Issue 573 – August 14, 2018

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Hi Andy,

I’m Scoutmaster of a small (11 Scouts) troop. My biggest problem is getting our meetings more interesting and exciting for our Scouts—they’re bored! How can I keep them more engaged and excited about our meetings? (Steve Kopezna, SM, Suffolk County Council, NY)

“I feel your pain”… seriously. Been there more than once.

My first hope is that you have one elected Senior Patrol Leader and two patrols (5+5 or 4+6, but never 3+7 or worse!). If you don’t, this is your very first step, but it absolutely needs to be done by the Scouts themselves. First, the SPL election, and then the new SPL asks the Scouts to divide themselves into two groups of no less than four and no more than six, and no Scout left out.

Now you’ve got a Patrol Leaders Council: Your SPL and two elected Patrol Leaders.

Your role here is a resource, guide, and mentor. Give your SPL (he’s the “chairman” of the PLC) several things. He needs the classic “Troop Meeting Plan” sheets (available online via any search engine—download it and make a bunch of copies). Note right away that the TMP is Scout-decided and Scout-run! There’s also a set of three BSA books (ask your SPL to go to “Program Features for Troops, Teams, and Crews, Vols. 1, 2, 3 – Boy Scouts of America”) and “cherry-pick.”

Now the PLC sits down with both resources (you’re “wallpaper” at this point) and he and his two Patrol Leaders decide what their patrols are going to do in September (guide them to starting with just one month… let’s not make this a mountain when it’s just a molehill). Then they carry out their plan! (Most important, there’s “buy-in” because the Scouts themselves “own” these plans!

Along the way, consider suggesting to your SPL that he assign one patrol as the “Spirit Patrol” and the other as the “Service Patrol,” rotated each week. The Spirit Patrol conducts the opening of the troop meeting, with that suggestion that they jazz it up a bit and not just do the same ole pledge-oath-law routine. The Service Patrol arrives early and makes sure the meeting room is set up—flags and stands, chairs (if you use them), and any equipment or supplies needed for the “game” portion of the meeting; then they stay after the meeting closes and puts everything away.

This should get you started. Remember that a troop’s fun and happiness is inversely proportional to the interference by adults!

Oh, one last tip for today… If you’d like to see the Scouts get to meetings early, so that they’re ready to start the actual meeting sharply on time, ask them (the PLC, that is) to come up with a game they all know how to play, that can “absorb” Scouts as they show up (so everybody gets in the game), If your meetings normally start at, let’s say, 7:30, this pre-meeting game starts as soon as Scouts start arriving but stops on a dime at 7:28!

There’s more, of course, but this should get you well on your way. And don’t ever think you can’t write back—I’m here for you for as long as you need me!
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Hello Andy,

I’m looking for a BSA definition of “active.”

The requirements for Star, Life, and Eagle require some time spent as an “active Scout.” There doesn’t seem to be any requirement like this for the Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks. Does the BSA National Council have a definition? Is there a definition written anywhere?

I’m asking because our troop is considering defining “active” as attending 75 percent of the troop meetings and a one-third of all campouts. (Edward Krejci)

“Active” is most often a relative term, so the BSA doesn’t demand or provide a precise metric or formula, and this is a good thing!

For Scout through First Class, there are actual rank requirements that—when followed—lead to “active” Scouts. For Scout rank, for instance, in addition to reading his own handbook, the Scout will need to show up to learn and demonstrate the knowledge and skills involved (e.g., describe the patrols in his troop, show pocketknife safety, etc.). Then Tenderfoot asks the Scout to go on a campout and get actively involved in its success—with his patrol!—plus help carry out a service project and teach via the EDGE method, to mention a few. Next, for Second Class and First Class, the Scout will go on a bunch of troop/patrol activities including more campouts, carry out more service, etc., etc. So, by encouraging advancement (but without dangling requirement “carrots” like “do this and get X service hour credit”) you’re equally encouraging participation!

Basic rule of Scouting: PROGRAM PRODUCES PARTICIPANTS.

Have dull, boring, same-ole, same-ole meetings? Guess what… would YOU show up???

On to Star, Life and Eagle…

By the time a Scout is going for these ranks, he’s typically in (or about to go into) high school. His “world” explodes! In addition to an obviously more intensive and demanding academic environment, there’s JV and varsity sports, theater groups, various clubs for STEM subjects and languages, there’s music including band and orchestra plus choral, and the list goes on!

One of the beauties of Scouting is that we all recognize that Scouting’s first “volunteers” are—you’ve got it!—the Scouts themselves. We’re not an “outdoorsman club”—we’re an educational movement whose goals aren’t “badges”—our goals are personal integrity, citizenship, and mental and physical excellence.

The BSA’s GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT (Topics 4.2.3.0 and 4.2.3.1) talk to the aspect of “active” and the needed collaboration between each Scout, as a unique individual, and his troop. What’s stressed most is flexibility and taking each Scout’s individual circumstances into consideration. This is why blanket “metrics” should be avoided: It will “cost” you Scouts who, for legitimate reasons of their own, simply can’t accommodate—using the figure you mentioned—attending three out of every four meetings and one out of every three outdoor activities month-after-month. And I can assure you: Once a Scout’s “gone,” he’s gone forever.

Now you mention that “our troop is considering…” By “troop,” do you mean the Patrol Leaders Council (i.e., SPL and each Patrol Leader), or do you mean the troop committee or some other group that’s entirely adults? If you mean this is being considered by the Scouts themselves, then they need some guidance on how to make meetings and outings more enticing. If, however, you mean the adults, then you’re ignoring the cold fact that the program aspects of this troop are run by the Scouts; not by any adult or group of adults—not even by the Scoutmaster!

So KISMIF – Keep It Simple–Make It Fun!
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Hi Andy,

It seems that Scouters today can earn the Scouter’s Training Award in six different areas. How are additional completions recognized on the uniform after the first one? Mini-devices or something else? (David Hosford)

Yup, there are various devices that can be pinned onto the single “square knot” for uniform wear! Check with your local Scout shop or at “www.scoutshop.org”

Happy Scouting!

Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you’d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that’s what we’ll do.)

[No. 573 – 8/14/2018 – Copyright © Andy McCommish 2018]