Popular Post jsharr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Popular Post Share #1 Posted June 29, 2015 As many of you know, I am very passionate about Scouting. I have seen the changes it has made in young men's lives and I have heard from leaders of industry and government about how they view Scouting and Scouts. Both of our son's are in scouts, but we do not push them. I would discourage them from quitting but neither is forced to be a Scout.Our oldest joined a Troop based on one boy he knew in that Troop. He spent three years in the Troop but never was really active, excited, or advancing. So we encouraged him to visit other Troops. After a few visits and some back and forth, he decided to join a new Troop and in very short order decided to go to summer camp, which in the past has taken a bit of encouragement from us.So a week ago on Sunday, dropped him off at 5 AM for a week at Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch in the Davis Mountains of Southwest Texas. Very remote and no cell service, so we did not hear from him until Saturday AM, when we got a text that they were headed home and should be back at the American Legion Hall by 5:00.When we go there, he was happy, and told us about earning his Archery and Shotgun merit badges, along with his Snorkeling award and completing all the steps needed to become a First Class Scout. All he has to do is have is Scout Masters conference and wait for the next Court of Honor and he will be a First Class Scout. Lord Baden-Powell, the creator of the Scouting movement said that attaining the rank of First Class is when a boy really becomes a Scout. He wants to find a leadership role in his new Troop and wants to attend NYLT, a 6 day course designed to give Boy Scouts leadership skills to lead themselves and others!Yesterday he set up, washed, dried and refolded one of the Troop tents that he brought home to clean, and he had me take him to the archery range so that he could shoot his qualify rounds for score to complete his archery merit badge.Needless to say, my wife and I are thrilled about the changes we are seeing in him. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Share #2 Posted June 29, 2015 Sounds like the troop change was the right move for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted June 29, 2015 Sounds like the troop change was the right move for him. Yep, it sure was. He realizes now that he should have visited more Troops when he joined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilbur ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Share #4 Posted June 29, 2015 I liked this so much I tried to double like it but unliked it so I liked it again. Anyways jsharr, I double like this!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted June 29, 2015 I liked this so much I tried to double like it but unliked it so I liked it again. Anyways jsharr, I double like this!!I quoted you so you could like this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted June 29, 2015 Also, you are all invited to his court of honor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Far ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Share #7 Posted June 29, 2015 Excellent!I made it to Star before other pursuits distracted me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted June 29, 2015 Share #8 Posted June 29, 2015 Also, you are all invited to his court of honor.As long as it isn't on the same day as one of SW parties……. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingtermite Posted June 29, 2015 Share #9 Posted June 29, 2015 It sounds like he's no slouch!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted June 29, 2015 It sounds like he's no slouch!! He is also the tallest scout in the troop. Taller than many of the leaders. Giant man child. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted June 29, 2015 Share #11 Posted June 29, 2015 Scouting does wonders for kids. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Share #12 Posted June 29, 2015 Scouting does wonders for kids. I liked this but I didn't feel good about it. In fact I felt a little icky 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted June 29, 2015 Share #13 Posted June 29, 2015 I liked this but I didn't feel good about it. In fact I felt a little icky It is great for girls, too! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az_cyclist Posted June 29, 2015 Share #14 Posted June 29, 2015 great post, jsharr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page Turner Posted June 29, 2015 Share #15 Posted June 29, 2015 ...good deal. I was a member of three different Scout troops, and the leadership and philosophical approach of the adult leaders makes a huge difference. In one of them, the biggest deal was the annual Christmas tree lot we ran as a fundraiser for the rest of the year.....little emphasis on camping or outdoor hiking skills. By far the most influential one for me, personally, was the one where we loaded up like pack mules with army surplus packing and camping stuff every month, and went out to hike various sections of the Appalachian Trail. It did not kill me, thus in theory made me stronger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapr ★ Posted June 29, 2015 Share #16 Posted June 29, 2015 ...good deal. I was a member of three different Scout troops, and the leadership and philosophical approach of the adult leaders makes a huge difference. In one of them, the biggest deal was the annual Christmas tree lot we ran as a fundraiser for the rest of the year.....little emphasis on camping or outdoor hiking skills. By far the most influential one for me, personally, was the one where we loaded up like pack mules with army surplus packing and camping stuff every month, and went out to hike various sections of the Appalachian Trail. It did not kill me, thus in theory made me stronger. The Troops that do best have outdoor stuff every month. Yes, that means it's going to rain/snow/be hot on the little snowflakes many of the boys are there just for the outdoor hikes & camps. The rank advancement & merit badges are a byproduct of a good outdoor program. Our District council 'encouraged" Troops to get outside every month. I think one of the patches as a quality troop is to do 10 or so outdoor experiences. The Troops that worry about rank advancement w/no or little outdoor activity are paper whipping the requirements. It's the difference between seeing a Poison Oak leaf in the book and actually getting poison Oak because you went outside Good job jsharr. Keep it up. You are making a difference 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page Turner Posted June 29, 2015 Share #17 Posted June 29, 2015 ...hey @jsharr, I almost forgot. I grew up in the far SE section of D.C., and there were no public swimming pools with easy access, so when I joined the Scouts i could not swim hardly at all. I got the mile swim thing, the swimming badge, and the lifesaving badge, sailing, and canoeing, and while I learned much of it from the Red Cross, it was scouting that was the impetus and outline for most of it. My PT job in my last year of high school was as a lifeguard at the Naval Research lab pool, and my summer jobs in college were all either pool manager or swimming instructor. So when I say it had an influence on my life, I really mean it. I'm glad your son is enjoying it, it's a great way to expose yourself to stuff you might otherwise miss out on. I mean, I had a job for a couple of years there running the pool for a nursing school. That might have been my peak work experience. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted June 30, 2015 Share #18 Posted June 30, 2015 I loved my time in Troop 159. Learned a lot, did a lot....made Life.Great post, jasharr...and good for your son. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share #19 Posted June 30, 2015 ...hey @jsharr, I almost forgot. I grew up in the far SE section of D.C., and there were no public swimming pools with easy access, so when I joined the Scouts i could not swim hardly at all. I got the mile swim thing, the swimming badge, and the lifesaving badge, sailing, and canoeing, and while I learned much of it from the Red Cross, it was scouting that was the impetus and outline for most of it. My PT job in my last year of high school was as a lifeguard at the Naval Research lab pool, and my summer jobs in college were all either pool manager or swimming instructor. So when I say it had an influence on my life, I really mean it. I'm glad your son is enjoying it, it's a great way to expose yourself to stuff you might otherwise miss out on. I mean, I had a job for a couple of years there running the pool for a nursing school. That might have been my peak work experience. Next year he wants to take the BSA lifeguard course and staff summer camp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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