– Bryan On Scouting
Extreme Makeovers, Round 32: Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos
This is the 32nd in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here. COVID-19 note: Most of these Eagle projects were completed before the pandemic, meaning the photos may not necessarily depict coronavirus-related health and safety protocols. To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout…
Read MoreNorth Carolina Crew 151 shows the transformative power of Venturing
Members of Crew 151 volunteer at Alexandra Santiago’s Eagle Scout project. Alex and her volunteers built an outdoor food pantry, which Crew 151 will keep stocked with food for families struggling with hunger. At the nonprofit Camp Carefree in North Carolina, children with chronic illnesses like cancer, epilepsy and spina bifida are given a free…
Read MoreScouting shapes your future, says retired Army colonel
As Yvonne Lindquist designed her son’s retirement gift — a quilt featuring squares of meaningful moments in his life — one organization quickly came to mind: the Boy Scouts of America. Col. Robert Bertrand of Carlisle, Pa., retired this past summer after nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army. He was an Army Ranger, an…
Read MoreHow to observe Veterans Day with your Scouts
With nearly 22 million veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces living among us, chances are good that at least one of these American heroes is a family member or close friend of you or someone in your Scouting unit. Though these men and women deserve our recognition and thanks every day, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day,…
Read MoreTry this ingenious, inspiring way to end your virtual troop meetings
Riley DuPuy, a Troop 308 Eagle Scout, appeared via Zoom to share photos and stories from a trip with his wife to Glacier National Park where they rescued a fellow hiker. At long last, a cure for Zoom fatigue. A troop in Texas now ends each virtual meeting with a special guest: a troop alumnus…
Read MoreMake getting outdoors with your family a tradition this #Campsgiving
Food, family and fellowship are Thanksgiving traditions. If you’re a Scouting family, enjoying the Great Outdoors is already something you appreciate. Adding a little outdoor adventure to your Thanksgiving this year will make it memorable, a lot of fun and could start a new tradition for your family: Campsgiving. So, what is Campsgiving? Campsgiving is…
Read MoreThis might be the best advice you’ll ever read about picking an Eagle project
When he started brainstorming Eagle Scout service project ideas, Ryan Kelley got a lot of advice. He heard from friends, family members, Scout leaders — each with suggestions for how Ryan could make a lasting impact on the community of Old Town, Maine. These generated lots of sparks, but no flame. The Life Scout from Troop…
Read MoreIf you speak a language other than English, here’s a patch you can wear with pride
Micaiah Balonek, who lives most of the year in India, wears a Hindi interpreter strip. Alejandra Opdyke wears an “Español” strip because she wants Spanish-speaking parents of prospective Scouts to know “that somebody might help them in their language.” Mike Anderson’s “Deutsch” strip, earned as a Scout five decades ago, caught the attention of an…
Read MoreHow to include Scouting experience on a job or college application
Five letters can say a whole lot. By simply calling someone a “Scout,” you’re saying that person has strong moral character, is confident in the outdoors and has experience leading a team. In fact, the Scouting name is so synonymous with positive attributes that master storyteller Stephen King included BSA references in more than half…
Read MoreWhat is ranked-choice voting, and how can it revolutionize your next troop election?
This Election Day, make your voice heard: Encourage your Scouts BSA troop, Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship to try ranked-choice voting. When you switch to ranked-choice voting in the next election for senior patrol leader, Venturing crew president or Sea Scout ship boatswain, you’ll get the most-preferred candidate in the least time, teach young…
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