BSA Troop #1 of Logan, Utah today completed their 12th Annual First Year Scouts Advancement Activities Day, held at Mendon Station, Mendon, Utah. For those not familiar with Troop #1s scouting tradition; the purpose of this 7-hour day is to get new 11 year old Boy Scouts moving and motivated in BSA rank advancement. And motivated…it most definitely achieves!
Back in 2002, our scout troop noticed that occasionally our new 11 year old scouts were going to BSA scout camp in July unprepared for the rigors of a week-long camping experience. So myself and a few other scouting leaders within our unit developed a training day to teach our “newbies” the basics of scouting, which meant teaching several BSA rank advancement areas within the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks….all within a 7 hour day….with each class given a time limit for the instructor to adhere to. For those of you not familiar with 11 year old boys…7 hours and not one second more…is about the maximum amount of time that can be spent training scouting skills before they all go bonkers! And so…this successful and unique advancement skills day began…and it really does work!
Besides providing our eight, 11 year old scouts the rare opportunity of earning 25 different rank advancement areas within the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks….this day provides a parent of each scout the occasion of watching our older and more experienced scouts ….instruct our younger scouts…scouting skills. That’s right…SCOUTS teaching SCOUTS…the way scouting skills were originally taught by Lord Robert Baden–Powell back in 1907…the founder of the scouting movement. The “scout” instructors are led by the scout troop Senior Patrol Leader, which for our June 7, 2014 session, was led by Andrew Kramer, a very talented and knowledgeable scout!
So…by the end of the day…our new scouters became knowledgeable in a variety of first aid, knife/axe/hatchet/saw, fire building, knots, lashings, and several other scouting skills. This will enable all who attend BSA Camp New Fork in Pinedale, Wyoming with Troop #1 this July 20-26, the abilities and confidence they all will need to succeed!
Back in 2002, our scout troop noticed that occasionally our new 11 year old scouts were going to BSA scout camp in July unprepared for the rigors of a week-long camping experience. So myself and a few other scouting leaders within our unit developed a training day to teach our “newbies” the basics of scouting, which meant teaching several BSA rank advancement areas within the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks….all within a 7 hour day….with each class given a time limit for the instructor to adhere to. For those of you not familiar with 11 year old boys…7 hours and not one second more…is about the maximum amount of time that can be spent training scouting skills before they all go bonkers! And so…this successful and unique advancement skills day began…and it really does work!
Besides providing our eight, 11 year old scouts the rare opportunity of earning 25 different rank advancement areas within the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks….this day provides a parent of each scout the occasion of watching our older and more experienced scouts ….instruct our younger scouts…scouting skills. That’s right…SCOUTS teaching SCOUTS…the way scouting skills were originally taught by Lord Robert Baden–Powell back in 1907…the founder of the scouting movement. The “scout” instructors are led by the scout troop Senior Patrol Leader, which for our June 7, 2014 session, was led by Andrew Kramer, a very talented and knowledgeable scout!
So…by the end of the day…our new scouters became knowledgeable in a variety of first aid, knife/axe/hatchet/saw, fire building, knots, lashings, and several other scouting skills. This will enable all who attend BSA Camp New Fork in Pinedale, Wyoming with Troop #1 this July 20-26, the abilities and confidence they all will need to succeed!