– Bryan On Scouting
Scout’s Good Turn a reminder to ‘be kind to everyone, no matter who they are’
From left: Dave, Adam and A.J. during their climb. (Courtesy of Adam Blevins) Once you open your eyes to the power of the Scout Slogan, you’ll start seeing opportunities to “Do a Good Turn Daily” everywhere you look. For proof, look no further than A.J. Blevins, who showed remarkable kindness on a recent trip with…
Read MoreCassius Cash, superintendent at nation’s most-visited national park, believes in the healing power of the outdoors
Cassius Cash at his desk. (Photo by John Campbell) Cassius Cash believes in a magical place far from screens — where streams lead to waterfalls and where field sparrows and scarlet tanagers do the tweeting. As the superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cash is the man in charge of this magical place. With…
Read MoreMake sure new families in your pack have this info as soon as they join
The data is in! New Scout families want to feel welcome and a sense of belonging in their new unit. And when they do, these Scouts will stay in Scouting programs for a long time. So what does this mean for Cub Scout leaders? Of course, being welcoming and kind to newcomers is at Scouting’s…
Read MoreStep back in time to experience a BSA Historic Trail near you and earn an award
On certain special hiking routes across the country, Scouts can look back even as they move forward. That’s the promise of the BSA Historic Trails, a collection of nearly 300 hiking paths from 38 states, nine foreign countries and the District of Columbia designed to help young people connect with history in an immersive way.…
Read MoreYour Scouts can help spread holiday cheer and raise money, either in person or online through Mickman Brothers
For more than four decades, Mickman Brothers, a family-owned business based in Minnesota, has offered a holiday fundraiser for schools, church youth groups and Scouts. It has become a popular way for Scouts to finance their adventures as it has become a highly anticipated tradition in the communities where Scouts have started selling. This year, Scouts…
Read MoreMerit Badge History: In Fingerprinting, the FBI and the BSA found the perfect match
Before DNA databases, before ink-stained fingerprint cards, before stacks of photographs, the best tool police departments had for identifying criminals was an average Joe with a photographic memory. In eighteenth-century Europe, the more advanced police departments hired people with good visual recall to mentally record the faces of criminals and identify the guilty. It’s hard…
Read MoreBSA professional puts career on pause to fight the pandemic in Tennessee
Anthony Spencer administered a COVID-19 vaccination to a patient in June. (Photo by Lt. Col. Darrin Haas) In desperate times, Scouts don’t watch from the sidelines. They step up and serve. And so when COVID-19 began its deadly march through Tennessee in March 2020, Anthony Spencer knew what he had to do. The Eagle Scout…
Read MoreZia Experience makes high adventure more accessible to all Scouts, families
For decades, Scouts with special needs have attended Philmont Scout Ranch, enjoying adventures at the BSA base in New Mexico. However, not every activity has been accessible to every Scout. The BSA is working on changing that via the Zia Experience. Under the Family Adventure Camp program, the Zia Experience provides an adaptive high-adventure course,…
Read MoreScouts win offshore rowing event, earning spot at world championships in Portugal
Joshua (left) and Aidan race during the finals. (Courtesy of USRowing) To paraphrase the popular saying: When the rowing gets tough, the Scouts keep going. In June, two Scouts from Oregon tested their bravery, strength and perseverance in a national beach rowing competition against the nation’s best athletes. With a spot at the world championships…
Read MoreHip-hop artist’s Eagle Scout project brings power to the world
Eagle Scout AY Young, 30, is grabbing the world’s attention — both with his activism (which started with his Eagle project) and with his music. Young dedicated his Eagle project to his activism and currently spends much of his time ensuring that disadvantaged communities have access to electricity. With his music, Young has released two albums…
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