Tenderfoot

[scubascout]

What kind of activities do you plan at your troops tenderfoot or new scout campouts.

[Hubert]

Normaly, we try to plan some knots, first aid, and small things. They cook and all that for rank, but do a little bit less than the older boys. We all try to work together though, seeing how our troop is so small. All the older boys help the younger ones advance.

[Mrw]

The first campout is really an orientaion into how we do things. They haven't set up tents, cooked for themselves, etc before.

[riverwalk]

Making sure they're introduced to duty rosters and such...the Patrol method of working the problem together.

[ronin718]

We're doing our New Boy campout next weekend. We've got plans for an axe yard (Totin' Chit), fire building (Fireman's Chit), and basic camping skills. We have two NBPs, and we'll have 2-3 of our regular patrols attending as well to help out.

[pipestone1991]

We're doing our New Boy campout next weekend. We've got plans for an axe yard (Totin' Chit), fire building (Fireman's Chit), and basic camping skills. We have two NBPs, and we'll have 2-3 of our regular patrols attending as well to help out.

Wow...you guys do a lot....we had ours the last weekend of May, they learned Fishing mb (I already had it, I just kinda watched them), let them cook (with supervision), learn the patrol method, I took the new scouts on a hike around camp (1,000 acre camp, it was a nice hike), and they got their toten chits while I retook mine *looks at scars from pocketknife on hands*.

[ronin718]

Well, we ended up not doing the axe yard, but most of the new boys earned their FireM'n chit. We had our CoH last week and handed out 17 Scout patches, 6 Tenderfoot, 6 SC, 8 FC, 5 Star, 2 Life, announced one Eagle, and presented a Double Silver Palm. Most of the lower ranks were a culmination result of the NB Campout, with the boys from the older patrols working on their SC and FC reqs. It WAS a very busy day!!!

[kimberbakos]

I'm impressed with all that some of your troops are doing to help the new boys advance. My son has been in his troop since January, and there is no advancement work during meetings or campouts. Our two boys who moved up from Cub Scouts are frustrated since they've been to two COHs where others get things and they haven't earned anything yet. They find it very discouraging after being Webelos and getting something that they earned at every monthly pack meeting. All we keep hearing is that they will will T-2-1 at camp, so no need to work on it now. And if they do. they'll just be bored repeating it again at camp.

[Quailman]

They should do some of it anyway. It might be difficult to get Tenderfoot right away, but at least they can get some sigs in their book, and even get some for 2nd or 1st class. What if they get sick and can't go to camp?

They should do an easy MB, like Fingerprinting so they can get something at the COH. If they already have a coin or other collection, get them started on those so they can earn something other boys in the troop might not have.

[mhjacobson]

BSA has done research and found that the scouts who drop out during their first year as those who have not made rank or who have not received some recognition. Why wants to do something every week and not receive anything in return. This is especially the case of those who have crossed over from CS, as they asre used to receiving recognition.

With the increased pressure on the scouts when they enter HS to do homework, and participate in extracurricular activities, it is important for us to give the scouts as many opportunities as possible to learn scouting skills (read into that advancement) at as an early an age as possible so that they can do MB on their own schedule when they are in HS.

[Mrw]

I'm impressed with all that some of your troops are doing to help the new boys advance. My son has been in his troop since January, and there is no advancement work during meetings or campouts. Our two boys who moved up from Cub Scouts are frustrated since they've been to two COHs where others get things and they haven't earned anything yet. They find it very discouraging after being Webelos and getting something that they earned at every monthly pack meeting. All we keep hearing is that they will will T-2-1 at camp, so no need to work on it now. And if they do. they'll just be bored repeating it again at camp.

Just out of curiosity, if there is no advancement work at all done during meetings or campouts, what are they doing? So much of the first couple ranks are basic scouting amd camping skills/practices. They should be doing things that are requirements as a matter of course!