last month. That’s a whopping 482 percent leap over last year’s participant total.

So let me extend a big Bravo Zulu (that’s “well done” in radio speak) to the 136 Scout councils, 41 states, and 18,537 Scouts who expanded their minds through long-distance radio communication. And even more kudos to Jim Wilson (K5ND) and the eight-member National Radio Scouting Committee.

Scouts from the U.S. contacted other participants in all 50 states and in 66 different countries. Max Siles, a New Jersey unit commissioner, was impressed. Continue reading »

In the loop: A guide to square knots, and how to wear them

20 November 2012

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You’ve been awarded a square knot. Congratulations! Now what?

If you’ve been honored with one of the 34 square knots currently available (see the full list below), waste no time in sewing that badge of honor to your uniform. Though they don’t tell the whole story of a Scouter’s impact, these tiny rectangles provide great evidence of a volunteer’s efforts.

But before you dust off the sewing machine, read these tips:

Location, location, location: Knots should go over the left pocket, as seen from the wearer’s perspective. Line them up in rows of three in any order you choose. Typically, the knot you deem most important is worn on the bottom row on your right, but that’s your call. If your knot total isn’t divisible by three — aka you have a row of one or two knots — you can either center them in the row or keep them aligned to your right. The latter method means you won’t have to re-sew those knots if you get a new one.

Count to nine: If you’ve been a Scouter for some time, those knots could really stack up. How high they go above your pocket is up to you, but the BSA recommends wearing no more than nine — or three rows of three.

Don’t flip out: Yes, square knots have a right-side-up. The chart above explains the process of determining which end goes where. This can be tricky on single-color knots, but if you squint really hard you can tell which loop on the knot is above the other.

Which knot is which?: Let’s hope you can identify the knots on your own uniform, but it’s likely you’ll see a knot or two out in the field that you don’t recognize. Here’s a handy chart (click to enlarge): Continue reading »

Why do we love Scouting? Let us count the ways …

12 November 2012

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Young or old, single mom or new dad, Scouting has millions of fans across the country.

I know why I love the Boy Scouts of America—it was my gateway to this awesome job, for one—but I wanted to hear others’ stories. So I pinged our friends on Facebook with this simple question: Why do you love the Boy Scouts of America?

You really should take a moment to read all of the answers at this link. It’s enough to remind us why we do what we do for this organization.

But if you’re short on time, I’ve culled my 15 favorite responses below. Continue reading »

Your life just got easier, thanks to these new online unit and district tools

9 November 2012

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Updating your personal info in the BSA’s database shouldn’t take an act of congress.

Fortunately, a just-launched suite of unit and district tools has the power to change your address, phone number, e-mail, or more—with just a click.

In the past, Scouters or parents who needed to make changes had to call their council. Now they can do all of it through the Unit and District Tools page on MyScouting (changes to your name and date of birth still go through your council, for Youth Protection reasons).

I suggest you log in soon and make sure the BSA has your most up-to-date contact info. Does someone in your unit lack reliable computer access? Have them call one of their unit’s Key 3 (unit leader, the chartered organization representative, or the unit committee chairman) to change it for them.

And simplified contact info is just the beginning. Phase 1 also offers an announcements page, a calendar, and a roster manager. You can learn about all the new tools and how to use them in the tutorial below. Or just log in and explore. I found it very intuitive.

I also want to draw your attention to the design of the new Unit and District Tools site. It’s clean and simple, with large icons and no frills. That’s a conscious, forward-thinking move by Debra Kendrew, Brianne Dondlinger, and other members of the project team.

“It’s designed simply for a reason,” Debra says. “It’s optimized for use on all mobile devices.”

Future phases will only make these tools better. Debra and Brianne gave me a sneak peek of these changes coming soon: Continue reading »

New recruiting materials will help you catch a Tiger (or Cub Scout or Boy Scout or Venturer)

5 November 2012

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Materials are also available en Español.

The first step’s always the hardest.

And when it comes to recruiting future Scouts, that first step is simple awareness. If a boy (or Venturing-age girl) in your area doesn’t know about your Scout unit, how can you recruit him or her?

Thankfully, you don’t have to do all the work yourself. The BSA’s marketing team has your back with a treasure trove of fliers, billboards, posters, yard signs, door hangers, bookmarks, postcards, Web banners, PSAs, and e-blasts. And it’s all available in three flavors: English, Spanish, and bilingual.

New this month are Tiger Cub recruiting materials, which join the high-quality Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing materials already available.

Simply download the PDFs, add info about your unit’s meeting location, Web site, and contact info, and then print/post/publish wherever boys and girls are found. I’m thinking schools, youth sports facilities, places of worship, supermarkets, community centers, etc.

Find all the National Recruitment Campaign materials at the BSA’s marketing site.

Your uniform questions, all sewn up

2 November 2012

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White boxes show you where the patch belongs. Drag it there, and it gets magically “sewn” onto the uniform.

Finally, an easy way to answer the question, “What do I wear?”

A new, easy-to-use uniform Web site targeted at new Scout families just debuted, courtesy of the folks in Program Impact and the Supply Group.

Click on the appropriate Scouting program — Cub Scouts, Webelos, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Leaders, and Dress Uniforms (professionals). From there, you’re presented with a list of required and awarded patches that you can drag and drop to where they belong on the uniform. It’s simple and fun.

Give it a try, and be sure to bookmark bsauniforms.org to send to the new parents in your pack, troop, team, or crew. And to buy actual uniform components, they’ll want to visit ScoutStuff.org or their local Scout Shop.

What you’re seeing now is Phase 1, which gives you an idea of what’s possible with this useful tool. The next step is to include everything found in the Guide to Awards and Insignia. It’s a working project that will get better over time.

Now if only they can find a way to sew the patches on for you, as well!

Is an older Scout who wears his uniform in public committing ‘social suicide?’ Weigh in on one Scoutmaster’s policy

Open for debate: What’s your Scout unit’s uniform policy?

Judgment call: Who should get access to your unit contact list?

22 October 2012

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In your unit, is a Scout’s contact info freely available or guarded like nuclear launch codes?

Two forces are competing here: Effective, efficient communication between families — and privacy. How do you straddle the thin line dividing the two?

That’s what assistant Scoutmaster Leon wondered in an e-mail to me last week. Take a look at his note, and then weigh in below: Continue reading »

BSA to use Scout Oath and Scout Law for all programs

17 October 2012

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It’s official: The resolution to move to one Oath and Law for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity, Sea Scouts, and Venturing was approved this morning by the Boy Scouts of America’s executive board.

I first told you about the volunteer-led proposal in a blog post in August.

Essentially, this means every Scout of any age will use the Scout Oath and Law instead of reciting separate, program-specific sayings. Cub Scouts will recite the Scout Oath and Law instead of the Cub Scout Promise and Law of the Pack. Similarly, Venturers will no longer use the Venturing Oath and Venturing Code.

Because it will take time to transition into this new approach, the changes are not immediate.

The Venturing change will not happen until late 2013 or early 2014; the Cub Scout change will take effect in mid-2015. Stay tuned to my blog for exact dates as I get them.

Additionally, the newly adopted resolution replaces the full-hand Venturing sign and salute with the three-finger Boy Scout sign and salute.

UPDATE (10/18/12): I confirmed the above sentence today. Venturing will begin to use the Scout sign and Scout salute. This wasn’t mentioned in the resolution because the sign and salute are not specified in the rules and regulations.

For the full resolution and answers to some frequently asked questions, follow the jump: Continue reading »

How do you know if a campfire skit or song is “Scout-appropriate”?

12 October 2012

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Just when you thought the Friday night campfire was going smoothly, the Eagle patrol had to do that skit.

You know, the one with salty language, an inappropriate ethnic joke, or sexual innuendo?

Now you, the Scoutmaster, will spend all week fielding angry calls and e-mails from moms and dads in the troop.

If only this could’ve been avoided…

Before your next Scout campfire, let’s work together to answer two questions: (1) How do you screen a skit or song to make sure it’s appropriate? (2) What criteria do you use to determine whether it’s “in good taste”? Continue reading »

Get gritty: Celebrate ‘Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day’

5 October 2012

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Do your typical weekend plans involve dirt and Scouting? Step things up a notch! Add some rubber to the mix with a mountain-biking outing.

Tomorrow’s the perfect time to head out to your local mountain-biking trail to celebrate Saturday Oct. 6 as “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” hosted by the International Mountain Biking Association.

Check out this interactive map of the U.S. to locate a “Take a Kid Mountain Biking” event near you.

Young mountain bikers—from Tiger Cubs to older Scouts and Venturers—will stun you with how easily they pedal on gritty surfaces. Their catlike reflexes allow them to zip around sharp turns like Indy-500 drivers!

Besides being a great way to get some exercise and add a new activity to your troop or crew, a mountain-biking trip is a good excuse to get Scouts ready for what they’ll experience at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. The home of the jamboree, the brand-new Summit Bechtel Reserve, touts a three-tier trail system allowing Scouts to choose the difficulty of their mountain-biking experience (shown in the photo above).

Before you head out, be sure to review page 34 of the Guide to Safe Scouting for information on cycling safety.

And don’t forget to “Like” the International Mountain Biking Association on Facebook and enter to win one of two Specialized mountain bikes.

Wherever (and whenever) you choose to mountain bike, we hope you and your Scouts enjoy the ride.

Bryan on Scouting

The official blog of Scouting magazine, a publication of the Boy Scouts of America.

Category Archives: Venturing