Posts Tagged ‘Brian On Scouting’

If everybody’s in charge of watching kids in the water, that usually means nobody is watching. By selecting a single, responsible adult to be in charge of supervision, you could prevent drownings and save lives. Designate a water watcher — at both Scouting and non-Scouting events — whenever you’re in, on or around water. Why not use the team approach?…

Texting while driving is more than simply unsafe. In 46 states and the District of Columbia, it’s against the law. That includes all four states that are home to BSA high-adventure bases: Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico and West Virginia. Talking on a handheld cellphone while driving is banned in 14 states and the District of…

Jamboree shows are a big reason these quadrennial events are so epic. Tens of thousands of Scouts and Scouters gather to laugh, get inspired and rock out to some great music. Shows are a visual reminder that, as Scouts, we’re part of something bigger than our own troops and councils. The stadium shows at the 2017 National Jamboree will be some…

Scouting inspired Marcus Reynerson to become an naturalist, conservationist and environmental educator. And now Reynerson wants to use those talents to save a species. Reynerson and his colleagues are trying to prevent the extinction of the mountain caribou of the Pacific Northwest. The 1997 Eagle Scout is the pride of Troop 115 from Louisville, Ky. These days, he lives in Seattle and…

Venturers, with their green uniform shirts, stand out in a world of tan-shirted Scouts. And the eight Venturers who will receive the 2017 National Venturing Leadership Award stand out in the world of Venturing. The 2017 National Venturing Leadership Award recognizes great work done in 2016. You can see a list of past recipients here. Venturers, unofficially known as…

Upon hearing the Scout motto, someone asked Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell the inevitable follow-up question. “Prepared for what?” “Why, for any old thing,” he replied. In 1907, Baden-Powell, an English soldier, devised the Scout motto: Be Prepared. He published it in Scouting for Boys in 1908. (Two years later, in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was founded.)…

Consider for a moment how many images you come across in a single day. Add up each post on Facebook and Twitter and Snapchat and Instagram and Pinterest and … That’s the cluttered online landscape into which those of us who want to grow Scouting must venture. How do we capture and share the story of Scouting in a…

Rank advancement in Cub Scouting is not like rank advancement in Boy Scouting. And that’s by design. In Cub Scouting, advancement is grade- or age-based. It’s a rank-per-year system designed to offer age-appropriate fun and challenges as Cub Scouts progress through the program. Cub Scouts don’t go back and work on ranks designed for earlier grade levels. They…

First, you Explain how it’s done. “I’m going to roast this marshmallow over the fire until it’s golden brown. Then I’m going to sandwich it between two graham crackers and a piece of chocolate.” Then, you Demonstrate the steps you just explained. Narrate your actions to reinforce the first step. Next, you Guide the learners as they…

In many packs, Cub Scouts finish their rank advancement just in time for the blue and gold banquet in February. This approach lets families gather to celebrate the Cub Scouts’ accomplishments well before the end of the school year. It also signals that it’s time for Webelos Scouts to begin their transition to Boy Scouting and troop involvement. June 1 is…