Scoutmaster Musings

Someone's going to win a Scout ring from Joy Jewelers in 5 days - why not you?
In March, April, and May, the Boy Scout Trail monthly give-away includes a custom ring, valued at $250! All you need to do is enter your email address on my Contest page for a chance to win.

Even if you don't win, you really should check out the Joy Jewelers scout rings - especially if you know someone looking for a unique scouting recognition item. They also have rings for Wood Badge, Sea Scouts, and Venturers - all of which can be customized.

Enter once per month to maximize your chances at winning - and make sure you enter your address correctly or your winning notification will be lost in cyberspace forever. And, we certainly don't want to add to all that cyberjunk out there.

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There have been a lot of comments on my Belt Loops page about the proposed 2015 cancellation of that part of the Cub Scout program.

The Academics & Sports program going away is just one of the changes we'll see next year. Change, even change for the better, causes a disruption in our routine. Many of us are comfortable doing things the way we've always done it - even if that way is not the best way. Routine is comfortable.

So, as you probably guessed, most comments do not favor the change. But, in 2016 or 2017, whatever the "new" program is will be "the way we've always done it". We'll get used to the changes and deliver the program, and my expectation is that the changes will be an improvement.

The retirement of Academics & Sports is just one of a big handful of proposed changes. Next year will see some relevant updates to the Cub Scouts, and 2016 will see the Boy Scouts changing.
Some updates to look for:

• Scout Oath & Law used by Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers
• All Cub Scout ranks will have similar seven-step advancement programs
• Scout will be a rank, not just the joining patch
• Service, Fitness, and Health requirements added to all Tenderfoot to First Class requirements
• New scout and leader handbooks and training

There's more. Check out this PDF for the most "official" info from Dec. 2013.

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Does your Scouting unit include healthy drink, snacks, and activity in all its meetings? It's easy to do, but often lacking. Regular physical activity and healthy eating are two areas for improvement in most Scouting units, in order to advance that "physically strong" part of our oath.

So, the BSA has started a simple 3 step program to help units moving in the right direction. All you need to do is: Drink Right, Move Move, and Snack Smart. If your scouts are motivated by patches, they can all receive a free one if your unit tracks its efforts.

This new Healthy Unit program is aligned with the ScoutStrong program. I blogged about the ScoutStrong program 2 years ago.

Download this PDF file with all the details about getting your unit on a healthy path and receiving free patches for your effort.
HealthyKidsHub has more info and ideas you can use.

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