What are your Scouts working on? (Boys & Girls)

[Alessandra]

10 foot poles with about a 3x5 ft flag. They're bigger than what most people put out on their own and it is a chore to schlep them around. We earn our $25.

 

Yes, you do earn it! I was wondering whether to picture a little craft store flag or the real thing. Your flags must look impressive.

 

May I ask what flag supplier you use?

[chiguirre]

I'm not sure where they bought the flags. I know that they cost about $25 to buy, so we don't make money until the second year. We do have a good renewal rate among subscribers, so it was worth setting up the fundraiser. It's been going for the last 8 years and Geezle just had his Arrow of Light a couple of months ago, so I'm not sure of all the details.

[Plateau Mama]

My son just finished his Tenderfoot requirements. He just needs his scoutmaster conference and BOR. Yea!

 

 

[Miss Marple]

Ds is hoping to get a bit of work done tomorrow - hoping that his fellow scouts (who aren't involved in the flag ceremonies) will have a few hours to donate to the beginning of his project. If he can't get a at least 4, he will spend the day gathering supplies and doing preliminary work with a couple who have said they were available. I'm hoping he gets this project done this week because the next several weekends are all booked with other activities...and the organization is itching to get it done. The organization had no idea how long it takes to get things through the various committees :) . If he gets it done this weekend, it will be one of the fastest Eagle Projects done in our troop! Praying for good weather and lots of volunteers :)

[Miss Marple]

We got a really good work day in on Monday. The plan is to set the forms into the holes on Friday and pour the concrete on Saturday. We could use some prayers and good thoughts about that plan, though, because apparently Mother Nature has set up conditions of the same sort as those that caused the tornado in Moore. We are under severe weather watch for the rest of the week.

 

If the weather cooperates, DS will finish his Eagle project on Saturday! Then the BOR...

 

While we have loved scouting, I am looking forward to being finished. I'll just have to find something else to occupy my Tuesday nights.

[felicity]

I almost forgot to post this. My 12yo just passed his BoR last night for his First Class! Yay. So he's on his way. There is a Mwrit Badge Rally in a couple of weeks where he'll work on his First Aid Badge. Then Scout Camp and he plans to work on the Orienteering, Swimming, & Canooing Badges. Originally he signed up for Chess, which is a fine badge to earn, but not at camp. I'm hoping he can fit at least one of the Citizen Badges in there too. We'll see.

 

In his BoR last night the Commitee Chairman encouraged him to go for his Eagle by 14. I thought that was awfully fast. Is there a reason for that? I know that as they get older other things occupy their time, but I was thinking around 16, not 14.

[Miss Marple]

Felicity, I don't know why your troop would suggest that, but it's also similar to a suggestion we make. When I sit in on BORs I encourage the scouts to shoot for Eagle before 16. Having had my own boys go through and watching many others, I can tell you that the years from about 14 on are filled with a lot more outside activity (from home) and other pulls on their time (friends, etc.). My own boys began working as soon as they were driving and they began taking college courses. All of this, combined with and increased desire for peer socialization via church youth group activities, pulled on all their free time making it difficult to get the Eagle processed and finished.

 

In our troop, the mid teen years are also the years the scouts want to drop out of scouting. Often they come back around 17 (or just before their 18th birthday) and want to get the Eagle. Some have managed it, others have had too little time. While I think getting Eagle by 14 is a huge goal, if a scout shoots for it, maybe he'll get it by 16 :) You troop may have other reasons for encouraging an early Eagle rank - you may want to ask someone who served on that BOR. Congratulations to him!

[jen3kids]

 

 

In his BoR last night the Commitee Chairman encouraged him to go for his Eagle by 14. I thought that was awfully fast. Is there a reason for that? I know that as they get older other things occupy their time, but I was thinking around 16, not 14.

 

 

I really wished I had of encouraged older ds to get his Eagle earlier. He is turning 16 in a month and is 3 badges and his project away from earning his Eagle rank. He had a lot of fun with the merit badges when he was 11-13, but once 14 hit, he had little interest. He's been Life since he was 14 but had no desire to keep going. Now, nearly 2 years later, he has decided to continue and has somewhat of a plan to get those 3 badges done at camp this summer. I hope he does and maybe get his project done in the fall, but he has a very heavy school schedule for 11th grade.

 

With younger ds (nearly 12), I'm encouraging him to get more of the required badges done at an earlier age, and he is pumped to do it. So far he has completed Cit in the World, Cycling and he's started Family Life and Personal Management. He'll do Environmental Science this weekend at a merit badge camp. At camp he'll do Swimming and 3-4 non-required badges.

 

So, my advice is, if your son wants to go all out and be Eagle at 14, do what you can to encourage that. In retrospect, I told my older ds to slow down too often.

[jen3kids]

Eagle by 10th grade seems really reasonable to me. That gives them two years to use those leadership skills and plan and lead troop outings as well as explore their career interests via merit badges.

 

Many of the badges that look cool as an sixth grader look like check off lists of things already accomplished in other areas of the life by the time they get to 9th, especially for those in an honors academic program.

 

 

 

I agree 100%.

[DawnM]

We are finishing up the Cooking MB today at my house with a group of about 7 boys.

 

2 weeks from now is camp and each boy has signed up for 2 Eagles.....one Citizenship and Communications.

 

By the end of camp, both boys will have a total of 9 Eagle Merit Badges (including Cooking as that is becoming an Eagle). So, only 4 more to go!!!!!!!!!

 

Oldest son is 15.5 years old and getting Star in June (if they don't cancel Board of Review again! UGH!) and can get Life early on in his 16th year if all goes as planned. I want him to get a full strong start on Eagle before turning 17 so that we don't have any last minute stresses to get it done before his 18th birthday as I see a lot of boys do.

 

No, he didn't get Eagle at 14 and he is a little behind some of his peers, but he also has some learning difficulties and special needs and we are so proud he is doing as well as he is.

 

Middle son could finish Eagle before age 16 if he wishes and puts in the effort. He will be life right around his 14th birthday if all goes as planned.

 

For us it isn't a race though. I want them to get as much out of learning as they can and sometimes I feel those who blitz through don't take away as much as those who really concentrate and slow down.

 

I know that both of my boys desire to finish and get Eagle, so I encourage as much as I can but they are moving forward and that is what I want to see.

[Plateau Mama]

My son earned his first MB today. It was scout day at Alaska Airlines. He got to spend the day with Alaska & Boeing employees earning the badge. We told him he had to earn them all in alphabetical order. ;) He finished up his tenderfoot last week.

[DawnM]

Where do you STORE them?

 

I'm not sure where they bought the flags. I know that they cost about $25 to buy, so we don't make money until the second year. We do have a good renewal rate among subscribers, so it was worth setting up the fundraiser. It's been going for the last 8 years and Geezle just had his Arrow of Light a couple of months ago, so I'm not sure of all the details.

[DawnM]

Are any of you facing concern with possibly losing your location after December with the resolution having passsed? We still don't know what the church will decide and are waiting.

[Soror]

Dawn I am somewhat concerned here. Our charter church is supposed to meet Monday. I talked to one of the deacons the other night and he seems to think it will not be an issue but I know dh talked to another deacon and got the impression that it might. So, I guess we will see.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Our Cubmaster submitted her resignation. I haven't yet heard if the church will no longer be the CO. If they choose to withdraw, I think I might try to find a different organization to take over. If they agree to continue, I might apply to be the Cubmaster.

[DawnM]

Our Cubmaster resigned the day it was announced!

 

We know more will be leaving, we just haven't heard the extent yet. We are not leaving and if our troop were to dissolve we would try to find another unit to join.

 

Dawn

 

Our Cubmaster submitted her resignation. I haven't yet heard if the church will no longer be the CO. If they choose to withdraw, I think I might try to find a different organization to take over. If they agree to continue, I might apply to be the Cubmaster.

[Plateau Mama]

Are any of you facing concern with possibly losing your location after December with the resolution having passsed? We still don't know what the church will decide and are waiting.

 

 

Our troop found out Friday we are loosing our charter starting probably in September. We have a small little Christian troop. My son loves the small size and does really well. I hope we find another location because transferring to a non-Christian troop is not an option anymore.

[Serenade]

My younger son crossed yesterday at our annual awards picnic! He is so excited, and I'm very pleased with the send-off he received from the cub scouts. I didn't expect them to do anything for him, because he is in the class that would normally cross next year, and the Pack has already had its official crossing for this year. I just expected them to make a small announcement, give him his patch, and move on. But they did everything so nicely, as if he were crossing with the group. I was called up for him to pin me with an Arrow of Light, they gave him a really nice official scout walking stick, and two leaders from his new Troop came to welcome him and give him his scout handbook. My older son, along with another scout who previously crossed from our Pack, did the change-out of the epaulettes, bandana and hat. Instead of the normal bridge they cross over in a Japanese garden, they had him cross over a picnic table at the park, so that was fun. And DH and I breathed a big sigh of relief that it all went off without a hitch. We were afraid that something or other was going to go wrong, since he just turned 10 1/2 last week.

 

Next weekend both of my boys are going on a new scout campout (my older son as a guide), and DH and I will actually have a weekend to ourselves. Wow! DH thought he should maybe go on this first campout, since younger DS is well, very young, but we were encouraged to just let him go off by himself to make that formal separation, you know.

 

It's kind of funny, but I'm feeling a little nostalgic, and hoping we are doing the right thing to go ahead and let him cross. He was rather shy and standoffish when he first joined as a Tiger, and it's taken him all these 4 years to come into his own. He was always a bit of an outsider with his group, because the other boys all go to the same school, but this past year he came into his own. He is no longer self-concious, will speak loudly and clearly in front of a group, and has really enjoyed being a Webelos. So now he's going back to being the younger, newbie again, and I surely hope he won't withdraw into himself now that he's out of the familiar. I don't think so, but a mom always worries a bit.

[chiguirre]

Where do you STORE them?

 

 

Our troop rents a large storage unit in the same place we park our trailer. It fits the flags and all our other stored equipment.

[Susan in TN]

Ds17 is working at this very moment on the last point of his last merit badge to earn his Eagle Rank. Tonight he will have a conference on that badge. Tomorrow he'll write his requirement 6 "statement of ambitions and life purpose" and have his Scoutmaster review. It's not likely that he'll have his Eagle board of review until a couple months after he turns 18 because he will be out of town for his birthday and a month after that.

 

Ds8 is enjoying his summer - no Cub Scout activities for the summer although he may work on some belt loops.

[Miss Marple]

We had great weather Saturday for the concrete pour. The Eagle project is finished! If you could see me you would see a momma grinning from ear to ear and jumping up and down :) He is hoping to have his Eagle BOR in early August. Too many things are going on in June and July.

[jen3kids]

My younger ds earned his Environmental Science MB this past weekend. The Crew that offered it did a fabulous job. Ds had a great time and they did lots of hands-on stuff. Unfortunately, he's at the Walk-In Clinic now. He got 4 stitches in his left big toe - he knocked a kitchen knife off the shelf onto the floor and it landed broken point down. He's on his way home. I think we'll call him Fred and do some math!

 

Dd and I had our end of season Girl Scout event yesterday. We went Stand-Up Paddle boarding and it was amazing! We spent nearly 3 hours on the water and had a blast. Then we went swimming and had a bbq before heading to a local ice cream shop - the best ice cream I've had in a long time! We still have some money left in our account so we're going mini-golfing and maybe one more stop at a different ice cream stand. That will be it for our troop since 2 girls are moving and we only had 4 to start with :(

[DawnM]

For those of you whose boys are getting Eagle or have gotten Eagle, I have a question. How many letters of recommendation do you need to get and who are you using? (as in, what kinds of people?)

 

Our sphere of influence is pretty much scouting and HS friends. My boys are not involved in sports and don't attend youth group. They do go to Sunday School but their break out groups are lead by a volunteer and changes every 6 months or so.

 

Should I be looking at getting them more involved in something like youth group or a sport????

 

Thank you,

 

Dawn

[Susan in TN]

I'm guessing ds will ask an elder and/or pastor and/or Sunday School teacher from church, his tutorial teacher, orchestra director, bass teacher, former scoutmaster? (retired this past year). Don't know if that's allowed.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I'm guessing ds will ask an elder and/or pastor and/or Sunday School teacher from church, his tutorial teacher, orchestra director, bass teacher, former scoutmaster? (retired this past year). Don't know if that's allowed.

 

 

If you look at the application it clearly states for Req. 2 that there are 5 or 6 recs needed. The first comes from the parents or guardians.

The others include: 1 religious, 1 educational, 1 employer (if employed) and 2 of the scout's choice.

 

Here's the link to the application: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_web.pdf

 

Former scoutmasters, as far as I know, may serve as a reference; I have known boys who have used current scouters as references.

 

It looks to me like your son has:

1- you

2- Sunday School teacher

3-Tutorial teacher

4- employer - not needed

5 - Orchestra director

6- former scoutmaster or bass teacher

 

The point is that the EBOR wants to know how the boy is living the scout law in all areas of his life, so the more varied the references, the better the overall picture.

[Susan in TN]

 

 

If you look at the application it clearly states for Req. 2 that there are 5 or 6 recs needed. The first comes from the parents or guardians.

The others include: 1 religious, 1 educational, 1 employer (if employed) and 2 of the scout's choice.

 

Here's the link to the application: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_web.pdf

 

Former scoutmasters, as far as I know, may serve as a reference; I have known boys who have used current scouters as references.

 

It looks to me like your son has:

1- you

2- Sunday School teacher

3-Tutorial teacher

4- employer - not needed

5 - Orchestra director

6- former scoutmaster or bass teacher

 

The point is that the EBOR wants to know how the boy is living the scout law in all areas of his life, so the more varied the references, the better the overall picture.

 

 

Thanks - this is helpful! For some reason I never noticed that a letter was to come from dh or I.

 

Ds completed and got all his merit badges signed off last night, and had a meeting with the Eagle advancement counselor. His Scoutmaster conference is scheduled for next week and he just has to get his life purpose essay written and recommendation letters to people.

[Jennifer3141]

Good afternoon, everyone!

 

We left DD's GS troop this weekend by having our last gathering with them. We did an overnight at the zoo with all our cookie money. It was a blast and a lovely way to send DD off to her new (local to us troop).

 

DS stayed home with Dad over the weekend and they did some science pin stuff for CS. I need to sit down and see what they did. Today, we're hitting the art stuff for the belt loop and pin. I'm throwing paint out on the driveway and telling them to mix primary and secondary stuff and then we'll knock off some of the other stuff this week.

 

For documentation, I have been using a cool iphone app that turns photos to postcards and delivers them within a week for a little over a dollar a card. It has worked fabulously.

[Caroline]

Good afternoon, everyone!

 

We left DD's GS troop this weekend by having our last gathering with them. We did an overnight at the zoo with all our cookie money. It was a blast and a lovely way to send DD off to her new (local to us troop).

 

DS stayed home with Dad over the weekend and they did some science pin stuff for CS. I need to sit down and see what they did. Today, we're hitting the art stuff for the belt loop and pin. I'm throwing paint out on the driveway and telling them to mix primary and secondary stuff and then we'll knock off some of the other stuff this week.

 

For documentation, I have been using a cool iphone app that turns photos to postcards and delivers them within a week for a little over a dollar a card. It has worked fabulously.

 

 

What app is that? That sounds really cool!

 

 

[Jennifer3141]

What app is that? That sounds really cool!

 

 

 

It's Touchnote! It is easy enough for a non-tech savy person to be able to do it, which is exactly what I needed. It's kind of become a joke with our CM. "Oh look! There's another postcard of Boy doing something!" :laugh:

[Caroline]

Thank you! That looks awesome.

 

 

 

 

It's Touchnote! It is easy enough for a non-tech savy person to be able to do it, which is exactly what I needed. It's kind of become a joke with our CM. "Oh look! There's another postcard of Boy doing something!" :laugh:

 

[MomtoCandJ]

Is there any "scouting" organization where dd can be her own "troop"? I have seen the troops around me and I'm not impressed. Besides what happened to more outdoors oriented badges???

[chiguirre]

Is there any "scouting" organization where dd can be her own "troop"? I have seen the troops around me and I'm not impressed. Besides what happened to more outdoors oriented badges???

 

 

You can be a Juliette which is a lone scout and participate in council level activities and do badges and journeys on your own. Looking at your sig, I'm guessing your dd is going in K next year? She could be a Daisy which is for Kers and 1st graders. TBH, our troop won't take a girl camping until she's in 3rd grade. That's our own personal rule because the girls need to stay in a girls-only (no leaders) cabin. We also host a family camp-out where everyone including siblings is welcome. Juniors has several outdoor badges including camping, nature study, flowers and geocaching. Our council offers a Junior Olympic Archery Group and horse back riding week ends as well as summer camps, but again, these are geared to girls who are at least Brownies or Juniors because of the nature of the activities. GSA serves girls from K-12 and not all the ourdoor activities are appropriate for the younger girls. Older girls can go backpacking, sailing and do high adventure activities, but you have to be a Cadette to sign up for those opportunities. The younger girls do safer things. BSA works the same way with regard age appropriate activities. The Cubs only go on family camp-outs and don't tent together until Webelos (4th and 5th grade). Your parent must come along until you cross into Boy Scouts at the end of 5th grade. You can only do high adventure once you're 14. If anything, GSA will take slightly younger girls to challenging outdoor activities, but BSA and GSA are pretty similar about the age requirements.

[MomtoCandJ]

Dd has been camping with us, I don't expect most girls camping so young anyway. It just seems that the outdoors things are going to the wayside, especially with the older girls. Our area troops seem to be girly girl, afraid to get dirty types :( We live in a rural area, lots of hunting, fishing, farming type thing but we also get a lot of tourist (sun rise side of Michigan, Lake Huron shoreline). Just trying to get a fit for my dd, who has her girly side but loves to get dirty and outside.

 

Is there still an auto repair/maintenance badge? I had earned one while a jr scout, mainly by helping my dad. I think it would be really neat for dd to earn one the same way I did, helping her daddy :)

[Jennifer3141]

Melissa, it depends upon what kind of troop you are looking for. Some of our local troops do take Daisies to camp - my new troop will be! But we live 15 minutes from our GS camp so we can get enough parents to go with the girls. We're not doing camp with the council this summer - we are a brand new troop. But our troop will be taking the girls to camp ourselves.

 

We just completed a year in a "city" troop. It was fun and ok but not what DD was looking for. She wants to hang with girls who want to make campfires and go hiking and do the things her CS brother does.

 

So we formed out own troop out here in rural northern Michigan. I am pleasantly surprised by the number of girls out here who feel the same as DD. Ever considered your own troop? :)

 

My first parent meeting with the new troop, a couple of juniors walked up and said, "We want to earn the bronze award!" I laughed because I didn't even know what the dang bronze award WAS. I also had one adamant little girl stand there and say, "I'll be a scout but I DON'T want to do a million crafty things from Oriental Training!" Thank you because I'd rather be shot in the head myself... :laugh:

[MomtoCandJ]

Jennifer do you happen to live near Tawas??? I think I would travel a little LoL

[Jennifer3141]

Jennifer do you happen to live near Tawas??? I think I would travel a little LoL

 

 

I am on the other side of the state from you or I'd court you for our troop in a NY second!! If you want to spend every Friday afternoon on the road to us, let me know!! :laugh: :laugh:

 

We are in Maple City. We have to be three hours or so from you. :(

[MomtoCandJ]

Depends on the time, dd has school until 2:30 and its a 2 hour 45 minute drive

[Jennifer3141]

Depends on the time, dd has school until 2:30 and its a 2 hour 45 minute drive

 

 

We are meeting after school at 3:40 on Friday afternoons. You and I could talk about doing the fun stuff (like Camp Saki) with us if you are interested!!

 

Jen

[Alice]

We had ds’s Web II den over today working on the Handyman badge. They changed a tire on a car, learned how to check tire pressure, check the oil and a bunch of other stuff about cars. Dh also did bike repair with them. It was fun. It’s been fun to see these boys grow up from being little 6 year old Tigers. It’s going to be a good final year, I think.

 

Ds is working on the Athlete badge and Communicator for the summer. He swam 1/4 mile at the pool yesterday for the Athlete one.

[Susan in TN]

Ds17 is reviewing knots for his Eagle scoutmaster conference on Tuesday.

[dm379]

Ds advanced into Webelos 2 Saturday night and dh was officially welcomed as new den co-leader. I'm not sure he knows what he's getting into. :) We did lose our charter with the Baptist church but a new church jumped at the opportunity to take us. I believe they are still working out the details so I don't think it is a done deal yet.

[Susan in TN]

Ds had his Eagle Scoutmaster Conference last night - went very well, and the Scoutmaster was impressed with ds's Life Purpose essay. He will not be able to do a BOR until the August date which is the day after he returns from his "6-week music institute and post-music institute family vacation" :). I think he'll do fine - we'll bring review materials along to read in the car.

[Bear23]

My Cadette is working on a Leadership Award, Silver Award and second Journey.

My Bear has recently earned his Bear Patch and two arrows.

My Brownie is working on her first Journey and just having fun going camping and lots of stuff with her troop.

 

Lots has happen since I have left this post and most of it hasn't been good. Long story short - we are no longer with overseas scouts and unless things change my children will not be in scouts. Most has to do with adults acting like the situation was in high school and the other being lied to. We left on bad terms which the kids no nothing about, thank goodness.

 

Right now everyone is on their own and we will see what happens this fall. We will be in a new town and new council. Trying to keep positive for my children.

 

After my son earned his patch and arrows he's ready to move onto the next level and wished not to do any more work, fine with me. As for my girls they still have another year left in their levels and have worked on some of their patches over the past two months with their grandparents. My girls are also finishing up their second journeys. While completing the journeys are more enjoyable with a troop they are doable without one.

[Jennifer3141]

I'm so sorry, Navywife!

 

Was it both BS and GS you had problems with?? Were they the same people???

[Bear23]

It was mostly the Girl Scouts. My son's leaders were wonderful but the house commute was difficult. I am just happy to be back in the states with more options.

 

[Jennifer3141]

It was mostly the Girl Scouts. My son's leaders were wonderful but the house commute was difficult. I am just happy to be back in the states with more options.

 

 

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. I hope you find a great troop and a great pack. You've earned them!!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Lots has happen since I have left this post and most of it hasn't been good. Long story short - we are no longer with overseas scouts and unless things change my children will not be in scouts.

 

 

:grouphug: I hope you can find troops that are a good fit.

[DawnM]

This does have me concerned.

 

My son is not in music or any school or classes.

 

We are planning to start getting more involved in youth group in the Fall. We have such a large church that the SS teachers are small group and come and go. The main leader starts them out with songs and a short message but with over 200 kids in there, it is impossible to get to know them all.

 

We may also work on more volunteering next year through church activities.

 

Other than that we have parents, two close friends, and maybe a scout person.

 

Dawn

 

 

If you look at the application it clearly states for Req. 2 that there are 5 or 6 recs needed. The first comes from the parents or guardians.

The others include: 1 religious, 1 educational, 1 employer (if employed) and 2 of the scout's choice.

 

Here's the link to the application: http://www.scouting....512-728_web.pdf

 

Former scoutmasters, as far as I know, may serve as a reference; I have known boys who have used current scouters as references.

 

It looks to me like your son has:

1- you

2- Sunday School teacher

3-Tutorial teacher

4- employer - not needed

5 - Orchestra director

6- former scoutmaster or bass teacher

 

The point is that the EBOR wants to know how the boy is living the scout law in all areas of his life, so the more varied the references, the better the overall picture.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

DS is at scout camp. We are going up tomorrow for Family Night and Order of the Arrow callout.

[chiguirre]

Trinqueta is at GS summer camp this week. She's doing Horsin' Around which is a Junior camp with daily horseback riding. We won't hear from her until we pick her up Friday night, so I hope she's having fun.