Board of Review (BOR) Updates:

• BOR March: We did not have any scouts request a BOR.
• BOR April: Sunday, April 11th at 7:00PM – Troop 455 needs 3 volunteers for Sunday April 11th – 7:00pm – for
  two BORs. If you have availability, please email Pierce Pape directly at TakeTheHillPjP@gmail.com. Thank
  you!

Happy Trails – this is Pierce (P.J.) Pape. I am a parent volunteer leading the Haygood BSA Troop 455 Boards of Review (BOR).

Did you know that scouts can’t advance to their next rank without going through a Board of Review? Did you also know Boards of Review are made up of parent volunteers? Parents, in essence, give the “final approval” and serve as the final check on ranking scouts for the troop. Once Scoutmaster Sharp gives Brady Lum and myself the nod that a scout is ready, parents conduct the final Board of Review (BOR).

We need all of our Troop 455 parents to volunteer for BORs each year. Count on my support to provide you with all the background information you’ll need! I also provide specific questions to ask the scouts during the BOR. A BOR is currently conducted via Zoom. We need three parent volunteers on every BOR. Zoom BOR calls usually require about 40 minutes each. Hopefully, we will return to in person BOR meetings at Haygood UMC soon. It’s not difficult and you don’t need to watch an hour long video to do this :), and it’s important to all of our scouts in Troop 455.

During a BOR, it is really fun to hear a scout’s perspective regarding their involvement with the troop. I’d be willing to guess that you would also feel a bit proud for helping a Scout during their Board of Review. You’ll see young boys grow into young men through their accomplishments. Scouts aren’t working on these kinds of achievements at school, so Scouts USA helps to close gaps in learning that can lead to success in life.

Hello Troop 455 Family,

Despite a challenging year, Scouts have been busy with Advancement activities. Here are some outstanding highlights since the beginning of this school year:

• 6 Scouts have ranked up to the next Rank level
• 9 Life Scouts are actively working hard towards Eagle Requirements
• 37 Merit Badges have been earned
• 6 other Awards have been earned

While this is great progress, it would be great to have EVERY Scout achieve at least one rank advancement at the May Court of Honor. Currently, we have 282 Merit Badges in progress with at least one requirement completed. We have nearly 100 Merit Badges with 50% or more of the requirements completed. So with a little more effort, we could have a very big celebration in May!

Here is what I am asking of each Scout:

Carefully review your current Advancement Report: Each of you can run this directly in Scoutbook. Separately, I will send a PDF to each Scout via email. Please inform me of any discrepancies you find. The transition from Troopmaster to Scoutbook was thorough, but it remains a manual process in many cases. It is up to each and every Scout to verify that the SB records match their own records. I cannot make adjustments unless you contact me directly.

Complete Partial Merit Badges: There are several hundred partial merit badges in SB. Many of them are 50-75% complete. Push yourself to complete one or more of them this school year. Many of these might have begun at Camp or some other outing. If you are in need of a Merit Badge Counselor to complete them, or are otherwise stuck on how to complete a Merit Badge, please reach out to me and/or Scoutmaster Sharp.

Check your Activities Report for Accuracy: Keeping track of camping nights, service hours, and hiking miles has been an inaccurate science to say the least. Please check Scoutbook to make sure that you are comfortable that the activity records match your personal records. Please reach out to me with any issues. I will be working with the PLC and the Adult Leadership to put in place a better system to more consistently your activities. Each of these activity tallies has implications for many awards, MBs and ranks achievements.

For Scouts up to First Class: Please make sure that you, other Scouts, and Adult Leaders are using Scoutbook to mark off your requirements in Scoutbook. It is helpful to have both your physical Scout Handbook and the online Scoutbook in sync. If you have any questions on how to do that, please reach out to me or another Adult Leader. Congratulations on all the great work you have accomplished!

Remember that at the end of the day, each Scout owns the accuracy of his record. I am always available by email at brady@lum.net with any questions about your Advancement Records. Please don’t wait until the last minute to discover issues — all can be resolved with good planning and time.

Ah Springtime! A tremendous time of renewal. As the short days of winter give way to longer days and warmer weather, nature, quite literally, seems to ‘spring’ to life. Blossoms, petals, buds, flowers and yes indeed, for us Georgians, pollen…..yuck. For Scouting, this time of year also brings renewal to the Troop. It is a time when many Arrow of Light/Webelos/Cub Scouts bridge over from their packs to Troops. Cub Scout Pack 17 will conduct
this on May 13th at Sydney Marcus Park. Troop 455 Scouts are encouraged to attend and participate.

Troop 455 Scouts are enjoying the final outings together before the beginning of summer. Last weekend was the great Scout Olympics recruiting event and we’re now planning for the upcoming Wilderness Skills/Survival outing, April 23rd-25th. Scouts will also begin to prepare and train for summer camp or perhaps (for some of our older Scouts) one of the BSA high-adventure camps at one of the National Scout Bases (Philmont, SeaBase, Northern Tier, Summit-Bechtel). Yes indeed, Spring is an important time of renewal between the harsh conditions of winter (and the academic year) and the summer season, as we continue to enjoy Scouting in its natural environment – the great outdoors.

Spring is ALSO the time that the Troop initiates its annual program planning cycle. This is the process of determining the calendar and schedule for outings and events for our next academic year 2021- 2022. It is led by the Scouts themselves and informed and supported by the Scoutmaster Corps (Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters). We review school calendars, holiday schedules, BSA District, Council, and National events, and Order of the Arrow events. We also coordinate with a few other Troops in the area to hold one or two joint events throughout the year.

In support of this ‘renewal’ process, Scouts will, as in past years, soon receive a survey link from SPL Murlin and myself. I encourage each Scout to also share their ideas and input with their Patrol Leaders. These avenues guide the Senior Patrol Leader and myself as we work with the Patrol Leader Council (PLC) to create the calendar for the new year. Every time the Troop does this there are some favorite outings that the scouts request to repeat year to year. Some outings change to keep the scout experiences fresh, bring something new, or even renew something old that hasn’t been done in a number of years. Proving that ‘everything old really is new again’.

This is an exciting time every year, but even more so this year. While I am VERY proud of our Scouts and their families doing an OUTSTANDING job navigating Safe Scouting through Covid times, we are entering this planning cycle with high hope for implementing the 2021-2022 calendar in the Fall with the pandemic finally a part of our history, rather than our future.

Stay strong. Remain vigilant. Be kind. Do the right thing. When in doubt, remember you’re a Scout. Let the Scout Oath and Scout Law be your guide. Please reach out with any needs, input or questions, and, as always – Scout on!

Spring Gathering is coming up this month for all existing members. This year’s theme is “Survivor,”  and with that comes several games and events based on the show. There will be plenty of covid safe fun to be had. Additionally, we would like to congratulate the new candidates from 455 who were voted in. We hope to see you at upcoming events after your induction. The next induction weekend is in April, so make sure to sign up for it before it’s too late. That is all the upcoming news from the OA

Winter camp is a great experience for all boys in our Troop. Some of our scouts who crossed over from Pack 17 might remember polar bear camping. Winter camp is just like that. You get to spend a week up at Bert Adams having fun and earning merit badges. Tons of fun activities occur, including the Klondike race and polar bear plunge. You can earn merit badges and have fun with your troopmates while in the cold and brisk air. In 2020, we went to Bert Adams and earned merit badges, competed in the Klondike race, and had tons of fun hanging out around camp. Bert Adams did a fantastic job balancing fun and COVID safety. I highly recommend Winter Camp to any scout who wants to earn some more merit badges and have tons of fun in the cold at Bert Adams.

BERT ADAMS SUMMER CAMP  |  JUNE 6 – 12, 2021  |  $375  

Summer Camp Sign Up (https://forms.gle/zxADm7ycUMsvTpFW9)

Scouts have unique opportunities to experience new & varied activities, obtain new life skills, gain confidence & have fun with friends. Scouts who attend camp return with great memories, deeper commitments to Scouting, and maturity. They have tons of MB classes & program choices, aquatic & land-based games, and special events. Bikes are highly recommended to help Scouts get around camp.  New scouts are assigned to Rawhide, Swimming & First Aid for safety and skill development. Older Scouts may choose to do Whitewater Kayaking Treks, COPE, and Leadership, Rank & Advancement Seminars.

CAMP COORDINATOR:  LAUREL MIYAKE  |  bsa455summercamp@gmail.com

I register all campers, manage forms & class selection, and coordinate the Scout & bike carpool.   Please feel free to email or call me with any questions. Finances will never keep a Scout from attending camp and scholarships are available. Please speak with Mr. Sharp or me before 3/15 to secure assistance. 

REGISTRATION DAY:  On March 22, I will register Scouts who’ve submitted BSA Medical Forms A & B, The MB Class & Program Request Form, & have paid in full or made prior arrangements with the Troop. Popular classes & activities fill quickly & waitlists are common. 

As ‘Life to Eagle Coach’ for Troop 455, I work with Life Scouts to encourage them to make regular progress toward achieving the Eagle Scout rank if that’s their goal and desire.  If you’re a Life Scout, and we haven’t talked yet, give me a call (with your parents on the line for YPT) and we can discuss your plan to get to Eagle.

We discuss various topics including fulfilling their leadership responsibilities (POR), developing plans for completing any required merit badges, and helping them select an Eagle Scout Service Project that they have enthusiasm for. I am not looking over their shoulders or nagging them to do a specific step, but rather, asking them to report on a semi-regular basis what they have accomplished toward their goal.

I have seen a number of scouts achieve their Life rank and hit the ‘pause button’ on advancement. Thinking they have ‘just one more step’ and they’ll achieve Eagle!! Days pass, weeks pass, months pass and with each day/week/month delayed, it becomes harder to re-engage and knock out advancement and merit badge requirements. For parents of aspiring Eagle Scouts, I ask you not to nag about a particular item but instead, ask what they have accomplished lately toward their goal, and encourage them to contact me if they become stuck.

I view my coaching position as a cheerleader to make sure they progress, no matter how small, stay engaged in their rank advancement, and don’t lose the enthusiasm for achieving their Eagle Scout rank. I have sat on Eagle Board of Reviews for scouts where 2 or 3 years have passed since achieving Life.  They had done very little, if any, advancement planning. Then there is a mad dash to finish. It’s always rushed, and not nearly the quality work we expect of an aspiring Eagle Scout.

Hopefully, scouts will consider me a resource for discussing their challenges and for identifying solutions. I don’t have all the answers, but we can develop and explore other avenues to find the path that’s right for them.

Dear Troop 455 scouts, adult leaders, and parents,

The upcoming March recruiting event at Bert Adams will be led by Anderson Smith Cote and Mr. Anthony and will be a Webelos-oriented event.  Webelos from Pack 17 will join us and be exposed to some activities we do in our troop.  The April wilderness survival outing will be led by me and Mr. Brooks.  

The main thing that I would like to talk about is what differentiates Boy Scouts from other organizations.  Youth leadership is an important benefit of what our program offers.  Our troop is youth-led.  Youth lead means that the scouts oversee the outings and meetings with the support of the adults. Adults are there to support youth and make sure our program is safe.  One of the things that make Scouts different from other organizations is that this program allows scouts to fail and enables them to learn from their mistakes and not fail the next time around.

I have seen good youth leadership demonstrated in the PLC and older scouts in the past few months.  On outings and at meetings, I am very happy because the older scouts are mentoring younger scouts with skills and advancement extremely well.  This is the direction I would like the troop to keep going in.  This relationship reinforces the way scouting is supposed work.

In the last 3 years, our troop has recovered from a lack of older youth leaders.  That was a time when most of our older scouts left, with the exception of Steven Compton and Lawson Crutcher and few others, and did not support the troop. This caused a void in older youth leaders giving our troop an unbalanced ratio of older to new scouts. Right now, we have reestablished a good number of older scouts, a majority of them being on the PLC.  It is key we let the youth leadership do their job and not let adults interfere with this learning process.

 Looking forward to seeing you at future meetings and outings.

Sincerely,

Jack Murlin

The February outing was a successful shooting trip. It started at the Tom Lowe Shooting range on Saturday morning. On the range, the Scouts learned the mechanics, safety, and execution of the shotgun. Saturday night was spent camping at the Chattahoochee Bend State Park. Everyone enjoyed camping on Adirondack platforms.  It was below freezing, but everyone slept well. The March Outing (March 26-28) will be a great trip. The Adult leader is Matt Anthony and the Scout leader is Anderson Smith-Cote.  Pack 17 Webelos will be joining Troop 455 for the outing.  There will be Scout Olympics for everyone to participate.  Sign up.  It will be great!  

We’ve had a great month at Troop 455! After several one-nighters, the Troop had its first two-night camping outing in several months, enjoyed a Safe Shooting Sports outing at Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds with NRA certified instruction and have ended the month by welcoming a number of Webelos and Arrow of Light candidates and their parents to visit with Troop 455 during one of our meetings. 

Recruiting is a ‘life blood activity’ for any Troop and Cub Scout Packs are certainly one of the most important opportunities for prospective parents and Scouts to gain familiarity with the Troop, it’s Scouts and Scout/Adult leaders as they seek to continue their Scouting path by joining a Troop. While joining Scouts BSA doesn’t require prior Cub Scouting experience, it’s a natural pathway and we’re thankful for these candidates and their families for investing some time with our Scouts. 

Understandably this month there’s been a lot of discussion about ‘Safe Scouting’, ‘Scout-led’ and appropriate roles for adults. I wanted to share a great Scouting article many Scouting families have found helpful over time – https://scoutmastercg.com/what-i-wish-every-scout-parent-understood/. 

Enjoy your path along the Scouting Way and as always, please let me know if you have questions or input regarding Scouting and/or our Troop.