Read, Write and Win Amazon Gift Cards!
From Boys' Life website:
Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2016 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.
The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words — 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories:
8 years old and younger
9 and 10 years old
11 years old and older
First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift card from Amazon.com. Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift card; third-place winners, a $50 gift card.
Everyone who enters will get a free patch like the one on this page. (And, yes, the patch is a temporary insignia, so it can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform shirt, on the right pocket. Proudly display it there or anywhere!) In coming years, you’ll have the opportunity to earn different patches.
The contest is open to all Boys’ Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry.
Send your report, along with a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:
Boys’ Life Reading Contest
S306
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2016 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Click here to read the winning essays in the 2015 contest.
Free National Park Pass for all Fourth Graders
Attention Webelos I cubs ! Did you know that you own millions of acres of national parks, historic structures, cultural artifacts, ancient forests, snow-capped mountains, and clear blue lakes? Our federal public lands and waters belong to all Americans and are waiting for you to explore !
Beginning September 1st, 2016, all fourth graders have access to their own Every Kid in a Park pass at www.everykidinapark.gov. This pass provides free access to national parks across the country.
The Every Kid in a Park pass is good for the 2016-2017 school year, until August 31, 2017.
Changes Coming to the Cub Scouting Program – January 17 Webcasts
A new Cub Scouting program that will be more fun and exciting for boys and easier to implement for unit leaders, will be launching June 1, 2015.
To ensure you are ready to make the transition, a number of webcasts will be hosted on January 17 to outline the coming changes, how to prepare, and when resources will be available.
Cubmaster Webcasts
Saturday, January 17, at 8 a.m. (Central), or
Saturday, January 17, at 3 p.m. (Central)
Den Leader Webcasts
Saturday, January 17, at 9:30 a.m. (Central), or
Saturday, January 17, at 4:30 p.m. (Central)
Although the content will be geared to the roles listed, anyone with an interest in learning about the new Cub Scouting program is welcome to attend. The sessions will be recorded for later viewing.
It’s easy to attend! Just navigate your Internet browser to www.livestream.com/bsanationalcouncil and you are ready to view the webcast!
As always, for more information on the new Cub Scouting program, please go to www.scouting.org/programupdates.
Boy Scouts of America: Membership Resolution
Boy Scouts of America
National Statement
For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, with a focus on working together to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
Based on growing input from within the Scouting family, the BSA leadership chose to conduct an additional review of the organization's long-standing membership policy and its impact on Scouting's mission. This review created an outpouring of feedback from the Scouting family and the American public, from both those who agree with the current policy and those who support a change.
Today, following this review, the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting's history the approximate 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America's National Council approved a resolution to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone. The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. A change to the current membership policy for adult leaders was not under consideration; thus, the policy for adults remains in place. The BSA thanks all the national voting members who participated in this process and vote.
This policy change is effective Jan. 1, 2014, allowing the Boy Scouts of America the transition time needed to communicate and implement this policy to its approximately 116,000 Scouting units.
The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue. As the National Executive Committee just completed a lengthy review process, there are no plans for further review on this matter.
While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting. Going forward, our Scouting family will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth in order to help them grow into good, strong citizens. America's youth need Scouting, and by focusing on the goals that unite us, we can continue to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve.
Mt. Diablo Silverado Council Statement
The Mt. Diablo Silverado Council's focus remains to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The information our Council provided on this issue helped provide perspective to the process, and we respect the integrity of the national decision-making process. As the Scout Executive of the Mt. Diablo Silverado Council, I believe this update to our policy will allow all kids who sincerely want to be a part of Scouting to experience this life-changing program while remaining true to the long-standing virtues of Scouting. While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting. We believe good people can disagree and still work together to accomplish great things for youth. Going forward, we will work to stay focused on that which unites us. -John Fenoglio
Membership Policy
The following is the membership standard for youth members of the Boy Scouts of America, effective Jan. 1, 2014:
Youth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all youth who meet the specific membership requirements to join the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Sea Scout, and Venturing programs. Membership in any program of the Boy Scouts of America requires the youth member to (a) subscribe to and abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, (b) subscribe to and abide by the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and (c) demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.
Press Conference Video
BSA Membership Standards Process
From Mt Diablo Silverado Council:
At the direction of the National Executive Board in February, the Boy Scouts of America began a dialogue within the Scouting family about its values and membership standards. A process has been developing in stages:
March 1-April 5 - Listening: The BSA's standing committees engage key stakeholders for input and develop a summary report. You should be receiving a Voice of the Scout Survey sometime between March 8 and March 15. As a part of that survey, all adults will be asked some questions about possible changes in the BSA membership standards, as well as their opinions about Scouting programs.
If not, you can still get the survey by clicking here to register your email. You will need your membership ID number to register (if you don't know it the council can help). If this link does not work paste the following URL into your browser: http://scouting.us.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0lecWOay3bPbczP
April 5-17-Evaluating: The BSA's officers review the summary report and prepare a resolution for consideration by National Council voting members.
April 18-May 24- Educating: The report and resolution are shared with the voting members of the National Council.
May 22-24-Deciding: The BSA conducts on-site information sessions for registered participants at its National Annual Meeting, followed by a vote.
May 24-Ongoing- Implementing: Based on the resolution and vote, the BSA will determine and implement next steps for the organization.
There are many questions about this process, and to assist you, the Boy Scouts have launched a special website at www.bsamembershipstandards.org
The Mt. Diablo Silverado Council has nearly completed our Membership policy survey. We have had nearly 5,000 responses to the survey. A summary of the survey will be presented to our Board, this month. The survey will help our Nat'l Council Representatives formulate a position concerning the upcoming May National meeting vote on this issue.
If you are a registered leader or Scouting family, who did not have an opportunity to take the survey and would like to take it, please email [email protected], with your name (or your son or daughters), unit number or registration number.
John Fenoglio
Scout Executive/CEO
BSA Updated Statement on Membership Policy
From BSA:
For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, providing its youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. In the past two weeks, Scouting has received an outpouring of feedback from the American public. It reinforces how deeply people care about Scouting and how passionate they are about the organization.
After careful consideration and extensive dialogue within the Scouting family, along with comments from those outside the organization, the volunteer officers of the Boy Scouts of America’s National Executive Board concluded that due to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a more deliberate review of its membership policy.
To that end, the National Executive Board directed its committees to further engage representatives of Scouting’s membership and listen to their perspectives and concerns. This will assist the officers’ work on a resolution on membership standards. The approximately 1,400 voting members of the National Council will take action on the resolution at the National Annual Meeting in May 2013.
Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?
Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?, the National Geographic Channel reality show will start airing at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central) on Monday, March 4. The six-episode series continues every Monday night until the season finale on April 8. Find out more at the new website for the show: toughscout.com.
