Índex per January - February 2019 a Scouting

THIS IS A SEASON of change and opportunity for our movement. With the February launch of our new program for older boys and girls, we enter a new era. And yet, in a way, we simply continue a tradition of serving young women and young men that has been in place for generations. We’ve had girls participating in Scouting since 1971, when we invited them to join our Exploring program, and we strengthened that position in 1998, when we introduced Venturing as an adventure program for boys and girls. For years, too, we’d been hearing about sisters unofficially participating in our programs. So, officially or unofficially, we already had been serving girls for a long time before we opened Cub Scouting to boys and girls in 2018. It was powerful to…

Every year is an exciting year to be a Scout. And every year I think this will be the best year ever. Each of Scouting’s members and volunteers has the opportunity for fun and adventure. We make deep friendships, and we are constantly inspired to live up to the ideals and serve people. And, for me, one of the richest rewards is watching a young person grow into an outstanding citizen and knowing I had a part in it. I have loved every one of my 35 years in Scouting. I want everyone to have a great Scouting experience, regardless of the form it might take. I was excited when the BSA announced we would be welcoming girls into our packs and troops. I was thrilled to think that girls…

Across 1. Sculptor of “The Ideal Scout” 5. Hawkeye Area Council is based in ____ Rapids, Iowa 9. Chief ____ Council, based in Warren, Pa. 11. American ____ Cross, BSA partner 13. “Much ___ About Nothing” 14. Compass direction, for short 15. Add water to a liquid 16. Music holders 17. Camp owned by the Grand Canyon Council, named after an Apache leader 22. Consideration for others’ feelings 24. 5 is the minimum for a Cub Scout 25. The loneliest number 27. Just returned from a desert trail 29. Doze (off) 30. Blue ___ Council, in Greenville, S.C. 31. Comply with regulations 32. Humor 34. Sports official, for short 36. “What a view!” 37. Minister title, abbr. 38. Legendary American frontiersman 39. ____ Rivers Council, based in Beaumont, Texas 41.…

They prepared a mock victim for transport by helicopter. They toured the human body at a cadaver lab. And they practiced diagnosing patients in state-of-the-art nursing simulation rooms where mannequins blink, talk and, if something goes wrong, lose color in their toes. This was no typical week at camp. At the inaugural Health Care Explorer Camp held last summer in New Jersey, 10 Explorers ages 14-18 got a handson introduction to the fast-paced, challenging field of medicine. Like all Explorers, they didn’t just read about the career that interests them. They actually experienced it. Exploring is the BSA’s career exploration program for young men and young women, and it’s built on the concept that you learn best by actually doing things. Explorers discover their future in one of 12 career…

HIKE UP THE HUMP Trek to the top of Camel’s Hump in Vermont, the perfect spot for outstanding views and stupendous sledding. Accompany Troop 23 in January’s issue for its annual winter hike up and sledding down the state’s third-highest peak. Also read how to sled safely. VENTURING TO THE SUMMIT Thousands of Venturers and Scouts from across the country met for cycling, aquatics, a “red, white and blue” 5K run and more outdoor fun during Venturing’s 20th anniversary celebration. February’s issue highlights the high-adventure excitement the Summit Bechtel Reserve offered at VenturingFest. Turn to page 20 of this issue to read about how staff helped maximize the fun. BREAK OUT THE BROOMS You don’t have to wait for the Winter Olympics to see curling again. Ohio Scouts learned how…

Each summer, more than 1,000 young people from all over the world travel to Cimarron, N.M., to work at Philmont Scout Ranch. Their mission is monumental: deliver wilderness adventures people will remember for the rest of their lives. Philmont Scout Ranch is world famous as a Scouting mecca and backpacker’s paradise. But it’s known for more than its rugged beauty: It’s the people who bring that wilderness to life. “You first come to Philmont for the mountains,” camping director Steve Nelson says. “You return to Philmont because of the people.” Those people include men and women. As the Boy Scouts of America welcomes young women into all Scouting programs this year, some readers might be surprised to learn that women have been part of the Philmont experience for decades. They…

CLIMBING THE HIGHEST peak on every continent — the “Seven Summits” — presents a worthy challenge for serious mountaineers. If traveling around the world seems a little daunting, you can try to scale the “Seven Summits of Scouting.” Choose any of the following destinations (most of which are in America), and you and your Scouts will be in for some towering adventures. Mount Baden-Powell Rising more than 9,300 feet in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, Calif., Mount Baden-Powell is the most accessible of Scouting’s Seven Summits. Follow a 4-mile trail up 40 switchbacks, past the 1,500-year-old Wally Waldron pine tree (named after an area Scout executive), to find a mountaintop monument honoring the founder of the worldwide Scouting movement. The peak offers 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain…

LOSE WEIGHT! FEEL BETTER! Be more alert! In fewer than 30 minutes per day, you — yes, you! — can make a colossal change to your health. But wait; there’s more! Did we mention it’s free, nontoxic and has no dangerous side effects? Obnoxious infomercial approach aside, there truly is something you can do for your health that fits each of those promises: Take a nap. While napping can’t take the place of getting enough regular sleep, studies have shown it can boost your immune system, improve your memory and help you feel more alert. And Scout leaders know some quick shuteye can help you get through a week at Scout camp without feeling like a zombie by the end. But not all naps are created equally. If you nap too…

CAKES! EVERYBODY LOVES them, especially when they are Scouting-themed. These Scouters shared their creations with us, and we’re showcasing them in this new feature called Scouting Show and Tell. Going forward, we’ll be highlighting how you make Scouting shine — from imaginative Cub Scouting cakes and troop trailer designs to artistic Eagle Scout court of honor decorations. This is your chance to share your creativity and tips to inspire and help others. Next time, we will highlight your best Dutch oven recipes. Visit go.scoutingmagazine.org/showandtell to share photos and instructions for your best dishes. You can also email us at scoutingmag@gmail.com, or share via social media using #ScoutingShowandTell. We can’t wait to see and share your creations! THIS ONE WON’T GET AWAY Katheryn Teitzel and her son, Grayson, of Pack 507 in…

Do… …ONLY use official Boy Scouts of America (BSA) materials, which are located on the BSA Brand Center, available at scoutingwire.org. Don’t… …compare the BSA programs to the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) programs. Do… …refer all questions about GSUSA programs to the local GSUSA council or GirlScouts.org. Do… …refer ALL media inquiries (TV, radio, newspapers, online) to the BSA PR team by email at pr@scouting.org. Do… …share your passion for the BSA. We believe the BSA offers the best program for youth, but we also believe it’s important for youth to be involved in whichever programs they feel are the best fit for them. Do… … remember girls who will be in our programs will be members of the Boy Scouts of America. Never use the word “girl”…

The BSA announced in August that it will make Scoutbook free to all BSA units beginning Jan. 1, 2019. Units that already used Scoutbook weren’t charged when they renewed on or after Sept. 1, 2018. Scoutbook is the BSA’s online unit management tool that helps Scouts, parents and leaders track advancement and milestone achievements along the Scouting trail. Previously, units paid a small annual fee — as much as $2 per Scout per year — to access Scoutbook’s powerful features, which are available on mobile and desktop devices. By making Scoutbook free for everyone, the BSA can drive program consistency and deepen our movement’s engagement with youth and adult leaders. The move means everyone can experience what more than 1 million users already know: Scoutbook can improve your time in…

1 The BSA and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary announced a new agreement to make Sea Scouts the official youth program of the Auxiliary, the uniformed volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. Find a ship at seascout.org 2 The Philmont Photo Archive includes more than 240,000 photos of expeditions, individual treks and Philmont Training Center courses from 1966 to today. If you served on staff at Philmont or attended for an expedition in the last 50-plus years, your photo should be there. Visit go.scoutingmagazine.org/philmontphoto 3 Turns out Scouting could help you live longer. A massive study published by the University of East Anglia in England concludes exposure to the outdoors reduces your risk for Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death and high blood pressure. Time spent in nature also increases…

NOT COMING SOON to a theater near you: Humanic Park, The Dino Infection or Rexy. But these three short films, among the movies created last summer at Camp Josepho, could very well be springboards to Hollywood careers. Scouts attending the Western Los Angeles County Council camp wrote, directed and starred in these films on the way to earning the Moviemaking merit badge. Program director Stephen Snowden, who holds a degree in film and video production, helped start the program seven years ago. Sure, the camp is just 16 miles from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And, yes, some campers have family members in the film industry. But Snowden thinks his program would work just about anywhere. “This isn’t just a Los Angeles thing,” he says. “In any state or city, you…

Near the top of a climbing route deceptively named “The Butterfly Patch,” Lauren Gogal pauses to catch her breath. She has found a narrow ledge where she can stand, lean against the wall and give her aching arms a break. The 14-year-old from Venturing Crew 91 of Gainesville, Va., shakes out her hands. She grits her teeth and eyes the next handhold: a piece of polyurethane just two feet from the top of the rock wall. She extends her legs and reaches. And then, like she has done at this exact spot a dozen times before, she loses her grip and falls. “No!” she screams. The automatic belaying device gently lowers her to the gravel below. “I almost had it. I was so close.” Lauren takes a drink of water,…

BEYOND DEDICATING TIME to prepare the route, camping spots and meals, unfortunately too few outdoor enthusiasts consider possible survival situations. If your adventure involves remote areas, then extensive pre-trip planning is vital. It’s not pessimistic to anticipate and prepare for the worst-case scenario — it’s just good sense. Know Thy Adventure Preparing for your adventure begins with research, a particularly easy undertaking in today’s information-rich digital age. While the internet and books can be useful tools, don’t overlook seeking the advice of local experts, who can let you know about the most recent conditions and area resources. They will obviously know the best ways to build a shelter, start a fire, gather food and find water, but I often find it’s the little bits of wisdom they throw out that really…

SITUATED ASTRIDE THE California-Nevada border is the hottest, driest place in North America: Death Valley. Ringed by six steep mountain ranges, the valley’s floor is a 200-square-mile salt pan that stretches for 156 miles. Its sparse vegetation is watered by less than 2 inches of annual average precipitation, a fraction of what most deserts receive. When rain does arrive, it often does so in intense storms, causing flash floods that reshape the landscape and sometimes create shallow ephemeral lakes. The place received its ominous name from a group of would-be miners who got lost there in the winter of 1849-50 while trying to take a shortcut to California’s gold fields. One person died, but the others were rescued. As they prepared to leave this unforgiving wilderness, one of the survivors…

THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING, and you must go to Rocky Mountain High Adventure Base in southern Colorado. Your wild week begins at arrival on Sunday. What happens next is entirely up to you and your Scouts or Venturers. Perhaps you’ll raft down the rip-roaring Arkansas River, experiencing a range of white-water from Class I (mild) to Class IV (wild). The journey includes Browns Canyon, one of the most popular white-water sections in the country, and Bighorn Sheep Canyon, offering frequent sightings of the animals that are the symbol of Rocky Mountain National Park. Or maybe a mountain-biking experience is more your troop or crew’s speed. Enjoy one or more guided half-day treks and be back at Rocky Mountain High Adventure Base in time for dinner. Sometimes the ride is flat and…

These three days, scheduled around the time of the BSA’s birthday on Feb. 8, celebrate the strong bond between Scouting and our faith-based chartered organizations. Units might wear their Scout uniform to worship services, present religious emblems to Scouts and leaders, serve as greeters or ushers, or perform a service project for the place of worship. Scout Sunday The BSA’s Calendar of Religious Dates lists Feb. 10, 2019, as “Scout Sunday, interfaith.” It lists Feb. 17, 2019, as “Scout Sunday, United Methodist.” But those are just guidelines. The BSA says a local church may celebrate “on the Sunday most acceptable to the pastor and congregation.” So check with your chartered organization representative or faith leader. In the past, Scout Sunday was held the Sunday before the BSA’s Feb. 8 birthday.…

Paul R. Christen High Adventure Base at Summit Bechtel Reserve: For anyone who wants to test their limits. Participants can enjoy a sampler of each of SBR’s adventure sports venues or focus on a single program area, such as skateboarding, shooting sports or rock climbing. summitbsa.org Florida National High Adventure Sea Base: For anyone who craves aquatic adventure. Participants explore the warm, clear waters using their choice of transportation modes: large sailing vessels, smaller sailboats, powerboats, kayaks, scuba equipment — or some combination of the five. bsaseabase.org Philmont Scout Ranch: For anyone who wants to hike through history. Participants can experience one of the base’s legendary seven- or 12-day treks. These treks challenge hikers mentally and physically, and include stops at several of Philmont’s staffed backcountry camps. philmontscoutranch.org Northern Tier National…

THERE IS NO RULE that says a road trip must include your answering the question “Would you like fries with that?” Yet when we travel by car, we stop at fast-food restaurants as though they were mandated highway tolls. We go to them for the convenience, of course. But you pay for it — at your waistline and in your wallet. A little planning can save you calories, cash and time by making rest stops healthier and more efficient. Fuel up with these road-trip foods and arrive at your destination feeling lighter and a whole lot less greasy. Grab a Snack HUMMUS Made from chickpeas, hummus is high in protein and fiber, and low in carbohydrates — so it satisfies hunger for a long time. Use it as a dip for…