Tenderfoot Program at Summer Camp?

[optimist]

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 02:49 pm Post subject: Tenderfoot
Program at Summer Camp?

I was just wondering how many troops have gone to a camp with
a program for new Scouts. At Camp Crooked Creek in Kentucky,
they have the Dan Boone Program, which basically fulfills
almost all of the Tenderfoot Requirements, giving the scouts a
jump start. Does every camp have a program like this, or is it
more rare? Just a question I had.
_________________
John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

Last edited by Kobalt on 05 Aug 2004 03:49 pm; edited 1 time
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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 126

Posted: 20 Jul 2004 06:55 pm Post subject:

Most camps have programs like this. At many camps you can
accomplish nearly all the requirements for tenderfoot, second
class, and first class in one week of summer camp.

When done well, these programs can be very beneficial but they
are often overbooked and understaffed. This is one of the best
opportunities at summer camp for adult leader participation
and that participation can make a big difference not only for
your own Scouts but for all the young Scouts at camp

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Firefish
Life

Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Beaver, Pa
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 09:09 pm Post subject:

As the optimist said many camps have similiar programs but I
have never heard of just a tenderfoot camp out. Most are Fast
Track to First Class. I have helped on a fast track to first
class camp out in the totin chip and safety requirements. A
very rewarding experience helping new scouts advance. I would
highly suggest finding a camp out like this for your new
scouts to advance and is a great thing for those First Class
and above to help out with. I kinda wish I could go to another
one. They do do these things at normal camps to not just
summer camp its just not as common
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Peter Cahill
Troop 469
A Fighting Irish

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O/T Scouter
Guest

Posted: 21 Jul 2004 01:14 pm Post subject: Buckskin Program

We attended the quick start program at one of the US Eastern
Camps. The program was laid out and timed well. Designed for
the first year scouters, I recommended it. The program does
help the Scout get through most of what is required as a
Tenderfoot, where the emphasis comes in is during the
Scoutmaster Conference and Troop Committee Review. The Scouts
do get most of the requirements signed off, but to know it the
Scout will need coaching to retain the information and get
through the Board of review. The Program is fast pace and
intense and covers areas well into first class. It was a good
experience for the Scouts and it does give them the jump start
needed.

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ScoutmasterBob
Counselor

Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 79
Location: Woods Cross, Utah
Posted: 21 Jul 2004 03:08 pm Post subject:

We attend the Bear Lake Aquatics Camp in the Great Salt Lake
Council.

They schedule First Class programs every morning at 9:00 AM
while we are at camp. They dont hit every single req for FC
but I would say about 75% of them. A great resource.

We also have a camp that is a three day, day camp for the new
scout patrols, or 11 year old scouts. They cover about 80% of
the FC req over the three days. Between the 2nd and 3rd day
you can camp overnight, so the boys can get 1 night of camping
in for the tenderfoot.
_________________
Bob Torkelson
Scoutmaster Troop 538
www.wx5troop538.homestead.com
Live The Oath!

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wagionvigil
Counselor

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 189
Location: PA
Posted: 22 Jul 2004 06:50 pm Post subject: Pathfinder
Program

At Eberly Scout Reservation we Call it Pathfinder. It take s a
new scout every morning and they do TF SC and FC Requirements.
This also includes First Aid Merit Badge. In the Afternoon
they have Swimming Merit Badge or Learn to swim. After that
there is still tile in the day to take another MB or free
boating etc. On Wednesday they take a 5 mile hike in the
morning and do compass work along the way. They get Tote and
Chip and Fire n Chit during the week.
_________________
Action Center D Rappel Tower Director 2001 and 2005 National
Jamborees
Northeast REgion Area 4 Venturing Chairman
Wagion 6 Lodge Advisor 96-99
"If you ain't A bear you're a Meal"

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BM_Crawford
Life

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 131
Location: PA W/F Council
Posted: 22 Jul 2004 10:33 pm Post subject:

Which week to you go to Camp Conestoga wagionvigil?
_________________
Brian Crawford
Troop 251

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 22 Jul 2004 10:52 pm Post subject:

I misspoke (mistyped?) when I wrote Tenderfoot Program. While
they focus on brand new scouts and almost all of the
Tenderfoot requirements, they do branch into the Second and
First Class requirements as well.
_________________
John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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Godwyn IV
Second Class

Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 21
Location: Greater Western Reserve Council
Posted: 29 Jul 2004 09:31 pm Post subject:

In Cleveland, Ohio they call the program Eagle Quest.
Unfortunately they are, as optimist said, understaffed
(although this is the case for the rest of the camp ). The
program has been really great for our boys.

I was wondering... When the younger scouts in your troop get
back from the program, do you make them show you that they
really learned the skill and didnt just get it signed off?
_________________
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a
dog, it's too dark to read."
-Groucho Marx

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wagionvigil
Counselor

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 189
Location: PA
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 06:42 am Post subject:

If it is signed off at camp I have never rechecked them. There
again why do we have councelors if we don't trust them? I
remember when a BOR would ask you questions on each MB to
prove you knew the info. That was a bad way of doing things
and rechecking a scouts work is also.
_________________
Action Center D Rappel Tower Director 2001 and 2005 National
Jamborees
Northeast REgion Area 4 Venturing Chairman
Wagion 6 Lodge Advisor 96-99
"If you ain't A bear you're a Meal"

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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 126

Posted: 30 Jul 2004 07:41 am Post subject:

On rechecking the Scouts on Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, and 1st
Class requirements, I would do so but not in the context of a
"recheck". I would simply observe the Scouts on upcoming
campouts and see what they may have missed and fill in the
holes where I can.

Requirements through 1st Class are basic Scout skills and a
Scout really needs them to do well in the program. Conversely,
even if they don't get everything they need to out of the
summer camp classes, they will gain these skills naturally in
a troop that actively camps. So while it would be best if they
had these skills up front, given time and a little observation
and input they should be fine.

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ScoutmasterBob
Counselor

Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 79
Location: Woods Cross, Utah
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 09:56 am Post subject:

At the Great Salt Lake Council's 11 year old scout camp, the
instructors dont actually sign of the requirements they teach.
They ask the leaders who are attending the camp with their
scouts to determin weather or not the scouts have completed
the requirements that have been taught. Then it is up to the
leader to sign them off.

There are 4 steps I think need to be followed when passing off
a scout for a requirement or MB.

1) Teach
2) Practice
3) Review
4) Test

If we follow these or similar steps we can all feel good about
passing off our scouts.
_________________
Bob Torkelson
Scoutmaster Troop 538
www.wx5troop538.homestead.com
Live The Oath!

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Godwyn IV
Second Class

Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 21
Location: Greater Western Reserve Council
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 10:07 am Post subject:

I should have mentioned this before...

The camp we go to has a "yellow card" that lists all the
requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class.
The instructors sign off on the card then the boys show the
leaders what they have done. After that the leaders sign off
in the boys Handbooks after reviewing what they have learned.

Quote:
There again why do we have councelors if we don't trust
them?

There are some councelors who are there and dont really want
to be, so they dont really care if the boys really learn the
skill.
_________________
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a
dog, it's too dark to read."
-Groucho Marx

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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 126

Posted: 31 Jul 2004 06:57 pm Post subject:

Quote:
There are some councelors who are there and dont really
want to be, so they dont really care if the boys really
learn the skill.

I'm sorry but this is camp issue, not a Scouting issue. If you
can't trust your summer camp counselors, you should be talking
to your council, not rechecking your Scouts advancement. Your
council has a responsibility to provide a proper program. If
they can't provide a proper program, they should either step
down in favor of leadership that will do the job or they
should close their summer camp.

I like the idea mentioned ScoutmasterBob of the camp not
actually signing off on the requirements but simply teaching
Scouts the basic Scout skills associated with Scouting
advancement through First Class. In truth, tracking rank
advancement is the responsibility of the troop leadership
unlike merit badges which are the responsibility of merit
badge counselors. This is a distinction we sometimes forget.

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 05 Aug 2004 02:43 pm Post subject:

Our Council...operates the Sinoquipe Scout Reservation..they
have had their First Year Camper Program for several years and
each year it seems to get bigger and bigger! They have plenty
of trained staff and are running a quality program.
However, these staffers must realize that they are dealing
with "New" scouts.... Patience is a definate quality of a
staffer for this area.
Instead of sitting around camp enjoying a nap in the
hammock...leaders should get involved and help the program at
their camp and make the scouts educational experience even
better.

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[optimist]

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Buffalo Bill
First Class

Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 11:29 am Post subject: FYC Program

Last 3 years we have used the Camp's First Year Program. At
Comer it was "Trailblazers"; at Daniel Boone, "Goin' Great",
at Skymont, "Polaris".
Success of the program is directly related to the amount of
help they receive from Scoutmasters and if they use the patrol
method.

Extra help from attending adults equals help and discipline.
Using patrols breaks down the whole into more manageable
groups that can be given individual help.

Individual attention is key to retention. If the boys are
taught scoutcraft skills in a group, I've found they fail to
retain very much when it comes time for their SM Conference.
The programs that offer more individualized atttention tend to
help the boys retain more.

Additionally time spent at the campsite reinforcing the day's
FYC lessons helps tremendously. This requires support of the
older boys (I'd much rather see a boy pass on a skill to a
younger scout than an adult)

I like FYC programs in general, but they should be
supplemented by a strong Troop program.

B2
_________________
Bill Britt
Scoutmaster
Troop 509
Hurlburt Field, FL

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 01:06 pm Post subject:

I think the first year programs are great...usually the first
year campers are nervous anyway and this just helps them feel
more at ease. Their schedules are usually full and it allows
them to meet other scouts their age and they usually are taken
to all the program areas of the camp and get a chance to
experience a little bit of everything, hopefully making them
want to come back next year.
_________________
http://www.bsatroop88.org

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Lynda J
Scout

Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 6
Location: Texas
Posted: 13 Aug 2004 02:53 pm Post subject:

Our Council has a program called Hammer Patrol. All first year
summer campers have to take Hammer Patrol. It gets the boy to
Tenderfoot and gives him some Second Class and a few First
Class. They send back a list of what was completed and we mark
it in the book. But we do go over the work completed.

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ICanCanoeCanU
Second Class

Joined: 05 Aug 2004
Posts: 20

Posted: 13 Aug 2004 10:17 pm Post subject: First Year
Program at Camp

Our troop attends 2 different camps and both use have a First
Year Program. During normal MB Class times, new scouts attend
2 First Year Classes and have the other MB Class times open
for whatever they want to take. (We of course help guide them
so they don't try taking an advanced class.) At the end of the
week, we are given sheets with everything marked off that
they've done from Tenderfoot, 2nd & 1st Class.

Not sure if the policy to send ALL new scouts through this is
our troops or the summer camp but we don't give new scouts an
option. The boys really like the program and return in the
fall no longer feeling like new scouts. But we too pay
attention during campouts to help make sure the scouts have
retained their new skills.

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[dparker]

Our Troop attends Camp Mensinger in the California Sierra Nevadas. They have a similar program called the "Woodsman" program. As with other programs mentioned, they work on Tenderfoot, 2nd and First Class rank advancement requirements. I ask all of my first year Scouts to take this program and they all do. They can be done by Wednesday afternoon with the entire program and have Thursday and Friday to do the merit badges of their choice.

We also have the problem, though, of classes with too many boys for the staffers there. This year, the leaders in camp started helping out the staff and they really appreciated that. I usually use the time during the MB classes to take pictures of the boys, but I didn't mind helping out, either.

Our boys passed of MANY requirements, although I did try to talk to the boys at the end of the day to see what they learned. They earned their Toten Chit and Fire'm'Chit cards, learned to swim and took a couple of hikes. Overall, I really like the program and the idea.

[diamondbackAPL]

during my first year in scouts, I did Polaris at Skymont, and I had almost everything done for the first three ranks, and the cool part is, I had only joined a month before then. It is a great program for new scouts

[Guest]

I guess that folks need to decide if the goal is to advance quickly or actually learn things.

These summer camp advancement programs are like the weekend seminars to teach you how to be a network engineer. You might pass the test but nothing sticks after that.

[Lynda J]

Our Council has Hammer Patrol for all new scouts their first summer camp. It gets them to Tenderfoot and several of the 2nd Class requirements. Is it a perfect program? NO. Is it a good program for new boys? Yes. It teaches them a lot of things. Kevin really enjoyed it. But when the boys get back from summer camp it is the troops leadership to go back over all the information. I had Kevin help me do knots with a couple of the boys that didn't get to go to summer camp. We had other boys help with first aid. Just going back over the program. Right now I am working with our new boys and I have two of my boys that are currently 2nd class helping me. Is every boy going to remember everything that he does in summer camp? No. But this is where the 3R's
apply. Review, repeat, redo.

[Mick Scouter]

Boy do I agree with those 3 R's. I need them more than the boys from time to time.

[Lynda J]

Me to. I am working with the new scouts on knots and have had to go back and restudy. I love tieing knots but have had to practice.

[Mick Scouter]

I am going to Scoutmaster Fundamental Weekend in a few weeks and I want and need the help of my boys for preparation.

[Lynda J]

I am doing my Outdoor Skills training this weekend. I have taken it twice before but as a Cub Leader. It is funny because I have actually taught dutch over cooking at this training. But two of the guys that are in my patrol have never been camping in their lives. It should be interesting and loads of fun. The only thing I regret about it is that my boys will be doing the Canoe Races and I don't get to be there.

[Mick Scouter]

I love Dutch Oven Cooking. Actually, when we were at the fundamental portion and deceiding on what to eat I said how about DO Cooking.

[tuscarora299]

There is a Thaska program at my camp, Tuscarora that takes up 3 camp periods.

[diamondbackAPL]

the polaris program at our camp takes up 4 hours, 1 hour for each indiividual rank, and a 4th hour for sign-off (they have a lot of scouts, so they can't sign them all off during that rank segment)

[Lynda J]

We have a program called Hammer Patrol. It is very intense and takes 4 of the 6 days of camp. This year the boys will be take the Swimming, Pioneering, and First Aid merit badges. THey also work on Tenderfoot rank. They also will do some requirements for 2nd and 1st Class. At the end of camp the SM is given a print out for each boy noting which requirements he completed.
What we do it about a week after camp is over we have a "book party"
We sit down with each boy and go over what he did at camp. Quiz him and then sign off his book. What I do is then later have those boys demonstrate their skills to others. It has worked well.

[tuscarora299]

All The kids HAVE to take first aid and swimming if they are first year, so you have no choice your first year, you have to do this . how about they let us pick besides: 1.-3.Thakasaha
4.First Aid
5.Swimming
You read this

[Lynda J]

No they don't HAVE to take the first year program but we do recommend that boys that are attending summer camp for the very first time do.
They can take the normal program and work on merit badges. But of the 4 first time campers going from our troop all are doing the program.
It really is fun. Kevin did it last year and had a ball. Came home with 4 completed merit badges, Tenderfoot complete and about half of 2nd Class.

[tuscarora299]

Lynda, which merit badges did kevin get throuh the program Cause we get none

[Lynda J]

He completed Swimming, Insect Study, Reptile & Amp, and Woodcarving.

The Reptile would not totally complete because of keeping a Rep or Amp for a month. Since we have had both fish and aquatic frogs for several years and since he was able to relate enough information on the care of the Dwarf Claw Frogs, the counselor signed it off.

[Scouting179]

I only recommend a camp's first year program for those who are in a troop that is not very active or dysfunctional. For those in an active troop with strong leaders, taking this course is a waste of time.

I also highly suggest people take Swimming MB the first year, along with a few fun MBs and required MBs. I've never been a fan of the optional requireds for Swimming.

[Lynda J]

So many times Webs don't move up into the troop until April or May. Which means they may only get one camping trip with the troop before summer camp. This is the main reason we recommend the first year camper program. Every boy that we have had go through these programs has loved it. They are in with kids who have about the same skills level as they do and are about the same age.