Bryan on Scouting

During a pandemic, Scouts have had to get creative to continue their adventures and service. Sometimes, the changes transformed their plans into something much greater than they conceived. John-Aaron Bozanic, an Eagle Scout and current Venturer with Crew 774 in Laguna...

Weekends in the Munsch household flew by like a 90 mph fastball. On Saturdays, Jason Munsch, who at age 11 pitched a no-hitter in a Little League All-Star Game, played baseball. After the final out, Dona and Keith Munsch drove their son to meet his fellow Scouts...

It has become the most overused word of the pandemic: pivot. As in: “When Synergy 2.0: The Business Jargon Conference was canceled, organizers pivoted to a digital-first experience.” But as Scouts, we’ve been pivoting since long before that was a...

Last summer, more than 120 Scouts met at the Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club’s clubhouse in New Lenox, Ill., to learn about the world of model trains. The 3,600-square-foot clubhouse features dozens of model trains that run through handcrafted terrain built by...

If you were to tell a time traveler from any year before 2020 about William Shuster’s Eagle Scout project, that visitor might furrow their brow. “Say what? He made face coverings for senior citizens? And he planned everything without a single in-person...

Scoutmaster Hassler is missing! Perhaps he’s at Rockville Hills Park, a frequent hiking destination for Troop 482. Or maybe he’s at Cenario’s Pizza, a favorite pre-pandemic meeting spot for the Troop 482 patrol leaders’ council. To solve this...

From the awe-inspiring to the aww!-inspiring, the BSA’s Family Fun Fest is shaping up to be the summer’s biggest event. On Aug. 8, you’ll hear from NASCAR driver Joey Logano, discover the secrets of spacewalks from a barrier-breaking NASA astronaut...

It doesn’t take much digging to uncover the parallels between an Eagle Scout and an investigative journalist. Both are helpful, courteous and brave. They’re curious — willing to ask questions and go places others might avoid. They’re committed...

Every year, people watch colorful floats, horse-drawn carriages and marching bands make their way down the streets of Pasadena, Calif., on New Year’s Day. That won’t happen next year. Last week, officials cancelled the 132nd Tournament of Roses Parade...

We could use a few more Jimmy Stewarts in the world. The Oscar-winning actor, philanthropist and military officer was a Scout in Troop 3 of Indiana, Pa. — about an hour east of Pittsburgh. As an adult, he was a dedicated friend of Scouting and received the...

No Eagle Scout reaches that mountaintop moment alone. While the young person initiates and completes the work themselves, they are supported by a team of selfless adults. That team includes parents and volunteers who serve as coaches and mentors, and it also includes...

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...

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...

The Boy Scouts of America is committed to the safety of all youth in its programs. The unpredictability of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the impact it has had on BSA councils so far prompted the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 National Jamboree....

Not only can trekking 50 miles put a feather in your hat of Scouting accomplishments, but it can also add a patch to your collection. The 50-Miler Award is a favorite among Scouts who conquer long, multiday adventures. Often, they go on foot, by boat or on a bicycle....

An eight-hour flight to Paris? Even in pre-pandemic times, that seems like a lot of work for a single merit badge requirement. But with the Louvre Museum just a click away, the Art merit badge is within reach during COVID-19. Museums with virtual tours, coupled...

With letters of acceptance from six Ivy League schools, several prestigious scholarships and the Eagle Scout Award, you’d think Kyle Lambert would be ready for a well-deserved break. But the Eagle Scout from Troop 144 of Queens, N.Y. (Greater New York Councils),...

A couple of years ago, Mitch Lynch, Cubmaster of Pack 2010 in Aldie, Va., sang his version of Irving Berlin’s “Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army” at the pack’s blue and gold banquet. He got the idea while planning the banquet’s program...

If you consider Hercules Mulligan, John Laurens and the Marquis de Lafayette to be three of your closest quarantine companions, you aren’t alone. Now that the Broadway musical Hamilton is available to anyone for just $7 (the cost of a month of Disney+), this...

When Avery Moore isn’t volunteering as Scoutmaster of Troop 11 in Rocky Mount, N.C., you can find him helping out at a local pediatric burn survivor aftercare program. It was during a virtual meeting for the latter that he discovered a need that could be met by...

Try this one-question test when assessing an Eagle Scout project idea: Does it come from the heart? In my experience, Scouts who answer yes stay motivated throughout the demanding process of planning, developing and giving leadership to others as they uplift their...

Whether you’ve experienced the life-changing feeling of traversing the Tooth of Time alongside your best friends or had the most hilariously epic moment with your buddies at a unit meeting, it’s time to share your story! From adventures big to small, we...

You can measure the success of Scout Saturday Live! — the biweekly web series created by and for Scouts with a new episode coming on the Fourth of July — in a number of ways. You can point to the tens of thousands of viewers who have tuned in so far,...

Not everyone knows how to respectfully retire an old, tattered American flag. Scouts do, though. However, not everyone knows a Scoutmaster so they can donate their flags to be retired. To help people in his community, Life Scout Chip Gaddis of Troop 511 in Medina,...

The Boy Scouts of America today announced a voluntary recall of Cub Scout Outdoor Activity pins that depict a gold animal paw painted on a blue background sold between April 2016 and January 2020. The pins were sold at local Scout Shops, authorized BSA distributors...

In Congress, it’s the rare subject about which there’s unanimous agreement. It’s the Congressional Award, the highest recognition Congress bestows on young people. To qualify, a young person must meet certain goals in four key areas: voluntary public...

Books can transport readers on exciting journeys to fantastic places and experiences. Not only does National Geographic’s Explorer Academy book series accomplish this, but it incorporates scientific and cultural elements, exploration of important ideas and...

If you don’t know an octave from a treble clef, you might be a little intimidated by sheet music. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could hear how a song goes? Now you can listen to your favorite tunes featured in the revised Cub Scout Songbook....

For something so small, tiny houses are tough to ignore. There are more than a dozen tiny-house TV shows on cable and streaming, and entire tiny-house communities are popping up in California, Texas, Florida and beyond. It’s kind of a big deal. Two years ago,...

Scouting can be a family tradition. We often hear of Scouts following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, going to the same camps, learning the same skills and achieving the same ranks. We hear of siblings enjoying Scouting adventures together, too. It...