The B.S.A. has published a helpful guide – Navigating the Eagle Scout Service Project Information for Project Beneficiaries – that defines the way an Eagle Project works from the perspective of the benefiting organization. Key elements of the process are explained : The Eagle Scout Rank and the Service Project Typical Projects Project Restrictions and Limitations Approving the Project […]
All About Advancement
New Cooking Merit Badge Requirements Released
Here’s a Cooking Merit Badge infographic that you may find helpful: Download a printable PDF of the Cooking Merit Badge Infographic The Facts: As of January 1, 2014 Cooking Merit badge is required for Eagle. A new set of requirements have been published and new book will be available in January. During 2014 Scouts working on […]
Three ‘Secret Weapons’ Every Scouter Should Have
Every Scouter has been there. You’ve been there, and so have I. Your fellow Scouter, a parent, or Scout has a question. You think you know the answer. After telling them what you think there’s a little shadow of doubt in your mind;”did I get that right?”. That shadow grows, and you go looking for […]
Guardian of the Gate
Guardian of the Gate by F. Darnall Daley Jr. (advancement chair for Area 6 of the Northeast Region). Some of you appear to be standing guard at the gate. Like good guards you are not letting anyone pass who does not have the correct password. When someone appears at the gate who does not have the correct […]
Where Does Scout Advancement Happen?
Scout advancement is a natural result of applying the patrol system. Requirements without the patrol experience are a lifeless checklist. Tenderfoot 2. Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout… 3. On the campout, assist in preparing and cooking one of your patrol’s meals. Tell why it is important for each patrol member […]
How Long Does it Take to Be a First Class Scout?
Someone asked me how long, on average, does it take to be a First Class Scout? We know statistically Scouts who become First Class within the first year tend to stay in Scouting longer. I am pleased when Scouts advance because that’s one indicator that we are delivering on the promise, but it’s only one indicator. […]
How I would Change Eagle Required Merit Badges
Reading the requirements for sustainability merit badge got me to thinking about merit badges as tools to achieve the aims of Scouting in general and Eagle required merit badges in particular. Faithful readers will understand that I like to think about these things and write about possibilities, take it all with a grain of salt. […]
Changes to Eagle Required Merit Badges
Before long (January 1, 2014) the list of Eagle required merit badges will change slightly with the addition of cooking as a required merit badge and the new sustainability merit badge as an alternative to environmental science. Here’s an overview of the current and new lists: Current list of Eagle-required merit badges Earn a total […]
Rethinking Summer Camp Merit Badges
What are your expectations for summer camp merit badges? To most of us and to nearly all of our Scouts the central feature of the week at camp is earning merit badges. But what if it wasn’t? What if Scouts exchanged earning summer camp merit badges for learning and doing the things that actually interest them, the kind […]
Court of Honor Questions
David from Hawaii writes: I am a fairly new Scoutmaster and I asked the committee to present merit badges and rank patches in troop meetings and present the certificates for those badges at the court of honor. They declined out of fear that no one would attend the court of honor. Next thing you know […]
Scouting Advancement Educational Presentations
How effectively you apply the Scouting advancement method hinges on how well you understand the subject. The National Advancement Team has released a bunch of new educational resources that you ought to check out. While Scouting advancement is at least some part of leadership training I think we owe it to our Scouts to take a couple […]
Boy Scout Requirement Changes for 2013
A new edition of Boy Scout Requirements was released in mid January, 2013. Paul Wolf at the US Scouting Service Project Inc. has published his annual review of Boy Scout requirement changes, a tremendous resource and a great service to us all, thank you Paul! The online version of the report is here and a PDF version is available here Here’s some […]
Merit Badge Blue Card Infographic
The merit badge blue card serves many purposes: Certifying the unit leader has helped the Scout locate an approved counselor. Tracking requirements completed Checking that the badge was recorded and presented Serving as a record for the Scout, counselor and unit that the badge has been earned Here’s a basic look at the process of earning a […]
Merit Badge Blue Card Change
The old merit badge blue card; The new merit badge blue card; This announcement from the latest Advancement News is self explanatory: Merit Badge Blue Card Revised A new version of the “Application for Merit Badge,” No. 34124, commonly referred to as the “blue card,” is being released later in January 2013. The availability of the new […]
Reading Scout Requirements
There are times that what I assume or the way I feel Scout requirements are fulfilled does not jibe with the actual wording of the requirement. I don’t sign off many requirements. Requirements for ranks up to First Class are almost exclusively signed off by our older Scouts. I do sign off requirements in the if I am […]
Court of Honor Ideas
Here’s some court of honor ideas we use that you may find helpful: Some court of honor ideas can enhance the central theme (recognizing Scout advancement) and some detract from it; Ideas that Enhance: 1. Recognition of Scout achievement in Scouting and outside of Scouting (If we know about a special accomplishment or award a Scout has […]
Four Steps to Scout Advancement – A Scout is Recognized
Fifth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 Immediate recognition is a powerful incentive of the BSA’s advancement program. A Scout should receive his new badge as soon as possible after his achievement has been certified by a board of review. A […]
Four Steps to Scout Advancement – A Scout is Reviewed
Fourth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. After a Scout has completed all of the requirements for any rank he is reviewed twice; once in a Scoutmaster conference and once at a Board of review. The Scoutmaster Conference Note that a Scout must participate or take part in a conference; it is not […]
Four Steps to Scout Advancement – A Scout is Tested
Third in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. (Click on the titles above to read the articles) … the standard of proficiency is purposely left undefined. Our standard for Badge earning is not the attainment of a certain level of quality of knowledge or skill, but the AMOUNT OF EFFORT THE BOY […]
Four Steps to Scout Advancement – A Scout Learns
Second in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 “… It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy spirit of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, […]
Four Steps to Scout Advancement – Introduction
First in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. There are four steps to Scout advancement described in the Scoutmaster’s Handbook PP. 124-127 Before we look at these steps let’s contextualize advancement within all the aims and methods of Scouting; Advancement is simply a means to an end, not an end in itself. It […]
First Class Rank in the First Year?
Twenty years ago (or more) the B.S.A. concluded that Scouts ought to earn First Class rank in the first year based on a statistical ‘leading indicator’, a connection between when Scouts become First Class and how long they stay in Scouting. Statistics can be a little ham-handed, they only reflect phenomena leaving us to interpret what’s really happening. Accepting the premise […]
Scouting Ceremonies
When humans participate in ceremony, they enter a sacred space. Everything outside of that space shrivels in importance. Time takes on a different dimension. – Sun Bear Every ceremony or rite has a value if it is performed without alteration. A ceremony is a book in which a great deal is written. Anyone who understands can read it. One […]
Scout Advancement – Carts, Horses, and Suntans
“Advancement is like a suntan; something you get naturally whilst having fun in the outdoors.” Attributed to Baden-Powell Scout advancement is not a goal; it is an indicator. Our aim is not that Scouts attain a certain level of skill or expertise but that they have fun in the outdoors doing things Scouts do. When […]
