"You Make the Call" Follow-Up

In first "You Make the Call" post I made our goals that I needed to work towards completing. As a reminder the goals are as follows:

Goal 1: I will make a sincere effort to say 5 positive things that happened each day. These 5 positive things will be logged on my computer and then posted to this blog on a weekly basis. I will do this every week for 12 weeks.

Goal 2: I will say at least 1 positive thing to 3 different people each and everyday. If I am not going to leave the house on one day I will write a short message or email to a friend or family member each and every day for 12 weeks.

Goal 3: I will not allow myself to see more than 3 days each week as a complete failure or hopeless endeavor.

Goal 4: I will hold myself accountable to the two daily and 1 weekly  goal by regularly updating the readers of this blog on a regular basis.

So I was supposed to start these four goals on Monday December 1 and then provide regular updates. Obviously based on the lack of posts I have not followed through. Unfortunately, I have come to the realization these 4 goals are currently un-achievable as I lack the motivation to follow through. Therefore I am stopping this challenge and will continue with my old posts to ensure regular posting.

Yours in Scouting
Mark West
Eagle Scout
Assistant District Commissioner
Critical Need Unit Team
Assistant Cubmaster Pack 0125

Things Every New District Executive Needs to Know But Won't Be Told Part 2

Here is the next five of 50 things that every new District Executive needs to know but their Local Council Executive Staff won't tell them. This is list is based off of personal experience and in no way represents what a the BSA at either the National or Local Level would be willing to share. Additionally, each and every person is highly encouraged to add to this list. Please include your name and unit number, otherwise the comment will not be complied and posted at a later date. If you have comments that you do not want to share far and wide comments can be emailed to westybsa@gmail.com. And now for the list:

Item 6: Know when and how to say "NO". Saying "NO" is for most people very difficult to do. However as a District Executive (DE) not knowing this will only cause mistrust and hurt. If you are going to say "NO" make sure your willing to stand by your decision. Do NOT give in as if you give in you are only setting yourself up for trouble. Being known as the DE that always steps up and saves the day at the last minute is one of the most counterproductive actions you can take.

Item 7: If something can be sent to a leader or parent in an email, send the email before trying to contact the person on the phone. The only exception to this is if you know that leader or volunteer won't read or respond to the email in a timely manner. Email must become your friend. Check it often and check it regularly is key. Always, when providing information cite or refer to your sources in each and every email.

Item 8: Accept that Murphy was a Scouter and that in Scouting Murphy's Law always is present. Even the most prepared person learns to accept that Murphy's Law is what Scouting is all about. In case you didn't know Murphy's Law here it is:

"Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong."

This is not to say that your allowed to be a pesemist but it does at least help you be mentally prepared for changes. Planning is extremely important, however being able to change plans quickly is a must have trait to be successful as a DE.

Item 9: Continuing more with the Murphy's Law theme, there is another great saying to remember which is:

"If X is the number of items needed your number of items available

will always be 1 less than what is needed."

To put this as an equation:

"X-1=Y"

"Where X is the number needed and

Y is the number you have."

More than anything Murphy's Law is just something that will get you through the event or meeting. It is just a dose of humor to keep things in perspective. Because keeping things in perspective will help you keep your sanity.

Item 10: Lastly to say something about the weather. If you don't like bad weather, then being a DE might not be for you because Scouting must just go on. In Scouting weather doesn't stop us and the sooner your realize this the better off you will be. FYI............."Bad Weather"...............May refer to sleet, rain, snow, hail, lightning, thunder, ice storms, wind, or any combination of the above weather conditions. I personally think that the Swedes got it right when they said:

Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder.

To translate the saying:

"There's no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothes."

-or-

"Any weather is tolerable as long as you have the right clothing."

Well that is it for now. Coming up by the end  of the week I will have posted the next 5 items. Hope you enjoyed this and as always feel free to comment or share ideas on this topic or any other topic you would like to see covered.

Yours in Scouting Service

Mark West

Eagle Scout

Assistant District Commissioner

Critical Need Unit Team

Assistant Cubmaster Pack 0125

If you are paid to do Scouting, you are called a Professional. If you are not paid to do Scouting, you are called a Volunteer. If you pay to do Scouting, you are called a Scouter.

Things Every New District Executive Needs to Know But Won't Be Told Part 1

Here is the first five of 50 things that every new District Executive needs to know but their Local Council Executive Staff won't tell them. This is list is based off of personal experience and in no way represents what a the BSA at either the National or Local Level would be willing to share. Additionally, each and every person is highly encouraged to add to this list. Please include your name and unit number, otherwise the comment will not be complied and posted at a later date. If you have comments that you do not want to share far and wide comments can be emailed to westybsa@gmail.com. And now for the list:

Item 1: This is NOT a 9 am to 5 pm job. On a regular basis you will be expected to attend functions on evenings and weekends on a regular basis.

Item 2: Significant time will be spent traveling around the area covered by your District. The size of your District can range from very small to extremely large. To give you an example on District Executive covers the entirety of Southeast Alaska or it could be as small as a single city/community. Other points to mention about travel:

• Having an SUV or at the very least an AWD vehicle would be of great benefit.
• Travel may include dirt roads on a regular basis (Varies by Council).
• Knowing the locations of various churches is very helpful.
• Having a knowledge of your local school district and locations of schools will allow you to better serve your district.
• Your vehicle on a frequent basis will serve as your office.

Overall be comfortable with regular travel in all sorts of conditions will reduce travel difficulties.

Item 3: If you want to get things done without interruption either work from home (if allowed) or after regular business hours. Do NOT expect that your office at the Council Service Center (Council Office) will allow you to get things done.

Item 4: Having a significant other or spouse that understands and accepts complicated work environments is essential to maintaining a strong and successfulf relationship. Same idea applies to your kids (of course you aren't able to be as flexible but you get the idea). Things to consider include:

• Odd Hours
• Frequent Evening and Weekend Commitments
• Acceptance of Spouse/Significant Other
• Age and Needs of Your Children
• Times of Year that Make You Have No Other Life
• 
  

Item 5: Keep your kids and spouse/significant other as a priority in your life. Know when to say no to projects/functions and be willing to stand firm on your choices. Don't let other colleagues or volunteers guilt you into committing to projects/functions that are NOT essential to your job.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark West
Eagle Scout
Assistant District Commissioner
Critical Need Unit Team
Assistant Cubmaster Pack 0125


If you are paid to do Scouting, you are called a Professional. If you are not paid to do Scouting, you are called a Volunteer. If you pay to do Scouting, you are called a Scouter.

Boy Scout Recruiting A to Z Part 1

Letter A: Always Follow Up
After every meeting where a new Scout or parent visits your unit it essential to have a follow-up conversation via phone or e-mail. It is essential because it gives the Scout/parent time to digest the information given and ask questions. Additionally remind the Scout/parent of about the next meeting and the next activity for the unit.

Letter B: Boy to Boy Recruiting is Essential
There are many ways to recruit new Scouts. However, the single most effective method is boy to boy recruiting. Boy to boy recruiting is where an already established member encourages his friend to come and see what Scouting is all about.

Letter C: Communicate Effectively
Communicating regularly and effectively with both Scouts and parents is what makes a unit succeed or fail. Communication, with new members is extremely important because it makes the new member feel welcome and a part of your unit.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
~George Bernard Shaw

Letter D: Demonstrate Scout Spirit
Scout Spirit according to the Boy Scouts of America is defined as:

"Scout Spirit applies to how a Scout lives and conducts his daily life. He shows Scout Spirit by being a role model to his peers, living by the Scout Oath and Law. The concept of Scout Spirit is not based on how many Scouting events or outings a Scout attends, but rather by how he helps bring out the best in others as a reflection of his own character and attitude in his daily life."

As a Scouter or Scout we must come to embody and adhere to demonstrate Scout Spirit in all we do. We must not only demonstrate Scout Spirit on Scout events or outings, we must demonstrate it in our daily lives as well. Adopting Scout Spirit as your own is essential to recruiting Scouts because it shows that you are dedicated, interested in, and committed to Scouting.

Letter E: Every Night is a Recruitment Night
While have organized recruitment nights is important, it is also important to realize that a new Scout or Scouter may show up at any meeting. Therefore, always have your New Member Orientation Packet and multiple Adult and Youth Applications available at every meeting. Having these materials at your meeting will allow you to not be caught off guard if a potential member comes to a meeting.

Along with be prepared to accept a new member, it is important to remember to design a program that is exciting, fun, engaging, and meaningful at every meeting and every event. Because you just never know when a potential member may come to check out your unit.

Letter F: Fun is Essential
Personally, I don't understand how unit after unit I visit is content with having a program entirely focused and condensed down to just another part of "school". Scouting is NOT school, it is a place to have fun, learn new skills, engage in age appropriate activities that engage the boys and make them want to fully participate in the activity planned.

I call the Scouting that so many seem to practice "bookwork Scouting" which is defined as a sit down activity writing or producing a written product that resembles schoolwork. I will admit that Scouting does have some "bookwork" that must be done to achieve Rank or earn a badge. But even then there are methods of instruction that can make boring of subjects engaging and interesting to your boys.

To put it in the words of Lord Robert Baden-Powell:

"We are not a club or Sunday School class, but a school of the woods."

Letter G: Get Parents Involved
One way to prevent disengaged new parents is to engage these parents immediately by giving them simple or easily taught duties that make a significant contribution to your unit. This however does NOT mean that you should put that new parent into a direct-contact leadership role upon joining. The only exception to this would be if a parent asks to take on a leadership role within the unit.

Letter H: Have Exceptional Leadership
By having exceptional leadership your unit will not only exist but will prosper. It will prosper because you have created a meaningful program and a spectacular experience. Units fail to have exceptional leadership by:

Having leaders who take on a position just because

no one else will step up.

Having leaders who care more about recognition

than serving the boys.

Having leaders who create unnecessary drama.

Having leaders who don't really care for the boys.

Units also fail to have exceptional leadership when leaders don't know the difference between a "boss" and a "leader. And yes there is a difference.

Letter I: Immediate Immersion
New members are usually extremely excited to start their Scouting experience therefore you must providing "true Scouting" at each and every meeting, outing or activity. Our founder Robert Baden-Powell put this idea of immediate immersion best when he said:

"A boy on joining wants to begin Scouting right away."

Getting the boy immersed in Scouting is only half of immediate immersion concept. The other half is getting the parent immersed in Scouting. Parents being immersed in Scouting immediately will be MORE likely to get involved and contribute meaningfully to the unit.

Letter J: Join Night Plan
Too often have I seen Join Nights fail because leaders are unprepared. Remember the first impression of Scouting is the ONLY chance you have to convince the boy and the parent to join Scouting. Join Night plans must consider:

• Regular Meeting Time/Day/Location
• Costs of Scouting (Must be unit specific)
• Join Night Time/Day/Location
• Basics of Scouting
• How to Keep Youth Busy
• Unit Leadership
• Council Support

This is in no way a complete list but it should hopefully give you an idea of what to include in your Join Night plan.

Letter K: Know Your Boys
Knowing your boys as individuals shows that you are truly a leader that cares and is interested in each and every boy. We leaders generally know all our Scouts at a superficial level but to be true servant leaders we must learn way more than this if we are to create strong units. To put it in the words of our founder:

"Scoutmasters deal with the individual boy rather

than with the mass."

The word Scoutmaster can be replaced with Cubmaster or any other unit leader title.

Letter L: Leave a Good Impression
I don't think that I could it better than Mr. Rogers:

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

So as Scouters we know that we must leave a good impression but what specifically does this have to do with recruiting? Well everything of course! Everything because the impression of Scouting and your unit is the deciding factor in determining whether or not Scouting will be a worthwhile activity.

The Scoutmaster Minute Blog Response to "You Make the Call"

Jerry Schleining over at the blog "The Scoutmaster Minute" on November 29 published the post "You Make the Call". Below you will find an excerpt from the post that in my opinion pretty much sums up the topic discussed within the post:

"So you make the call? Have you made a choice to do something with your life?

Have you broken it down to smaller parts to manage your goals better?

Have you given up? Do you have a positive outlook?

And you want Results or keep making excuses?

It is simple, but it starts with you and a choice."

"You make the call."

This post discusses outlook on life and personal accountability, which I struggle with on a daily basis. The reasons why I struggle really aren't important but what is important here is my reaction to this post. My initial reaction was to comment and tell the author how he is wrong and that the situation was more complex than he made it seem. It to me was an attack on who I was as a person and my values. However, before I posted a comment about how the author was wrong, the rational voice in my head took over and told me............."Mark you need to calm down and reread the post before you post something you regret".

Luckily I listened and reread the post. After doing so I realized that even though it felt like a "punch in face" it was something that I needed to hear and to take some time to reflect. After reflecting I decided that this was a time in my life where you need to not take it personally and accept that I am the person that needs to change. This situation reminds of an quote about the truth that I strongly believe in:

"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they

don't want their illusions destroyed."

~Friedrich Nietzsche

In response to this illusion I hold, I hereby declare:

1. I will make a sincere effort to say 5 positive things that happened each day. These 5 positive things will be logged on my computer and then posted to this blog on a weekly basis. I will do this every week for 12 weeks.
2. I will say at least 1 positive thing to 3 different people each and everyday. If I am not going to leave the house on one day I will write a short message or email to a friend or family member each and every day for 12 weeks.
3. I will not allow myself to see more than 3 days each week as a complete failure or hopeless endeavor.
4. I will hold myself accountable to the two daily and 1 weekly goal by regularly updating the readers of this blog on a regular basis.

I also hereby challenge anyone who has trouble with keeping a positive outlook on life to join me in this challenge. If you choose to accept this challenge I encourage you to log your experience on either a blog you contribute to or on a social networking site you regular interact with such as Facebook or Twitter. Posting this on a blog or social networking site is to help ensure you follow through with this challenge. Furthermore, anyone participating in this challenge should at your discretion inform me of your acceptance of this challenge.

Thank you to all who are regular readers of this blog. I hope through this challenge and several other changes in purpose/programming that I will make an effort to provide regular content updates. As always thank you for your participation or service to Scouting, as without all you members Scouting would not be possible.

Yours in Scouting Service

Mark West

Eagle Scout 

Assistant District Commissioner

Critical Need Unit Team 

Assistant Cubmaster Pack 0125

If you are paid to do Scouting, you are called a Professional. If you are not paid to do Scouting, you are called a volunteer. If you pay to do Scouting, you are called a Scouter.

Recharter

Before we begin the primary topic of this column I would first like to introduce myself. My name is Mark West, I am 23 years old and have been involved with Scouting since the second grade (1997). In August 2006 I earned my Eagle with Troop 780 which is located in Castle Rock, Colorado (Denver Area Council). During April 2007 I moved to Soldotna and became involved with Troop 1616. Troop 1616 is now known as Troop 669, due to a change in the charter organization. The first unit I served with in Anchorage was Troop 1316 where I served as an Assistant Scoutmaster until Fall 2012. After a brief absence from serving as an unit leader I joined Pack 125 in the fall of 2013 and have been involved with the Pack ever since.

Currently beyond being involved with a unit I currently serve in:

• Eklutna District Unit Commissioner
• Eklutna District Committee Member
• Council Training Committee, Vice Chair of Youth Leader Training

Beyond these three positions I volunteer in Scout Office where I serve as a Council Support Services volunteer. In this role I provide administrative and technical support to the council through several different projects. One of my major ongoing projects I am working on is writing a column in the E-Trail Talk newsletter of the the council. My goal with this column is to provide volunteers with the tools and resources necessary to provide program support to make your Scouting experience as fulfilling as possible.

While the topic of recharter is not the most interesting topic, it is still a necessary process that all units have to go through on an annual basis. To help you understand why recharter is so important let's take a brief look into what the Charter Organization is and its relationship with the council and its members. Starting off lets define what a Charter Organization is

"A Charter Organization is a civic, faith-based, or educational organization that sponsors (operates) a Scouting unit to deliver the programs of the Boy Scouts of America to their youth members, as well as the community at large."

Each Charter Organization must have both an Institution Head and a Charter Organization Representative. However these two positions may be the same person. Institution Head is defined as follows:

"An Institution Head is the top person of the charter organization which has ultimate decision making authority when it comes business decisions. This person usually is the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Pastor, a Priest, a Bishop, or director of the sponsoring organization."

A Charter Organization Representative (COR) is defined as follows:

"A Charter Organization Representative is the person appointed by the Institution Head to have the authority to appoint new leaders, remove old leaders, approve adult and youth membership, ensure that the unit is conducting the Scouting program within the parameters established by the Boys Scouts of America, ensure that the unit conducts itself in line with purpose of the organization, and to help acquire or provide the resources needed for the unit to conduct its program."

Each year the Institution Head signs what is called an "Annual Charter Agreement" which is the agreement that defines what the Charter Organization is to provide and the responsibilities of the Local Council to each Charter Organization. The full "Annual Charter Agreement" can be found here.

 Below you will find a summary of the responsibilities of the two involved parties in the "Annual Charter Agreement" starting with the responsibilities of the Charter Organization:

• Conduct the Scouting Program inline with the policies of the BSA.
• Include Scouting as part of the programs for families and youth of the organization.
• Appoint a COR to coordinate unit operations and serve as an active voting member of the Local Council.
•  Select a committee of no less than 3 people that will screen and select potential leaders that meet both the standards of membership for the Charter Organization and the BSA.
• Provide Adequate facilities for the Scouting Units to meet.
• Encourage participation in the Outdoor Programs of the BSA.

While the Charter Organization has the above duties, the Local Council agrees to carry out the following responsibilities to each and every Charter Organizations:

• Respect the aims and objectives of the organizations and to offer the resources of Scouting to the Charter Organization
• Make available year round training opportunities, programs, and service resources to the Charter Organization.
• Provide information on how to select quality leaders.
• Provide Primary General Liability Insurance for the unit and its Charter Organization.
• Provide Excess General Liability Insurance for unregistered leaders involved with the unit.
• Provide facilities for camping.

One of the most important things you can do to bring change to both the district and the local council is to encourage your COR to attend District Committee Meetings and Council Board Meetings. District Committee Meetings are generally held on a monthly basis from August to May, skipping June and July. Council Board Meetings are also held on a monthly basis but if there is any meeting that is more important than these monthly meetings it would be the Council Annual Business Meeting. This meeting is held during the month of February in conjunction with the Great Alaska Council's Day of Scouting. This day usually includes:

• District Committee Chair Meeting
• Council Annual Business Meeting
• Council Executive Board Annual Meeting
• Eagle Recognition Banquet
• Annual Council Awards Banquet

Hopefully by now you will have gained a better understanding of the Charter Organization Concept and the role the Charter Organization Representative plays within the unit, district, and local council. However, I still have not covered what the purpose of recharter is and therefore it needs to still be addressed. The purpose of recharter is as follows:

• Update personal and contact information of youth and adult members.
• Remove adults and youth from the unit roster, if necessary.
• Add adults and youth to the unit roster, if necessary.
• Make leadership position changes to already registered leaders without an Adult Application.
• Pay registration fees and for Boys Life subscriptions for the upcoming year. (This only applies to Non-LDS (Latter Day Saints) Units, unless a LDS Unit has a member that is interested in subscribing to Boys Life Magazines). 
• Grant your Charter Organization the Charter that allows your Charter Organization to conduct the programs of the Boy Scouts of America. 

If this doesn't provide enough background on the Charter Organization Concept and the purpose of the recharter process please feel free to contact me via email at westybsa@gmail.com with any additional questions or concerns. You can also contact your District Executive with any questions you have about recharter. Additionally, I am always interested in hearing comments, concerns, or questions about the current topic or suggestions for future topics you would like to be covered.

Thank you for participating in Scouting, it is you as adult leaders and youth members that make the Scouting program work. Your service to Scouting is greatly appreciated.



Yours In Scouting
Mark West
Eklutna District
Unit Commissioner
Great Alaska Council


If you are paid to do Scouting you are called a Professional. If you are not paid to do Scouting you are called a Volunteer. But if you pay to do Scouter you are called a Scouter.

I Put On the Uniform...............

“Why do I put on the uniform everyday?” Seems to be a question I get asked regularly. So “Why do I put on the uniform everyday?”

I put on the uniform because I am a member of a world wide movement.

I put on the uniform because I am brother to all Scouts around the world.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder to live according to the Scout Oath.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder to live according to the Scout Law.

I put on the uniform because it removes all signs of being a part of a specific class or socioeconomic background.

I put on the uniform because it removes all signs of wealth or financial standing.

I put on the uniform because it shows the world I am a Scout.

I put on the uniform because it shows I am a fellow Scout to Scouts around the world.

I put on the uniform because I am a member of a uniformed organization.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific Unit.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific Scout Group.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific District.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific Local Council.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific Region.

I put on the uniform because it is a reminder that I belong to a specific National Scout Organization (NSO).

I put on the uniform because I am a Scout on the inside and the outside.

I put on the uniform because I believe in the Scouting Way of Life.

I put on the uniform because I believe in the Spirit of Scouting.

I put on the uniform because I believe in the Ideals of Scouting.

I put on the uniform because I believe in the Patrol Method. The Patrol Method is the only way to do Scouting. Anything else isn't and as such it shouldn't be called Scouting.

I put on the uniform because I believe that saying “Do as I say, not as I do.” is the most unfair and stupid attitude a leader can have.

I put on the uniform because I believe in the saying “Show me a poorly uniformed leader, and I will show you a poorly uniformed Troop.”

I put on the uniform because I believe in the saying “Wear it right, or don't wear it at all.”

I put on the uniform because if I don't, how can I expect my Scouts to do the same.

I put on the uniform because I believe in empowering our youth.

I put on the uniform because I know that someone is always watching.

I put on the uniform because I believe in our young people.

I put on the uniform for many more reasons than listed here, yet I realize I won't always act worthy of putting on the uniform. Because I am human and I make mistakes But I also must “Do My Best” to be worthy of putting on the uniform or I will fail to fulfill what putting on the uniform means.

Scouting Isn't................

1) Scouting isn't school, yet Scouting has teachers.

2) Scouting isn't a sports team, yet Scouting promotes competition.

3) Scouting isn't physical education (PE), yet Scouting promotes physical fitness.

4) Scouting isn't a cult/gang, yet Scouting promotes group identity development.

5) Scouting isn't JROTCROTC, yet Scouting promotes military drills and discipline.

6) Scouting isn't the military, yet Scouting promotes a willingness to defend freedom.

7) Scouting isn't about the “first” or the “best”, yet Scouting honors those who perform above and beyond their expectations.

8) Scouting isn't about the top-dog, yet Scouting isn't just about the under-dogs.

9) Scouting isn't about the clothes you wear, yet Scouting promotes wearing the uniform properly.

10) Scouting isn't about the way you look, yet Scouting promotes having a good appearance.

11) Scouting isn't about being athlete, yet Scouting promotes the development of athletic ability.

12) Scouting isn't about learning-by-lecture, yet lecture does have its time and place in Scouting.

13) Scouting isn't about the indoors, yet sometimes activities do occur indoors.

14) Scouting isn't a swim team, yet swimming plays a critical be role in Scouting.

15) Scouting isn't science club, yet Scouting requires critical thinking and scientific observation.

16) Scouting isn't a conservation group, yet Scouting practices Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace.

17) Scouting isn't about politics, yet Scouting encourages active citizenship.

18) Scouting isn't a religion or church group, yet Scouting encourages religious and spiritual development.

19) Scouting isn't about who is the richest, yet Scouting promotes thriftiness.

20) Scouting isn't just about becoming an Eagle Scout, yet Scouting holds those who are Eagle Scouts in high esteem.

21) Scouting isn't just another way to college, yet Scouts are usually better prepared for the challenges of college.

22) Scouting isn't just another way to get a scholarship, yet there are scholarships specifically made for Scouts.

23) Scouting isn't just another class, yet there is learning and practicing.

24) Scouting isn't just arts and crafts, yet we do handicraft/creative projects.

25) Scouting isn't just about advancement, yet we encourage Scouts to climb the Trail of Scouting.

26) Scouting isn't just about becoming a good leader, yet we show that anyone can become a successful leader.

27) Scouting isn't just about character development, yet Scouts learn to show integrity.

28) Scouting isn't just a cult or fraternity, yet we honor and up-hold the traditions of Scouting.

29) Scouting isn't just about adults, yet adult association plays a role in what is Scouting.

30) Scouting isn't just for nerds/geeks, yet a large percentage identify as geeks/nerds.