– Bryan On Scouting

Imagine getting free art lessons from the most accomplished illustrators from around the country. Maybe you want to ask them questions about their techniques. Maybe you’re looking for tips for your next art project. Maybe you’re bored and just want to draw along with the pros. And maybe you’re even looking to jumpstart the Art…

The stage was a grassy front yard with a brick-house backdrop. The guests wore face coverings and stayed at least 6 feet apart the whole time. At the end, a parade of cars saluted the latest recipient of Scouting’s highest honor. But other than that, Phillip LaVell Twilley had a pretty standard Eagle Scout court…

Left: Scoutmaster Elaine Mitchell (left) and her troop in January 2020. Right: A handmade card Mitchell sent to her Scouts this month. A text feels impersonal. An email can get lost in spam. But a handmade card with a personal message? That bit of extra effort makes the recipient feel special. With that thought in…

We all can’t wait to get back to outdoor Scouting adventures — camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming and more. As restrictions from COVID-19 shutdowns slowly lift, it’s important to Be Prepared for any future activity. Now may be a great time to review aquatics safety rules, appropriate guidelines and other safety resources. It’s also vital to…

Chickasaw Council Executive Richard Fisher gives blood. The need for lifesaving blood doesn’t stop during a pandemic. Scouters in the Chickasaw Council in Tennessee and Yawgoog Scout Reservation in Rhode Island have been doing their parts to facilitate donations from healthy donors. Chickasaw Council partnered with the nonprofit Vitalant for a donation day at the council…

A Venturer from Pennsylvania who’s strengthening the link between Venturing and the Order of the Arrow. An adult volunteer from Texas who’s finding innovative ways to keep Venturing exciting and relevant to today’s youth. The young man who will become Venturing’s top youth leader next month. These are just three of the 11 exceptional Venturers…

Waving American flags, holding up congratulatory signs and honking, drivers filed past Blake Kenney’s home, honoring the new Eagle Scout. The 15-year-old of Troop 908 in Pleasanton, Calif., watched the parade of cars, filled with family members, friends, teachers, coaches and Scouting families. Dressed in his field uniform, Blake was in the front yard as…

Left: A Scout from Troop 1345G talks about her favorite recipe. Right: Scouts from Troop 2 talk about their Scout ranks. While staying home protects us, Scouting connects us. As virtual meetings and camp-ins link families within cities and towns, this same technology allows Scouts to reach across oceans to share in the Scouting spirit.…

Scouts don’t get discouraged when life throws a curveball. They get creative. When Aaditya Gulati realized his troop couldn’t give its longtime Scoutmaster a more traditional send-off at a court of honor or special going-away party, the Life Scout devised another way. And he did so while maintaining social distancing guidelines designed to keep us…

From left to right: Tyler, Ryan and Preston It’s not like Tyler, Ryan and Preston Mantel didn’t have anything else to do. It’s just that, back in March, when the three Eagle Scout brothers from Troop 804 of the Crossroads of America Council in Indianapolis found out that the world needed more ventilators, they knew…