Calendars

WinCalendar is a great resource to help your boys plan!

Numbers, names, faces and friends

Our Stake President, when discussing Home and Visiting Teaching, chants that we occasionally do things for numbers but then we connect names to them.  Then we connect their names with their faces.  Finally, they are our friends.  At least that is how it is supposed to be.

Numbers  -->  Names  -->  Faces  -->  Friends

It reminds me of a talk I read last night called "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?"  Brother Robbins discusses the "to be" and "to do" and how they are connected.  I love this talk and once you get past the spiritually intellectual part of the talk, it discusses the relationship we have with our children.  It is a great talk when our children (along with us) are having troubles and trials.

In Sunday School recently we discussed 2nd Corinthians and some verses and chapters that talk about these ideas:

• I share what I have cheerfully as much as I can even if I am poor.
• Be willing and anxious to give comfort in time of trouble.
• Pray for others in their times of trouble.
• Persuade others to believe in Christ.
• Forgive others and teach others to forgive.
• Give no offense to others. Be willing to receive hurt rather than give hurt.
• Repent for the right reason.

OK, so you are probably wondering how this relates to Scouts.  Here it is (at least as I see it).........

Often we worry about the size of our Scout unit (I complain that mine is too small at times).  I worry too much about the numbers.  I would stress out if my unit had 15 boys.  I should be grateful that I know their names and their faces instead of loosing some of that relationships I have with them because the group is too large.  I am grateful that I can be their adult friend that they can confide in which they do. 

I need "to be" a good Scout leader.  I "do" that by getting to know them and building a relationship with them.  I also "do" that by being trained.

Scouting is more than merit badges.  What is the most important resources I have?  My time (I believe Elder Uchtdorf teaches this very thing).  So I share my time with these boys.  It is better than any treat I could buy them or a trip I could take them on.  I should be willing to help them when they struggle.  I pray for them when they struggle and when they are not struggling.  I share my testimony of Christ with them.

In the end it is about the boys.  It is how my relationship is with them and how well I got to know them.  If I don't get to know them on a personal level, I am unable to tailor Scouting and Church lessons to them.  I can't help them become better Men of Christ.  I can't help them learn the lessons offered by Scouting.

My Teams 2011 Leader Goals

Follows is an email I sent to my parents at the beginning of 2011 about the goals for the Team.

Dear Parents and Teachers:

It is a brand new year and I wanted to share with you some of my goals as your son's Teacher Quorum Adviser and his Varsity Scout Leader.  As always, I would love some input and/or help with any of these goals.  My goals for 2011 are:

• Help facilitate the creation of list within the ward of merit badge counselors so we have a resource for boys to finish earning their Eagle.
• Help parents know my expectations for their sons.
• Give the boys charge of leadership for the Varsity program and Teacher Quorum (Quorum Presidencies will be responsible for planning all activities Quorum and Varsity).  We want a true boy lead program!
• Hold Teacher's Quorum Presidency meeting at least twice a month.
• Have leadership training for the whole Quorum/Varsity Team.
• Don't do anything for a boy that he could do himself so he learns responsibility and takes an interest in the things he is responsible for.
• Hold Varsity Coach Conferences (similar to Scoutmaster Conferences) with your boys every 3 months.
• Facilitate parents going to dances to supervise.
• Continue PROJECT EAGLE by coming to Life Scout's home and meeting with them and their parents to help in the Eagle Project process.  Continue to nudge your son towards Eagle but don't push.  They are at the age where they must do their Scouting for themselves.
• Encourage each boy wear his proper Varsity Scout uniform and bring his Scout book with him on Wednesdays.
• Use all Duty to God scriptures in lessons on Sunday so they boys are familiar with the scriptures when passing the program off to their parents.
• Ensure that lessons are reviewed and studied before coming to class so that the lesson isn't just "thrown together".
• Help the boys plan quality High Adventures that encourage them to grow.
• When camping, present a spiritual thought that will cause the boy to think.

I also want to let you know what I have done as the Little Elm Varsity Coach in the past two years to be qualified to be a good and effective Scout leader:

• Attended Varsity Leadership Specific Training.
• I have obtained my Youth Protection certificate.
• Attend Frisco Stake Little Philmont yearly.
• Attended Circle 10's University of Scouting two years in a row.
• Attended Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Training (IOLS).
• Attended Wood Badge and am one ticket away from earning my beads (tickets are like Eagle Scout projects and you must complete 5 to earn your beads).
• I am the Varsity Huddle Commissioner for Southern Sky District (I train all Varsity Coaches at Roundtable monthly).
• I serve on the Training Committee for Southern Sky District (I train all new Varsity Coaches when they are called by their wards).
• I serve on the Advancements Committee for Southern Sky District (I approve all Eagle Scout projects for boys doing them as well as conduct their Eagle Scout Board of Reviews to make sure they have earned the rank of Eagle).  I am very familiar with the Eagle Scout process.

I tell you all these things not to toot my own horn but to show that I am serious about Scouting, that I love Scouting and most importantly that your son deserves a trained Scout leader and is getting one.  I take my calling very seriously.

I only get to spend about 2.5 hours a week with your sons.  It is a small amount of time where I endeavor to make a huge difference.  Sometimes I feel like I am and other times I know I am not.  I love all of your boys and feel concern for them when they struggle.  I hope if anything else that they know that I do love them.  I want them to earn Eagle but in the end if they are just better men because of exposure to the Scouting program, Scouting has done its job.

Some may have noticed that Varsity Scouting isn't about working on getting Eagle in Scout meetings.  This is true.  Varsity Scouting is designed to work more on sports and outdoor skills.  BSA literature teaches that boys should be working on earning their Eagle at home while they are Varsity Scouts.  That being said, I am always available to work with your boy if he needs or wants help.  I have come into many of your homes to discuss the Eagle Scout project process and have yet to follow up due to the holiday and vacation.  Please contact me if you want me to come back and discuss Eagle Scout projects further with your son.

As always, if you need something all you have to do is ask!

Annual Planning Aftermath

Well here is the aftermath of our Annual Planning Sleepover:

We have a 12 month theme set that the Patrol Leader Council will be soon presenting to the Scout Committee.  The Troop, Team and Crew will be replicating themes each month but will be having different activities.  Campouts will end in competition for all three against each other.   Instead of taking over 3 hours last year, it only took 1 year.  Not only have the boys gotten smarter but so have the adult leaders.  Our PLC was awesome this year.  Issues were resolved very quickly.  I didn't get to bed until 5:10 AM in the morning to then get up at 8 AM to go home and go to bed.  My son was in attendance and I am grateful for his time with the boys in our Scouting units.  He is a better young man because of it.

Annual Planning

Our annual planning event is coming............which for me means that I won't be sleeping that night.  It basically is a night full of boys running around, eating everything that isn't hammered down and staying up all night playing video games after they plan.

Last year I attempted to sleep but my boys made it a point to poke me to keep me awake.  This year I will be doing ear plugs and hiding in the bathroom to sleep.  Hopefully this year's plan will be as successful as last years.