Cascade Pacific Program & Training 2012

  November 3rd 2012 was the Cascade Pacific Council’s annual Training Conference.  We call it Program & Training Conference.   I started going to this in 2009.  I should have in 2008, but I did not what know what it was or why I should go.  I went in 2009 as part of my Wood Badge Ticket, taught in 2010 and 2011.  Each year I learn something new.  This year was no different.

I taught alongside, again, with Jerry Schleining a fellow Beaver for the Social Media class.  Having us two in the same room together, is dangerous.  We giggle too much.  Even when Old Yeller gets shot.. (inside joke).  Here are the slides for the class. PTC CPCBSA Social Media Class 2012.  Our basic theme was, tell your Journey of Scouting using the Scout Oath & Law.

I also took the Advanced Autism class that was hosted by John and Karen Krejcha of Scouting & Autism Group.  They also run the Autism Empowerment Non-Profit Group out of Vancouver, WA.   John and Karen were awesome.  I still have to go through my notebook that they handed out and read it all.  I learned several things.  Stimming is what people do on the spectrum to help comfort themselves.  I never knew that name.  But I knew what “Have a Fidget” was.  Just knowing or having been told that in public made me remember what Elliot does and what it annoys me to no end.

The second and more powerful thing was “Get into THEIR World!”  I just do not do that with Elliot enough.  I try to spend time with him and his sister, but I am not sure if I “Get into THEIR World!”

I told John later, that I would have liked to have heard more about Advancement within Scouting.  He said he is working on that.  What I did hear, is that there is a ISAP (just like an IEP) for Scouting.  Tony Mei from the BSA National Office who is on the Special Needs Committee was also there.  He had good insight on a few items and I did get to met him.  Incredibly great guy.

  I also got to hear Mike Walton speak.  Yes, he came from Tennessee via Phoenix to drink our coffee and experience the rain.  He is but one of several volunteer Scouter’s who is behind the US Scouting Service Project.  The great thing about having OUTSIDE Guest Speakers at a local Council Event is seeing what others think about Scouting.  We as Scouter’s can become so isolated within our own Scout Unit, District & Council that we forget that SCOUTING IS WORLD WIDE!  We are not alone.

While I sat in the class and learned more about what the BSA is doing, I was able to continue the conversation at the Staff Dinner and even long into the night with him and a fellow Beaver.   I learned a lot about Scouting.

Finally, I took a Board of Review Class from a fellow Pioneer District Scouter.  She taught the  Merit Badge Counselor class at our District Training event last weekend.   Since I am crossing over with Elliot in March 2013, I know I will want to give to the Troop.  So, I took this class.  I have taken the “How to Chair an Eagle Board class” but this gets into the Troop versions.  A lot of it is very similar, but wow, Troops do things very differently.  Misconceptions are rampant.  We had a conversation the other day at the Scout Shop and I confirmed that I want this class coupled with the MBC Class to be taught at our Training Days!

The other great thing that happened was I got to see a Scouter who would have stayed in the Pack, but due to school boundaries his son had to go to another school.  He was there taking a lot of classes on how to run a basic Pack/Den Meetings and to hold ceremonies!  I was very happy to see him.  Since I was talking to Matt Devore, I introduced each other and to  a fellow a Beaver.  I was excited to see him there.  His son is doing great in the Den & Pack as well.

Overall, a successful Saturday!

Read Full Post »

Why have a Summertime Pack Program?

This weekend wrapped up Pack 221′s Summertime Pack Award for the 2012 Summer.   Which, is my last one with the Pack as I crossover with Elliot in 2013.  I did not realize this until the other day.  The 2009 Summer was my first with the Pack.  I realized that we were not doing Summertime Pack through my research due to my taking on the Cubmaster role.  I came across the Cubmaster Knot that could be earned.  (Since the Cubmaster Knot has been replaced by the Scouter’s Key, it’s still required to earn) I had to help the Pack earn the Summertime Pack Award just once.  We have now earned it four times.  The first year was an Ivy Pull, Bike Ride and a sleepover at the Ballpark.  The second year was Rain Gutter Regatta, Water Bottle Rockets and the Multnomah Days Parade. We also did the baseball park sleepover.  Last year was a Bike Rodeo, Multnomah Days Parade and Disc Golf.  This year was Rain Gutter Regatta, Bike Ride and Mud Cubs (Council Mud Day..;)  ).

It was a good Summer.  The 2010 June event was Rain Gutter Regatta.  Everyone totally loved it.  So, we brought it back again.  Again, a huge hit.  The July event was a Bike ride at Champoeg State Park.  I was not able to go, but I heard that it was a great time.  My now Wolf Den Leader planned it.  Finally, Council had an event called MUD CUBs.  It was a lot of fun.  Think MUD, Cubscouts and having them crawl through mud on their hands and knees.  It was a huge hit.  Included was two water slides.

I also included 3 out of 5 Cubmaster Hikes during the summer.  Meaning, if a Scout could not make an event, there was a second chance.  Not to many Scouts took me up on it.

Great….it’s done. Now what.  Time to fill out the form and answer the questions.

Did the Pack get The Summertime Pack Award? Yes.  Three events were offered. So, the Pack get the Streamer for the Flag.  In our Council we have a patch program that has a Summertime Pack patch.  I gave those out to anyone who came.  Since we earned the award as a Pack,

Summertime Pack Pins?  Yes, but only the Cubscouts who earned them.  One.  My Son.  There were several that went to TWO Events.   What I will say about this section is that in the past to encourage Scouts to keep with the program, I gave Pins to those who went to two event.  This, year that is not going to be the case. (I so want to hand these out.)

National Den Award: No.  No Den had 50% participation.  The other years we had enough to pass.  This year, we did not.

Please note, that the Summertime Pack Event only needs to have three events OFFERED.  It’s the National Den Award that requires the 50%.

So, why is the Summertime Pack Award important?  First and foremost, it keeps Scouting alive within the Youth and the Parents.  Most Packs stop for the summer outside of Summer Camp.   Summercamp does not generally count for inclusion for this award.  Yes, I said, generally.  Here’s is my reasoning.

In many Council’s Summercamp is put on by volunteers who have a whole week of DAY CAMP.  It will have TIGERS, WOLVES, BEARS & WEBELOS I & II all there.  That would be ONE whole event.  Other Council’s like mine, Cascade Pacific has a rank ascending Camp Program.  Meaning, Tigers go to a 5 day daycamp.  Wolves & Bears go to a 2 night resident camp.  Webelos go to a 3 day resident camp.  Webelos II go to a 5 night resident camp.

Since everyone goes to Summer Camp, it does not count.  It’s up to you on how you include or not.  Since I am the Akela and in charge of P221′s Program, it does not.

So, what happens if you put on Summertime Pack Events for three months and it’s just YOU and your SON and family.  The Pack has earned the award.  Your son got the pin, but not the Den Award.  The Pack has offered the program. It would have been great to had more.  Weird?  Maybe.  But, I got this solution from my now Wood Badge Scoutmaster when she was on staff at the 2009 Wood Badge.  First 30 minutes on being in camp, I was talking about how we did not get the award.  She asked what we did, I explained, she said we got it for the above reasons.  I really quizzed her about it.  Explained that “A Scout is Honest”.   She again explained the process.  Got it.

So, what else does Summertime Pack does for you besides keeping Scouting in front of the Scouts & Families.  It helps attract other families to your Pack.

Pack A does 9 months of programming and stops for the summer.  Pack B does the same, but provides a summer program.  It shows families having fun together.  It  also shows that the Pack works together to give fun.  If a Pack does not give a certain aspect that is important to you, what else do they NOT do?  Are they boring?  Do they just hand out awards in baggies?  Ceremonies for any rank advancement besides Arrow of Light?  If the Pack is boring, the kids won’t want to go.

So, having a Summertime Pack Event program will attract others to your program.  You want to get those new Scouts in the Pack.  You need parents to take over when your time is up.

Finally, Summertime Pack Events will greatly help you in using Journey to Excellence (JTE).  It goes back Pack Programming, Outdoor Activites, Building Cubscouting, Retention and Fitness.   Looking at all the areas within Journey to Excellence, you can knock out a lot of these with this program.  Does it matter if your Bronze? No. Silver? No. Gold? No?  Working with JTE will help you get to Bronze, Silver or Gold! It will also tell you where you need to improve.

Using the JTE will help improve the Pack Program.  Improving that, will help create fun.  Creating fun will help you with the game.  A game with a purpose.

So, put on the Summertime Pack Event program.
(ps: Don’t do it for the Knots.  Do it for the Scouts. That’s the real reward.)

Read Full Post »

Two birds with one stone style of advancement

  In the world of Cubscout advancement it’s led by the Adult Scouters and not so much the Scouts.  Yes, the Scouts can tell you what they want to work on, but generally it’s the Adult Scouters that do all the planning.

The big idea that I work to get across to my Den Leaders and Committee is that Advancement can happen with any event and multiple achievements can happen at once.    So, here is my real world example that is happening right now within the Pack and the Tree Scout Den (Webelos I).

First up, the Tree Scouts.  The Webelos Den Leader (WDL) is planning a lot of outings and working hard to plan everything to get the boys their Webelos Badges by March.  I really like what he is up too.

The other week six out of nine Tree Scouts went to the Ape Caves and got a few items completed for the Geologist Activity Pin. In my estimation Elliot earned #6 & #8.  The latter was a visit to a Geological site.  Some boys earned the Geology Pin at Camp.  Elliot did not want to.  #8 also works for  #4 of the Naturalist Pin as well.  Elliot knocked that out on the first Pack Hike along with several other Webelos.  But, let’s look at both.  #8 of Geologist will work for #4 of Naturalist.  But it won’t work the other way around.  Reason being, the first is Geological and Naturist is not geared towards Geology.  It’s all in the wording is what I am getting at.  So, this means that the three boys that did not go to the Pack Hike or the Geological Hike will be able to get the Naturalist #4 when we go to the Forestry Center in Portland.  Now, it won’t count for the Geological Pin since again, no rocks.

The good thing is the Forester & Naturalist do count for the Webelos level World Conservation Badge.  With two Activity Pins complete soon, they will only need the Outdoorsman Activity Badge and do a Den/Pack conservation project.  Which, the boys did at the Ape Caves.  We practice Leave No Trace all the time, so every Scout and Scouter will get that done each outing.  It’s just the way that is.

Elliot and another Tree Scout have already earned the WCB as Wolves.  But we will note that if the others in the Den accomplish it.  You cannot earn it twice in Cubscouts.  They can re-earn it as Boy Scouts.

Getting the hang of it?  Ok, now for the Pack Event.

As a Pack we are going Christmas Caroling.  Since I drive a lot a collegue and I talk a lot on the phone.  He is in Colorado Springs and his son is a Tiger.  Apparently their Pack does the same thing at several retirement homes and the Adults love it.  So, I suggested that for a service project.  The Committee loved it.

So, for those boys who want to do it, they will learn several songs and then perform it.  We were asked by the place we were going if the Boys would like to have a dessert with the Veterans Group.  Of Course!  They will get the dessert, but also get to hang out with guys who have served and hopefully it will rub off.

So, what will the Scouts earn for for this?

First, it’s a Service project. That counts for everyone.  Second, they will earn the Music Beltloop.  For the Webelos it will work for the Showman Activity Pin #15.  For both the Tiger and Wolf, this might work for attending a play/musical event.  Use your best judgement on that. It really should be going to see a play/musical instead of being in one.    The Bears, if gifted with how to play an instrument could create a Cubscout band and perform that.  Overall all the Scouts will earn the Beltloop.

Within our Council, there is a segment program so there are a few segments that would work for this event.  This would be the Living Service Segment and or Civic Service.  It should not be both.

So, with a bit of planning, the Scouts will earn achivements and other requirements for their rank.  Yes, there should and needs to be a limit of how many things one event can cover.  You do not want to award 10 things for one event.  That’s not correct.  The Scouts need to do the work.  But the Adults need to understand that doing everything for each requirement is really not needed.  It also allows for Scouts who miss out for no fault of their own to get credit for something for attending a different function.  Which really means the Adults need to be on their toes at record keeping for the Scouts.

Yours in Scouting.

Read Full Post »

District Cubscout Training

Today was the first time that my Program Chair and I  trained others within the District.  It was the Cubscout Basic’s for Den Leader, Tiger, Webelos, Cubmaster and Committee.  We had a morning and afternoon session that was about 3.5 to 4 hours.  In the first there were three people.  A Tiger Den Leader, Cubmaster and Committee Chair.  In the second session a Cubmaster.  Training was held and not canceled.

We also had Varsity, Scoutmaster, Youth Protection and Hazardous Weather.  My DE ended up teaching YPT for one ASM and the Hazadous Weather training washed out since no one signed up.  Bummer. Their loss since he is a Weatherman by profession.  However, Varsity had two and Scoutmaster had six.  So, overall, 13 Adult Scouters came out for a day of training and it went well.

Since it was all me, I started the Training with the Pledge and a few announcements.  I pointed out that we have ITOLS coming up and that our new Pow-Wow is Nov 5th. It was off to the races.

Our Cubscout training held to what the Powerpoint slides had us talk about.  However, we did not stick to the overall format or slide to slide.  Death by Powerpoint is a slow horrible death.  So, we covered what was needed.  We went over the Purpose, 12 Core Values, and Character Connections of Cubscouts.  As well as the Methods. We drove these four topics home in several way and examples.   We talked about how in November, we are using the Flag as a centerpiece for respect & citizenship.  Explained a Flag Folding Relay that we will be doing at an upcoming Pack Meeting.  Also,  we explained that Cubscouting is a Family activity and that while advancement is part of the method, we look at it last.  We want to create fun for the boys and parents so they will come back again and again.  We have skits and den yells to help bond the boys together and promote activities that while fun, serve to explain many of the purposes of it.

We explained how to work advancement into “A Game with a Purpose” mentality.  Explaining that if you can have an event or even work with the local school teachers, gym teachers or other people the Cubscouts come in contact with, that advancement will happen without them knowing it.  We explained that these people are Activity Badge Counserlor‘s.  Much like a Merit Badge Counserlor’s, but not an official position within Scouts.  For the ABC, think of other parents who know something about Construction or is a Lawyer or Doctor and the Webelos Den Leader gives them the OK to sign off in their book for completion.  If a Teacher is going through a Geology section within class over four weeks, why spin your wheels teaching it in two Den Meetings and an Outing.  Your wasting time and money.  Yes, you need to have the boys show, explain and possibly demostrate what they have learned.  But if that Teacher is a ABC, then they have earned it.

As Cubmasters we talked about how a Den and Pack meeting should be planned and how parents should be involved.  We pointed out many resources on Scouting.org  The main one we focused on was the Den and Pack resource guide.  While we had hardcopy versions of this and others we pointed out that many of them are downloadable off Scouting.org.

In covering Pack Meetings, we covered Committee Meetings, budgets, fundrasing and other Pack, District and Council Activities.  This is the point in which both of us started to point out many outings, campouts, cub0rees and derbies we have done.  We pointed out where to go, what to do and other pitfalls.  It’s also were I showed a slideshow of my Pack’s latest Pumpkin Derby.  A Committee Chair and Cubmaster wrote that down.  They were going to go to a Pumpkin Patch, but now switched it because what I showed them was a lot more FUN.  My Co-Trainer Allan, explained that the best ideas are shared and stolen.  I used Allan’s Pumpkin Derby and changed it up and also added a food launcher.

Throughout the entire first training we pepper the talk with what WE did, how WE did it and offered suggestions on how to make THEIR Pack/Den meetings fun and entertaining while educational.  Some of it was just pure fun at the Parents expense.  Allan also had several ideas such as making hats out of paperplates as shown above.  Take one paperplate and cut it like a pizza without cutting the edges.  Don’t tell the boys that they are making a hat.  Then have them decorate it.  Such as, use Car Photos, matchbox cars and the like.  Glue/Staple/Adheare it to the plate on the pizza slices.  Then, put it on.  It’s your Rally Cap for Pinewood Derby or whatever else you can think of.

In the second session, we only had one Scouter show up.  It was my friend Wes who was a the Eagle Troop Guide this year when I was the TG for the Bobwhites.  He came for the Cubmaster & Webelos Den Leader session.  OK. One person!  We are on this.  This session took about three hours, but all worth it.

We dived right into Cubmaster and how he runs his Pack meetings.  He’s a new Cubmaster and is on his first year, second meeting.  We again went over what we did in the first session, but disected what he does.  We asked why he does this and explained that just because it was a tradition before, does not mean you cannot change it.   We gave many ideas of what he could do and what Allan and I do in our Den/Pack meetings.  I showed and shared all the books that I brought and explained I use them as guides.  Both Allan and I run our Pack’s very differently.  I would love to impliment some of Allan’s ideas within my own.  So, I learned a lot too.

As to Webelos, we again explained that the Webelos can earn the Activity Pins within the Den, but also within the home and School or other activtives.  Meaning, Family Member is done at home, Scholar is at School, Aquanaut can be a Den/Troop activity.  I explained that a local Troop has historically took our Webelos IIs on a swim night when they work on the Swimming Merit Badge and other items.  The Webelos earn the Aquanaut in one night and knock out a Troop visit for Arrow of Light.

The main thing that both Allan and I tried to convey over both sessions is that Scouting is not cut and dry.  It is also not about doing it all yourself and re-inventing the wheel.  Look at your resources, parents, teachers and the like and see what the Scouts are doing in other places that will make YOUR LIFE EASIER.  Yes, you do want to have Scout Activities based upon SCOUTING.  Have those Scout moments Count and Matter.

The two last things we touched upon are the Religious Emblems and Leader Knots.  Since we had two LDS Leaders at our training we dived into what their Religious Emblems were like and how they accomplished it.  We explained that it is an important aspect within Scouting and should be promoted.  As for Leader Knots, I explained while I like earning them, it helps me make sure that the program I am providing to the Unit and others, is a quality one.  If it was not for the Cubmaster Knot, I would not have started a Summertime Pack Event for two years, not worked the Quality Unit Award and continued towards the Journey to Excellence.

I also explained that as the District Training Chair, I felt that BALOO and OWLS are vital to the continuing education of Leaders.  Once they get into Boy Scouts, there is more face to face training than the Online Training they are used it.  Plus, it prepares them for ITOLS and the like.  Taking BALOO & OWLS educates the Leaders as how to promote, plan and execute a great Pack Program.

It was a great training session.  I am looking forward to the next round of training.

YIS

Read Full Post »

The Training Chair look at Journey to Excellence.

This year will be the first year that the Boy Scouts of America has rolled out the Journey to Excellence.  If your in a Leadership position within your Unit, and your not aware of this, start your research.  It’s the replacement to the Quality Unit Award program. There is a lot written already about the JTE on several websites outside of Scouting.org.  So, I am not going to re-explain it here.

I am going to talk about JTE as it pertains to my position as the Training Chair within my District.   As the Training Chair, I get a report from Council that shows me all the latest training records for the district.  It also contains all other Districts.  A very interesting set of records.

Using some quick math here are our stats.  554 registered positions. (There are duplicate people since they might be an ASM and WDL or a CC/CM in seperate units.  Hence, I am not using People.)

Within the Packs, there are 189 positions and only 42 are fully trained. The requirements for fully trained are listed here from Scouting.org’s website of www.scouting.org/training.  This covers every program within the BSA.  If your local Council has a different set of standards, please consult your Council Training Chair.  Overall, that’s 22% of the positions trained in Packs alone. In District out of 554, only 147 are fully trained (by Council’s terms).  As a District we are at 26.5%.  To obtain Bronze Status as a District for JTE, it’s 40%.  Last time I was in school 70% on a test was a C.  Pretty lame.

What to do?  Well, I have just written a note to my Program Chair with a copy to the District Chairman and District Executive pointing all of this out.  I stated that my goal for this year is 40%. It’s Bronze level.  Next year it will be 50%.

To point out how simple a task I view this is, let’s look at what Silver is for CREW.

Have an Advisor, an associate Advisor, and a committee with at least three members. All have completed This Is Scouting, Fast Start training, and Youth Protection training or, if new, complete within three months of joining.

That is Silver.  So, why not make it mandatory at the Unit level to have EVERYONE take all that training. You can do this ONLINE as with the Boy Scout, Varsity and Pack training. (this is taken from my personal MyScouting.org account)

For the Pack Gold Level JTE you need  this: Silver level, plus pack participates in BALOO training and in OWLS training. (Note: I could not find any BSA info to link to. )  If you do not have anyone who has taken these trainings, then your Pack will not get Gold in that area, which could be what you need to get Gold as a Unit if your short in other areas.  Currently in the Pack that I serve as Cubmaster in, myself and a Webelos Den Leader both have BALOO and OWLS.  Along with ITOLS.    I will talk more about the difference between OWLS and ITOLS and why they should not be lumped together along with BALOO.

District Training: The district Key 3 and district committee have completed orientation or training plus Youth Protection training (YPT). New members complete YPT before joining and orientation or training within six months of joining.  I believe we all have met this with the exception of District Committee Training.  To which, I have one planned for.  We just need to set a date & time.  If the District Committee does all of this and meets as scheduled, we will be at least Bronze for this year.

So, training is a big deal.  It’s not something that people should take lightly. Granted the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs were bought, built and flown on the lowest bid.  Look at what NASA did with the barest of  contract spending limits.    Now, just think of the barest of training that the BSA can get by with.  Look at what can be done if we give a little bit more of our time and energy to get and be trained at the level we need to be but also EXCEL at!  Look at the reward that the Scouts will get if we do.

The Cubscout Motto says it very well.  “DO YOUR BEST”

Read Full Post »