Troop 1616 After Meeting Review

Troop 1616 After Meeting Review
March 4, 2008

The Meet went fairly well once the Senior Patrol Leader arrived on site. The issue was so much the SPL running the meeting it is the time that the SPL arrives at the meeting is the biggest problem. Tonights focus was a campfire program and a snow shelter building activity. This snow shelter building activity is going to take several weeks to become fully developed. Here are the meeting scores for the week.

• Preparation: C, Average preparation level for the activity. Senior Patrol Leader needs to arrive on time. The JASM should have taken over the meeting sooner instead of waiting until 18:42 when the meeting was suppose to start at 18:30. JASM must not hesitate to take over when SPL is going to be late.
  
• Presentation: A, Did not lay out instructions in advance but the walk through system of explaining it, doing that step, and then repeating the process was used. This shows that the teacher understands that the intended audience needs assistance but also the teacher needs to learn to explain all directions in advance.
  
• Level of Material Gathered: C+, has a thorough understanding of the subject but is having some what of a hard time getting across the information to the scouts. Hopefully as person teaches more, the teacher will become more confident.
  
• Additional Comments: Good job at tonights meeting and way to go in understanding you position. Taking charge of the situation like the SPL did is what should occur during every meeting. Do not wait for the JASM to take over the meeting, instead as the SPL take charge and lead your Troops.

Action Items for Next Meeting

1. Deal with Summer Camp Issues
2. Deal with ALyeska Trip Issues: Need to find second trip coordinator and finalize time and schedule for activity.
3. Advancement issues with not updating boy scout handbook when appropriate. Need to talk about and explain the importance of the Boy Scout Handbook to the Troop
4. JASM needs to take a more direct role when SPL is late but otherwise should have a secondary role at the meeting.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Picture of the Week

Eagle Court of Honor
Mark West Troop 780
Castle Rock, Colorado

Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week
The people I see performing best in a crisis are people who are honest forthright. They don’t hide their personalities or their weaknesses. They are genuine.

Troop 1616 After Meeting Review

February 26, 2008 Meeting
Troop 1616 After Meeting Review

This week the SPL presented information on how to build a snow shelter. Here is the rating and comments about his information that was presented at tonights meeting:

• Preparation: A-, Fairly good preparation, liked having the model of what a snow shelter should look like, and had a fair amount of information was gathered for the presentation.
• Presentation: A, Is able to engage the audience in the meeting environment, every seems to like the way he presents and likes to make jokes which engages the audience.
• Level of Material Gathered: C, average quality, need more details to explain concept to scouts with more thorough instructions, not horrible but could use improvement, Very good with the short notice that was given for preparation time
• Additional Comments: Need to work on flow of material to make it more step by step. Like the idea of incorporating the jokes and engaging the audience in the way that the SPL performed.

Other items accomplished at this meeting was that of the gathering of prices and times for alyeska Trip.

After Meeting To Do list

• Put together March 4, 2008 Meeting
• E-mail Troop about next weeks meeting details
• Work on advancement problems for james Wysong
• Put together or assign someone to put together Summer Camp Parent Packets.

Well everything went great at tonights meeting and we had a great time

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Quote of the Week

“The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them”
-Mark Twain

Think about this quote long and hard and you will realize it does not just apply to books but life in general.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Generational Diversity in the BSA

Generational Diversity in the BSA
Online Learning Center, BSA

This training course is recommended for Scouting Professionals and Volunteers in the BSA who want to get a broader and deeper appreciation for the diverse range of ages and life experiences throughout our organization. It is not necessarily recomended for young youth leaders.

There are four major segments to the course, these segments are:

• Defining the Four Generations
• Understand the Generations
• Working with the Generations
  
• Generational Issues and Answers

Hopefully this training will help to bridge some of the generation gaps that seem to be appearing in more and more organizations.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Weather Smart Training

Hazardous Weather Training

Online Learning Center BSA

This new training of by the OLC of the BSA is designed to give youth and adult leaders the basics to stay safe in hazardous weather conditions. These conditions that are covered allow units from across the country to stay safe no matter what weather occurs. Their are ten modules to this training and it takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

The ten modules are as follows

• Weather Planning and Preparation
• Lightning
• Cold Weather
• Hot Weather
• Hail
• Flash floods
  
• Tornadoes
• Windstorms
• Traditional Weather Signs
• Hurricanes

This training is no where near being comprehensive but gives the leaders a good general direction to take when dealing with various conditions that have harzardous weather patterns associated with that feature.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Explorer Post 999 After Meeting Review

February 21, 2008 Meeting
CPR Training

Tonight we did part two of the American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Level Basic Life Support Course. We should have this CPR (Cardio pulmonary Resucitation) course completed after one more meeting. We have already had one part. So far to get to this point we have spent approximately 3.5 hours on the cours and it is expected to take approximately five hours to complete. Learning skills like CPR is important because maybe someday I can save a life because I was trained to do so. The saying with this type of training is Expect the best but prepared for the worst.

Picture of the Week

Friday July 29, 2005 Jamboree. The rain storms hit.

Scout Slogan Explained

Boy Scout Slogan

Do a Good Turn Daily.

This is the slogan of the Boy Scouts.

Some Good Turns are big - saving a life, helping out after floods or other disasters, recycling community trash, working with your patrol on conservation projects.

But Good Turns are often small, thoughtful acts - helping a child cross a busy street, going to the store for an elderly neighbor, cutting back brush that is blocking a sign, doing something special for a brother or sister, welcoming a new student to your school.

A Good Turn is more than simple good manners. It is a special act of kindness

That is all that the the Scout Slogan means, which seems short compared to the other explanations for the other scout ideals but that is exactly what it is about.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

February 19, 2008 After Meeting Review

Well during tonights meeting we had to throw out the original plan because of the fact that the Communications Merit Badge Counselor showed up and we decided that since so many of the boys who were working on the badge were their tonight we might as well take advantage of the resource. I being a Eagle have already earned Communications and had the privilage of working with the new scouts on advancement. I basically sat all the new scouts down and then tried to figure out the best way to ensure that everyone's needs were meet since, the scouts were at various differnet stages. One the scouts I sent to work with a adult, on getting first aid requirements signed off and then the other three stayed with me and worked on knots. One thing that I wanted to do with a brand new scout, that started just this week was to give him a introduction to the Troop but it sounds like his dad knows a lot about the program, since he was a scout, so I am not overly concerned but this but will rectify the problem as soon as possible. This week the SPL worked on the Communications MB and finished early, so he came out and helped the JASM, which is me with getting scouts to get some of the knots down. I really liked some of the methods he used when teaching the knots. Knots are sometimes hard to teach if you can not verbalize how to tie it. Even if I did verbalize the steps, I have to make sure they are steps that everyone can understand. I am glad the SPL stepped up and took charge of teaching some of the scouts, it was very much appreciated. We decided that we would look into going to a ski resort for our March outing, a Scout was assigned to get details and prices.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

One Hundred Scout Statistics

One Hundred Scouts

Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but in later life all of these will remember that had been Scouts and will speak well of the program.

Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives. Six of the one hundred will become pastors.

Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting. Almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degree profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another person's life and many will credit it with saving their own.

Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that he valued his Eagle above his college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts.

Seventeen of the one hundred boys will later become Scout leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys.

Only one in four boys in America will become Scouts, but it is interesting to know that of the leaders in this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts.

This story will never end. Like the "Golden Pebble" of service dropped into the human sea it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men down through unending time.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Troop 1616
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster

The purpose of the Boy Scout Handbook

When asked the question, what is the purpose of The Boy Scout Handbook most people will say that it is needed for requirement sign offs and tracking. It is designed to make sure you stay on track for your advancement. Yes that is one of the purposes but have you every wonder what all the other pages are for. Well the Handbook is basically what I like to the call the "Scouting Bible" basically it covers pretty much all of the basics that you need to know to be a good Boy Scout. Yeah it is not going to go into a lot of detail but their are plenty of other books out their published by the Boy Scouts and various outdoor enhtusiasts that will take you to the expert level if you really want to. I am always encouraging the Scouts in my Troop to bring the Boy Scout handbook on every outing, meeting, or activity that we go on, because you never know exactly when you are going to need it. Personally My Handbook even though I have only had it for five years is fairly beat up, I did not get a coil bound handbook so their is tape holding the book binding together, their are pages that have been almost completely torn out, and finally it has a little bit of water damage. I did not purposefully go out and destroy my handbook, to make it look beat up. I just used it a lot in all sorts of differnet environments. Personally I can not wait to see what the 12th edition of the boy scout handbook is going to be like. It is suppose to be released sometime this year and I can not wait until it is availble to be purchased. I am not saying that the old handbook is not useful but what I am saying is that the new edition is going to contain more needed information due to requirement changes that took place. In order for me to be able to effectively facilitate lessons on the new requirements that I have not gone through, I need resource materials.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Quote of the Week

Never doubt that a small grasp of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.

Welcome to the BSA

I have come to the conclusion that the hardest thing to get across when introducing members to a boy scout troop whether or not they have been a part of cub scouts or not is what exactly are we suppose to get out of scouting. To me this is not so simple because with all the experiences I have had in the movement it is hard for me to decide which I should and should not tell but after years of fact gathering and personal reflection I came across this resource from another scouter and really this is exactly what we are suppose to do and why we do the things we do. It doesn't give technical instructions in methods but gives us a general idea of what to expect from the program.

Welcome To The Boy Scouts Of America

SCOUTING promises you the great outdoors. As a Scout, you can learn how to camp and hike without leaving a trace and how to take care of the land. You'll study wildlife up close and learn about nature all around you. There are plenty of skills for you to master, and you can teach others what you have learned. Everyone helping everyone else-that's part of Scouting, too.

SCOUTING promises you friendship. Members of the troop you join might be boys you already know, and you will meet many other Scouts along the way. Some could become lifelong friends.

SCOUTING promises you opportunities to work toward the Eagle Scout rank. You will set positive goals for yourself and then follow clear routes to achieve them.

SCOUTING promises you tools to help you make the most of your family, your community, and your nation. The good deeds you perform every day will improve the lives of those around you. You will be prepared to help others in time of need.

SCOUTING promises you experiences and duties that will help you mature into a strong, wise adult. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law can guide you while you are a Scout and throughout your life.

Adventure, learning, challenge, responsibility - the promise of Scouting is all this and more.

So there it is all in a nutshell. My favorite line is the last one especially this part " the promise of Scouting is all this and more". This shows that it is impossible to tell you exactly what scouting is going to accomplish but we as the leaders of the movement have the responsibility to make sure that you get the most out of the program as possible.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark West
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Quote of the Week

"Putting on the uniform does not make a fellow a scout but putting on the uniform is a sign that the world that one has taken the scout obligations and folks expect scout like acts from one wearing it"

After Meeting Review

February 12, 2008 Meeting Review

During tonights meeting I worked with the newer scouts on advancment and getting them use to how a Boy Scout Troop should function. I started out by telling them how the organization works. Since one of the new scouts cam from cub scouts I made many connections to the cub scout program so he would understand. For the other new scout that was not involved with scouts before I told him from the very basic level. Tonight the requirements we got to after the Troop introduction was that of the rules of safe hiking and the buddy system in scouting. Even though this does not seem like a lot of information, I was able to spend 45 minutes on this task.

The older scouts tonight worked on the communications Merit Badge with the MB counselor. With this counselor they just reviewed the information with her, so I need the counselor to fill out and sign merit badge cards for each scout that participated in this activity tonight. I will make sure this is taken care of within the next two weeks.

Also even though the SPL did not have to do much tonight, I think that he is starting to get a clearer picture of what he needs to do. Hopefully next week I will be able to sit down with the SPL and work on developing some leadership skills, since the scoutmaster will be back and we will be able to work on other stuff without having me or the SPL their.

Well as you can see we had a fairly good meeting that was in line with how scouting is suppose to be run and had a fairly productive night.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Within My Power

This is good reminder to me of why I want to stay involved in scouting even as a adult. To me it isn't important that I have glory and fame but what is truly important to me is whether or not I am able to make a difference in somebody's life that could end up changing the world. So when somebody proudly asks why you as a adult or kid are in the Scouts, remember that you have the power to model the next generation and to allow them to succeed and see the positive will surely benefit our society that has become obsessed with who can out do who in whatever we do.

Within My Power

By Forest E. Witcraft

I am not a Very Important Man, as importance is commonly rated. I do not have great wealth, control a big business, or occupy a position of great honor or authority.

Yet I may someday mould destiny. For it is within my power to become the most important man in the world in the life of a boy. And every boy is a potential atom bomb in human history.

A humble citizen like myself might have been the Scoutmaster of a Troop in which an undersized unhappy Austrian lad by the name of Adolph might have found a joyous boyhood, full of the ideals of brotherhood, goodwill, and kindness. And the world would have been different.

A humble citizen like myself might have been the organizer of a Scout Troop in which a Russian boy called Joe might have learned the lessons of democratic cooperation.

These men would never have known that they had averted world tragedy, yet actually they would have been among the most important men who ever lived.

All about me are boys. They are the makers of history, the builders of tomorrow. If I can have some part in guiding them up the trails of Scouting, on to the high road of noble character and constructive citizenship, I may prove to be the most important man in their lives, the most important man in my community.

A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.

Hopefully this will help to remind you of what scouting and being a volunteer is really about. Yeah their are going to be tough times. I going through tough times in my Troop but I must learn to stand strong and fight this battle.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Happy Birthday BSA

Today February 8, 2008 is the 98 birth of the Boy Scouts of America. so happy Birthday, BSA. I think that today it is important to remember that without the good turn of the unkown Scout to William Boyce, then scouting may have never made it to the United States, yeah it probably would have eventually but who knows how long it would have taken. Remember when you are thinking about the Scout Slogan "Do a Good Turn Daily" don't just let it be words in your daily life, do it. You have the power to make a difference in someone else life and who knows you could have just helped next Albert Einstein or political leader or just a average joe that could end up making a difference in the world because you helped them get through one more minute of one more day. A good turn doesn't have to be a all day affair but it does require a little time. This little time can be as small as one minute. Yeah I know that a minute in the big scheme of things seems pretty small but the truth is that a minute can mean the difference between success and failure and life and death. A minute can destroy the world, if that person is not brought into a positive light. We are their to bring a positive light into the world and let it shine brightly throughout our lifetime.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616

Cold Weather Safety

One of the first things that I will teach scouts when training them about dealing with cold or winter weather camping environments is that of the "COLDER" acronym but most people will say that the acronym that deals with cold weather camping is that of "COLD". According to the Boy Scout Fieldbook it is actually the word "COLDER, which for most of us is the guide that we want to use when teaching and figuring out how to survive the cold weather experience. This acronym directly affects how you should dress and maintain your clothing in a colder weather environment. So here is what each part of the acronym means:

• C- Clean: Clothing free of grime and dirt insulates better and helps keep your body warmer for a longer period of time. Keeping your body clean also will help you regulate your body more efficiently.
• O- Overheating: Do not allow your body to overheat but you also do not want your body to be to cold. Build into your clothing system multiple layers that can be taken off and added as needed depending on the environmental conditions you are having to face.
• L-Layers: Do not just use few bulky layers in your clothing system instead use loose light layers so you can have a greater range of adjustment.
• D-Dry: The outside layer should be water proof or at least water resistant in order to as much cold away from the body as possible.
• E-Examine Regularly: Inspect your clothing thoroughly and on a regular basis. It may be better to get a buddy to help you inspect your clothing as necessary. Examining regularly allows you to make sure your body has a stable internal and external environment to deal with.
• R-Repair quickly: Fix your gear that you have problems with as soon as possible, even if it means only being able to make a temporary repair in the field. Duct tape is a Scout's best friend and can help seal holes, put togther zippers or straps, and provide extra warmth.
  

Remember the principles of Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace principles need to be examined and thought about when dealing with a cold weather environment. During the winter these principles have a few special considerations to think about. Here are the Leave No Trace principles for use as a reminder:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What you Find
• Minimize Campfire impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be considerate of other Visitors.

These are the two major topics that I focus on for cold weather training with Scouts. Also I usually will spend another night for a training session on what types and styles of clothing and personal gear are most appropriate. Encourage your scouts to ask questions and do not make the question asking environment become intimidating, allow all scouts to get every single question answered they have. If you do not have a answer, then be honest about not having a answer and tell them that you will consult with others and get their question answered. It may not occur at that meeting but it is important to follow through and make sure the question is answer.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark West
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616