Scoutmaster Moment
Leadership is a key aspect of the BSA Scouting program. Like many other skills such as sports, academics, and languages some people appear to have a natural leadership ability. For the rest of us we learn it the hard way: through practice and failures and more practice. In truth, even people who appear to have natural abilities in anything they perfect any skills through practice, failure, and more practice. Yesterday our Scout Leadership Team participated in the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST), any Scout in a troop leadership position logged into our first-ever virtual offering of the material (hopefully our next term will be back to in-person!). We covered most of two modules, and will schedule a final session to cover the remaining material. The group did a great job delivering the material in a virtual format.
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
– John F. KennedyThe best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.
— Theodore Roosevelt
Photos
This week had the first part of ILST for all scouts holding positions of responsibility and 2 scouts reach Life rank
Announcements
SUMMER CAMP:
Postponed to 2021 and already booked (see Mr. Taylor’s 2 June email). Mark your calendars for the week of 20 June 2021 at SBR.
While our in-person summer camp has been cancelled for this summer, there are many BSA virtual camps being offered around the country throughout the summer. This is one year where distance to camp may be irrelevant. Camps vary widely in offerings, and cost. Many have packages mailed to scouts for participation the week long activities that can include merit badges, virtual campouts, and more. BSA has a listing of virtual camp opportunities online as a resource (note that the list starts with Cub Scouts, be sure to look at the BSA Scouts listing).
NCAC has a some options for virtual summer camp through the Goshen Homecamping that includes option for family camping at Goshen. Camp Snyder (located in nearby Haymarket) also has mixed virtual and family camping options.
Reminder: Don’t forget to update TroopMaster as you work of requirements and merit badges (and to then use the sync function). The adult leaders review this periodically to check on everyone’s progress.
Scouting at Home Badge with NCAC – if you are working on this and would like the badge, please send a note to me by 1 July so we can order them in time.
Rank Advancement
Elena Taylor – Life (6/25/2020)
Megan Staton – Life (6/25/2020)
TROOP MEETING OUTLOOK
This Week – 6/30 – **VIRTUAL** Troop Meeting
Uniform: Field Uniform (Class A)
Location: Zoom App (meeting link info to be sent day of meeting)
Step-by-Step Painting – Moon Archers
See email from Megan on 6/27 for details to prepare of the meeting, including a document with useful info
Next Week – 7/7 – **VIRTUAL** Troop Meeting
Uniform: Field Uniform (Class A)
Location: Zoom App (meeting link info to be sent day of meeting)
Campfire Night – participation by both patrols
Elena sent out an email with info on 6/26, including link to a form for campfire participation
https://forms.gle/LKp76g1Agabg3ksd7
Looking Ahead:
7/14 – Knots Activity (Moon Archers)
7/21 – First Aid Choose Your Own Adventure
In preparation of when we’re able to meet in-person
TBD – Camping Prep (Moon Archers)
TBD – Totin’ Chit (Rascal Rabbits)
SCOUTING FROM HOME
NCAC Scouting at Home page
NCAC new Scouting at Home patch
DelMarVa Council Scouting from Home Page
This page has Merit Badge info, but also has a great “Trail to First Class” Knowledge Library to help you work on rank advancement from home. These include links to videos on some of the requirements to help review.
NEW! Tread Lightly online course (free)
https://tread-lightly.teachable.com/p/tread-lightly-youth-online-course?fbclid=IwAR0D0cOBOtAUzrJbOAU4jbib93v_nlhecygX-kHktBJ0WyTHWFIqIVFbE-I
Merit Badges:
- See my 3/21 email for info on how merit badges work, and the troop process for opening a badge
- Finish open badges from MBU (or others)
- Start a new badge (talk to me to formally open it).
- Good candidates are those that include tracking activities over many weeks, such as Family Life Personnel Fitness and Personal Management
- Public Health is a highly relevant topic one now (and perhaps appropriate to earn during a pandemic)
- Our troop has many counselors available to work with you using technology, and across NCAC and further others are offering to assist scouts with badges to help keep everyone busy (not bored)
- Online MB sessions
- BSA Advancement Academy – updated periodically
- NCAC MB offerings – these are updated periodically (there may be technology fees for at least some offerings)
- Forwarded list of MB options:
National Capital Area
https://www.ncacbsa.org/merit-badges-at-home/Central Florida Council
https://scoutingevent.com/083-OnlineMBGulf Stream Council (Florida)
https://www.gulfstreamcouncil.org/raw2020Piedmont Council (North Carolina)
https://www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org/mbuonlineAndrew Jackson Council (Mississippi)
http://www.bsa-jackson.org/event/list/2535Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Scouting
https://www.volcanoscouting.org/virtual
30 Day Brownsea Challenge
Attention Scouts, Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, & 1st Class! Keep your Scout Skills sharp with the 30 Day Brownsea Challenge. The challenge begins this Friday! Complete the challenge and earn the exclusive Scout On Patch! You must be registered to earn the patch! There is no cost to register. Registrations end April 9th at 11:55 pm. Register & learn more here: http://www.bsa-grc.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx
Rank Advancement
Review your Scout Handbook, work on your skills so you can get items signed off. You can discuss with other scouts too. See 30-day challenges for rank advancement ideas.
Read a book, so many to choose from! Here are some suggestions:
Lost on a Mountain in Maine, Donn Fendler – true story of a 12 year old scout lost for 9 days
My Adventures as a Spy, Robert Baden-Powell
List of books to read from Boys Life magazine
What books do you suggest??
OTHER NEWS & INFO
Service Hour opportunities. All ranks have requirements for service, Scoutmaster approval is also require (any listed here are approved).
CUMC Food Ministries include monthly You Feed Others (UFO) and GRACE Ministries (which is more than just food). Right now they are limiting the number of volunteers for COVID guidelines, but also doing additional ad hoc items given the needs of the community. Participation requires mask, and a signed permission slip for minors (ie all Scouts) – right now minimum age is 12.
Sign up for the COVID Food Ministry – Week of June 29-July 3
Mask Making – There is still a need for cloth masks as the area begins to open up and more people are out and complying with guidelines to wear them in buildings or near other people. If you are making masks and want to donate – or want to start, CUMC has a mask making ministry and I know a group of mask makers who are coordinating with groups who need them. (This also ties into the NCAC Scouting at Home badge)
Camp Snyder Service Days – camp service days have resumed, with some restrictions in place to for safe operations and social distancing. These now include the requirement for prior approval for service, and health status checks. The next service day should be in July (unconfirmed).
Key Dates (mark your calendar)
also available from Troopmaster subscription calendar
Dates are dependent upon COVID-19 response
TBD – New Scout Campout
Jul 5-11 – Summer Camp (Summit Bechtel) (moved to 2021)
Aug 14-16 – Prince William Forest Campout
Aug 25 – First Day FCPS