Goals

I like setting goals.  I like knowing what success is and developing a plan to get there.  I use the various Individual and Unit Awards to help assess and develop long term strategic goals for our units, both for the youth and the adults.  We aren’t currently in contention for some of these awards now, but as we build up the leadership components of our units, we are trying to put people and processes into place so that these awards become a regular part of our program.

Not long ago I was sitting with our COR and reviewing the standards that we hope to hit and thought it might be interesting to list out all of the goal sheets that I use:

Leader’s Awards (Minimum standards of training and participation)

Unit Leader Award of Merit (Minimum standards of a Cub / Scoutmaster) – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-003_WB.pdf
Cub Scout Leader’s Training Award (2 year tenure) – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-057_WB.pdf
Boy Scout Leader’s Training Award (2 year tenure) - http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-058_WB.pdf
Cubmaster’s Key (3 year tenure) – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-053_WB.pdf
Scoutmaster’s Key (3 year tenure) – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-054_WB.pdf

Unit Awards

Journey to Excellence – http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Awards/JourneyToExcellence.aspx
National Outdoor Challenge Unit Award – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/430-016_WB.pdf
National Summertime Pack Award – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33748.pdf
Baptist Unit Award of Excellence – http://baptistscouters.org/CRITERIA%20FOR%20BAPTIST%20UNIT%20AWARD.doc
National Den Award – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34-33.pdf
National Honor Patrol Award – http://www.scouting.org/filestore/boyscouts/pdf/512-021_WB.pdf

 

Cit in the Community – Eagle Required

Speaking about Adult Training, Baden-Powell said “Don’t be content with the what, but get to know the why and the how.”  I believe this is integral in our delivering a good program to our Scouts.  For example, a Scoutmaster should not only understand how to tie a knot, but understand that by teaching knots to scouts, we are teaching them a demonstrable skill in which they can develop from the simple (square) to the intricate (Monkey Bridge) to develop confidence and self esteem, a skill they can master and teach to others thereby developing their communication and leadership skills, a skill that they can use in practical (and non-practical) ways developing their ability to problem solve and think creatively, and so on.  This is lost many times in translation as many scouts and leaders simply see knots as a task to overcome on the way to advancement.  It is our job to not just make sure they learn the knots, but provide an environment in which the rest of the benefits can be realized.  This myopic view of things is also translated to Merit Badges, especially, Eagle Merit Badges, which are the most common at the Merit Badge fairs and Summer Camps.  Sure they are requirements that need to be knocked out, but they can be so much more…  Ok, time to get off my soap box and onto the point:

Seems to me that there are a number of Scouts, who upon attaining Life Rank, have no idea what their Eagle Project might be.  After 3+ years of Service, Good Turns, etc. they still don’t know what their calling is, my guess is that they haven’t been intentional about what they’ve done so far.

Citizenship in the Community, besides being a primer for a Scout to learn more about civic responsibility, provides a great opportunity to test the waters for the Eagle Project.  If used intentionally, Requirement #7 (Find out about a Charitable Organization and volunteer 8 hours) can help a scout develop a relationship with an organization in the community and discover something he might be passionate about.

The last part of Requirement 7 is to discuss with your Merit Badge counselor what you have learned about the organization after having volunteered for 8 hours.

What a great resource an active Cit in the Community Merit Badge counselor within the Troop, Council or District could be for a Life Scout!  Even if the relationship didn’t take with the charity the scout worked with for his Cit Merit Badge, after interviewing all of those scouts, for hopefully a diverse assortment of charitable organizations, a good counselor should have the inside track on organizations in your area that are scout friendly, and have a pretty good idea of what their needs are.

Growing Wings

We just held an Eagle Court of Honor for my oldest son this past weekend.  During the ceremony, our troop traditionally has a slide show that shows the Scout’s career.  This is probably my favorite song for that kind of slide show, thought I’d share:

Food for Thought

As we work to prepare these boys, sometimes I lose focus on the goals of the program because of everything that is going on.  I love the way this video kind of brings home what our efforts can and will reap.

Boy Scout Mission…. Changed?

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Seems to me the Boy Scouts are in a predicament.  From where I stand, they are being forced to define themselves after years of trying  to be all things to all people.  Don’t know how they are going to get out of this one, but I can guess and I would imagine that they are going to take some lumps and bruises along the way.  Furthermore, I’m predicting that the Boy Scouts of tomorrow is going to be much different than the Boy Scouts of today and yesterday, no matter what path they ultimately choose.

I think the proverbial law of unintended consequences happened when no one was looking as Boy Scouts  tried hard to make itself relevant in today’s world.  I mean, how can you force a policy that dictates a belief in God, but then allow all religions, even the ones that don’t believe in God?  Furthermore, how can you expect to strictly define moral standards  using a code of ideals that are defined differently and sometimes diametrically by the various moral authorities (churches) that you welcome into your fold.

The only answer that I see is the route in which they seem to be taking, where the Chartered Organization codifies membership criteria.  (The claim is that the Atheist dis-qualifier is not on the table, but does anyone really believe that?)  I get that there will be turmoil in the ranks and that there will be gnashing of teeth, etc by those that are disappointed in the National Organization’s capitulation from the one side and probably more boycotts and turmoil from the other side because the policy doesn’t formally endorse their lifestyle, but it seems the predictable choice.

Please understand, I’m not advocating here, I’m sticking my finger up in the air and trying to see where the wind is blowing.  By relinquishing the control to the local charters, the Boy Scouts can focus on being just  a curriculum and service provider, which they kind of have been for the past few years, and stay out of the uncomfortable spotlight of national ethics debates.  By going this route, the Boy Scouts of America will be marginalizing itself, but the tools of the Scout Oath and Law, the Patrol Method and the rest of the groundwork laid back in the early days can be licensed to Chartered Organizations to use as they see fit.

While I foresee this move being inevitable (whether at this next vote or a future decision), I think this will ultimately marginalize the National Organization’s claim of moral relevance.  Some units will be presented as a values driven program, some will be a camping club, some will be a merit badge factory and many will fall somewhere in between, all led by well meaning people that want to help out the youth of today and leaders of tomorrow… but that’s kind of how it is now, isn’t it?  The only thing different is that the romantic, iconic, Norman Rockwell-ish image of the Boy Scouts of America, as a youth movement rather than a youth program, will finally draw to a close.  (Maybe I’m too pessimistic?)

Seems to me, if this goes the way it seems, their mission needs to change to:  The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare Youth Organizations to help young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.