Bryan on Scouting
(Source: blog.scoutingmagazine.org)
#DaytonStrong: How Scouting healed a community after tornadoes, mass shooting
There’s something different in the way Scouts respond to a tragedy in their community. Instead of worrying about their own needs, Scouts exhibit a deep-rooted duty to step up and help people heal. In the very embodiment of the Scout Law, they show what it means to be...
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Kentucky running back prepared for gridiron challenges thanks to Scouting
When Kentucky’s starting quarterback went down with a knee injury last week, the Wildcat offense suddenly faced an unexpected challenge: tackling a formidable conference schedule without one of its captains. Going into this Saturday’s match-up with Florida, the No. 9...
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The lesser-known Scouting connections of philanthropist and oilman T. Boone Pickens
T. Boone Pickens, the former Boy Scout, oil tycoon and philanthropist who once donated $250,000 to support local Scouting, died on Wednesday at age 91. As one might expect, most of this week’s news stories have documented Pickens’ success in the energy business or his...
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How you can help Sea Base, Bahamas after devastating Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian has slipped off the North American coastline after leaving a wake of death and destruction, primarily in the Bahamas. Prior to landfall, Florida Sea Base staff stationed in St. Thomas and St. Croix were evacuated to safety and crews to those areas...
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There’s a ‘soft-skills gap’ in today’s youth, but Scouting is helping to close it
Today’s employers are looking to hire someone with problem-solving skills, a strong work ethic and the ability to work in a team. “Sounds an awful lot like the traits we develop in Scouting,” says Peter Boll. When he’s not working as communications coordinator for...
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Unsung Hero: Venturer driving to World Jamboree rescues family that crashed car
This is Unsung Heroes, a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story...
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10 facts about the first Wood Badge course to celebrate its 100th anniversary
A century ago, in a forest not far from London, a group of Scouting volunteers made history. Over a span of nearly two weeks, they experienced a course, devised by Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell, that offered “practical instruction as to how a camp should be...
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Scouting Show and Tell: Summer adventures
Although it might still feel like summer in some places, most units are looking forward to traditional fall activities. That means it’s time for Show and Tell, where Scouters show their favorite photos and tell the story behind them. This time, we’d like to reflect on...
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This new Scouts BSA troop tripled in size, and its leaders are eager to tell us how
Even the best-designed recruiting flyer is just part of the equation. These days, recruiting more families to your pack, troop or crew means getting out there into your community. It means sharing the story of Scouting directly. It means word of mouth. That strategy —...
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It’s Scouts BSA month at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s stores
Outdoor retailers Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are an outdoorsman’s paradise. Most retail stores feature at least 80,000 square feet (many are a lot bigger) full of equipment for camping, hunting, fishing, boating and off-roading. This month, they’ll also have merit...
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Very good support dog recognized at Eagle court of honor for Scout with Asperger’s
So what if dogs can’t say the Scout slogan? That hasn’t stopped Ranger from doing his Good Turn daily. For the past few years, Ranger has been helping his best friend, Ethan Warren, cope with the sometimes-violent “triggers” Ethan experiences as part of his Asperger’s...
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Extreme Makeovers, Round 28: Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos
Note: This is the 28th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here. To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see...
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This is Your Scouts’ Chance to Help Guide the BSA
Do you know a standout Scout who would love to guide the BSA with insights and perspective? Want to give your Scouts a chance to live out the tenets of the Scout Law? The BSA’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is calling all helpful Scouts! Read on to learn more. YAP will...
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17 interesting, poignant or clever reasons behind pack, troop and crew numbers
In the BSA’s early days, councils assigned numbers to new troops numerically. The first troop in a council was Troop 1, the second was Troop 2 and so on. Today, Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Sea Scout ships and Venturing crews get to pick their own one- to...
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Unsung Hero: Bear Scout rescues 3-year-old who fell into frigid pond
This is Unsung Heroes, a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story...
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His quest to earn every Scouts BSA merit badge became a family adventure
Every merit badge tells a story. Examine each 1.5-inch circle, and you’ll find the tale of a Scout who discovered a new passion, conquered a fear or created something incredible. John Ucha can tell 139 such stories. And in his quest to earn every available Scouts BSA...
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The future looks bright following the World Scout Jamboree
The 24th World Scout Jamboree, a World Organization of the Scout Movement event held this year at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, had opportunities for Scouts to try activities they’ve never experienced before, as well as meet some impressive Scouters,...
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On Scout Night, the Los Angeles Dodgers weren’t the only winning team on the field
When you hear of scouts in the stands at a Major League Baseball game, it’s normal to look for guys holding radar guns and scribbling down notes about the latest prospect. But earlier this month at Dodger Stadium, Scouts weren’t just in the stands. They were on the...
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How do you increase visibility within your chartered organization?
The Scenario Troop 21’s membership has been dwindling the past few years. Not too long ago, it was 50-members-strong; today, membership is down to 23. Families have moved; Scouts have aged out of the program; some have dropped out for other reasons — the problem is...
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Scout Shop launches first-of-its-kind sale on uniform shirts for all BSA programs
School’s back in session, but here are two pieces of news to soften the blow. One: Fall, with its perfect camping weather, might be the greatest Scouting season of all. And two: The BSA is having a uniform sale. Yes, beginning today (Aug. 19), the Scout Shop is...
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With new Deluxe Tents, Philmont Training Center broadens appeal to more families
The Philmont Training Center experience you love just got an upgrade. With its new Deluxe Tents — complete with a queen bed with premium linens, electricity and ceiling fan, and covered porch with cozy chairs — the Philmont Training Center is broadening the appeal of...
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Scouts Then and Now, Chapter 17
Welcome to Scouts Then and Now, a Bryan on Scouting blog series. The premise is simple. We share two photos of the same Scout or Venturer: once in his or her early Scouting years (Cub Scout, younger Scout, younger Venturer) and again in his or her later Scouting years...
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2019 Western Region Eagle Project of the Year: Backpacking for underserved youth
The statement was equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful. And at just five words long, it encapsulated the profound need for and transformative power of Zack Moore’s Eagle Scout project. “I forgot there were stars.” It was a cloudless final night of a four-day...
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Aviation Explorers help women’s air race take flight
Forty teams took off on a 2,538-mile airplane race from Tennessee to Canada in June, but before the pilots started the 43rd Annual Air Race Classic from the McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport, they were greeted by Explorers with Aviation Post 214 of Jackson, Tenn. The...
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Unsung Heroes: Troop stops wildfire along side of road, thwarting potential disaster
This is Unsung Heroes, a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story...
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Recharter form confirms Neil Armstrong’s status as Eagle Scout, Boys’ Life subscriber
Consider it one small step toward confirming something we’ve known all along — and one giant leap toward proving something that hadn’t been reported previously. A newly uncovered troop recharter form substantiates Neil Armstrong’s status as an Eagle Scout and proves...
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Scouts, leaders honored with awards at the World Scout Jamboree
What better setting to receive a Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award than with Scouts from all over the world? More than 200 youth from nine countries earned bronze, silver and gold distinctions of the internationally-recognized honor during the World Scout...
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2019 Northeast Region Eagle Project of the Year: A smarter way to filter stormwater
When it rains in cities and towns across the U.S., it pours. And in this case, “it” refers to oil, salt, gasoline and other debris that gets washed down the road and into rivers, lakes and streams. Bioswales are nature’s filter for this repugnant runoff. Strategically...
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How Scouts stepped up to serve after the Southern California earthquakes
When Scouts hear about someone in need, they don’t just shake their heads in sorrow. They spring into service. That’s exactly what happened after a series of earthquakes shook Southern California last month. A group of Cub Scouts, Scouts and Venturers from the...
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Life Scout’s ingenious method for recycling plastic foam may just save the planet
It can take a plastic foam cup 500 to 1,000 years — or longer — to biodegrade. Keerthin Karthikeyan refused to wait that long. Keerthin, a 14-year-old Life Scout from Troop 45 of Oxford, Miss., discovered an innovative new method for recycling a substance so...
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