Stitch'sCousin
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 16, 2007
- Messages
- 1,187
Just finished 8 nights at the Great Lakes Jamboree with our troop.
There fixed it for yaJust had my first exposure to Scouting in the organizational/welcome meeting last night. Quite by surprise, too... DS hadn't been interested in it until the Scout Master pitched to his class on Tue or Wed this week.
Hope I can glean a few nuggets from the thread and we can be active contributors to the pack.
Organizational meeting last night and went about as expected. A lot of mothers and Tigers/Cub age boys, the regional rep, myself and the dad that did Cubs last year. The former Webelos leader isn't interested because his son aged out and he had been doing it for years. The former cubmaster and I are over committed already and his son is ready for Webelos now so it looks as though some mom's may get together and try to do a Tiger/Cub troop and nothing for the Webelos boys unless the boys and the other dad and I do something together. It is a shame that more dads aren't willing to step up and help out these days. It isn't just BSA, but 4-H, soccer, religious education and everything else.
One of lifes constants is change, and the Scouting Program is no exception. In the 1960s, Cub Scouting was formalized, to draw younger boys into the program. And in 1998, Venturing was spun off from Exploring, to cater to youth of both genders. The BSA is unique in the World Scouting program, in that it still is largely not co-ed. The division between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, creating separate programs, also offers families an opportunity to decide to not join Boy Scouts as the fifth grade closes.
CHANGE ONE
Yesterday, the BSA took its first step towards streamlining and unifying the program. Please read the attached resolution, passed by the National Executive Board. Effective with the 2014-2015 program year (for Venturing) and the 2015-2016 program year (for Cubbies):
- The Tiger Cub Promise will be eliminated
- The Cub Scout Promise will be eliminated
- The Cub Scout Law of the Pack will be eliminated
- The Venturing Oath and Code will be eliminated
- All programs will learn and subscribe to what is now the Boy Scout Oath and Law
The attached resolution doesnt elaborate these points, but the following changes will also occur:
- The Venturing sign and salute will be replaced by the Boy Scout sign and salute. The Cub Scout sign and salute (for now) will remain in place. The Cub Scout motto and handshake will also remain unchanged.
- The Core Values of Cub Scouts and Venturing will be realigned to match the Boy Scout Core Values.
- The Venturing slogan and motto MAY change to match the Boy Scout slogan and motto; no decision made at this date.
- No uniforming changes will be made at this time.
CHANGE TWO
Effective January 1, 2014, two more merit badges will be added to the list of those required for Eagle Scout rank. First, the Sustainability merit badge will be added as an alternative to earning Environmental Science. Second, Cooking will become the new, 13th required Eagle badge (meaning one less optional badge for rank .overall requirement will remain at 21 badges).
Plenty of other changes coming. Wanted to make you aware before your units started inquiring. One of our jobs as commissioners is to help them through change. Well continue to discuss in the coming months.
One of our District Unit Commissioners sent an email today regarding recent changes adopted by the national office yesterday. By his wording as well as the changes made, it sounds like maybe national is toying with the idea of combining Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts to try to eliminate the drop with Cubs crossing over. It also sounds like there is a potential to make scouting co-ed to match the rest of the World Scouting organization. I know the co-ed idea was talked about when I got my Eagle in 1989 but nothing came out of it. Thought I would share here (nothing secretive in the content of the email) and get your thoughts on these changes.
One of our District Unit Commissioners sent an email today regarding recent changes adopted by the national office yesterday. By his wording as well as the changes made, it sounds like maybe national is toying with the idea of combining Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts to try to eliminate the drop with Cubs crossing over. It also sounds like there is a potential to make scouting co-ed to match the rest of the World Scouting organization. I know the co-ed idea was talked about when I got my Eagle in 1989 but nothing came out of it. Thought I would share here (nothing secretive in the content of the email) and get your thoughts on these changes.
Just saw this posted on the Boy Scout FB page
http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/10/17/bsa-to-use-scout-oath-and-scout-law-for-all-programs/
I'm not sure what your age groups are in the US, but we had our 3rd year Canadian Scouts (13 - 14yo) build about 4 to 5 foot tall catapults at our October camp using square and diagonal lashing as part of their pioneering work. They then launched projectiles (apple sized) to see how far they could get them to go. They loved it! If it doesn't have to involve levers, you can always try making pop bottle rockets. http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/BottleRocket/about.htm