A Lesson in Penmanship - eagle tip
One of my favorite court of honor moments is when a new Eagle Scout looks into the audience and challenges younger Scouts to follow in his footsteps. That moment is especially great when he’s not afraid to name names and offer a personal challenge to, say, his younger brother or a Scout who needs a little extra encouragement.Awhile back, tip subscriber Rita Guarino offered an idea for making this moment even better. The idea: have... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-05-02Getting Cub Scout Leaders to Serve Again
Hello Everyone,While I have been an Adult Leader I have served with many other Adult Leaders who have been asked to serve again and I have been able to introduce in being a Cub Scout Leader.At the last Blue and Gold Dinner my boys Bridged to Boy Scouts and I was able to have both of my other Den Leaders step up and and become Den Leaders again for their younger boys. All I had... [More]
By: Steve O'Connor On: 2013-04-30A Video Letter to the Future - Eagle Tip
People planning Eagle courts of honor often include slide shows or videos during their ceremonies. Computer technology is making such presentations easier than ever.But what about a video that documents a court of honor for the future? I don’t mean a straightforward video of the ceremony—although that’s a great keepsake to have—but a short video that encapsulates the spirit of the ceremony.That’s what Troop 360 in Garland Texas did recently. You can see the result... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-25Starting a new Boy Scout Troop
Hello Everyone,I have been humbled. I have been asked by the local BSA District I am in to establish a Special Needs Youth Troop. I said yes and started to work on this project as my son's were in their last year of Cub Scouts.I have gone through many challenges starting this Troop and many around finding a Charter Organization. I was able to recruit my "Dream Team" of Adult Leaders and they are now... [More]
By: Steve O'Connor On: 2013-04-23About Those Star and Life Leadership Projects, Part 2 - eagle tip
My last tip discussed the Star and Life option for counting a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project as a substitute for holding a position of responsibility. I asked you what sorts of projects you’ve used and quickly heard back from my friend James Spurgeon, who recently served as Scoutmaster of my home troop.James has used the provision a few times. The specific example he cited was when he named a Scout to be the troop’s Scout skills... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-18About Those Star and Life Leadership Projects, Part 1 - smtip
I traded emails last week with a Scouter who’d purchased The Scoutmaster’s Other Handbook. He and another adult in his unit were having a dispute about the option in Star and Life (but not Eagle) that lets the Scoutmaster assign a leadership project in lieu of a Scout serving in a position of responsibility. One of them thought a half-day project to clean out a storage shed would suffice; the other thought the project needed... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-16Breaking Bread - Eagle Tip
Most Eagle courts of honor conclude with a reception, but some include a full meal instead. Offering a meal adds cost and complexity, of course, but it also gives guests a better opportunity to linger and mingle. A meal is perhaps most appropriate when you expect a lot of out-of-town guests who can’t go home for dinner.If you’re interested in going the meal route, the first thing to decide is whether everyone should be invited... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-11Facebooking Your Parents
Today I thought I would share an interesting perspective regarding parents and facebook. Are they trend setters, or maybe behind the curve? Are they modern and hip? With each passing year, more and more parents and jumping on to social media and creating their own profiles. This is a good time for parents to stop and think. Even if the parents are considered best friends of the youth, there is a good chance at some... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-09Eagle Tip - Charge
The highlight of every Eagle court of honor is probably that moment when the Eagle badge is pinned on the new Eagle Scout. In a sense, that moment is all about the past, because everything that has happened before (both in the ceremony and in the previous several years) builds to it.The future, meanwhile, is the focus of the Eagle charge, an admonition, challenge, word of advice—call it what you will—delivered by an adult or... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-04US Submarine July 1945, off the coast of Japan
This comes to us from Bob CarlsonThe following is from an article about a US Submarine in July of 1945 that was off the coast of Japan. The commander was sending a party ashore to blow up a train and here was his criteria for the men who would be in group:The Captain established his criteria for the volunteer party:[ 1 ] No married men would be included, except for Hatfield, [ 2 ] The... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2013-04-02