Boise Troop 33

Is your cyber chip current? Check out https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/cyber-chip/ then select your Grade to see your requirements. Once done, send me a message. The chip expires annually.

BSA National has listed temporary requirements for advancement. See the troop’s web site for more information; http://boisetroop33.org/, and a link to the full site.

Summer camp merit badges. I have only received one reply back. Please send me your choices ranked one through ten.

A special thanks to Mrs. Franki Goodman of Ohio on holding a merit badge class during last Tuesday’s meeting. To finish up the Public Health merit badge, I need confirmation that you watched the waste water plant virtual tour. And, visit with a leader or email requirements 7b.b. and 8. See below.
7. With your parent’s and counselor’s approval, do the following:
b. Familiarize yourself with your city, county, or state health agency’s website.
After completing either 7a or 7b, do the following:
i. Compare the four leading causes of mortality (death) in your community for any of the past five years with the four leading causes of disease in your community. Explain how the public health agency you visited is trying to reduce the mortality and morbidity rates of these leading causes of illness and death.
ii. Explain the role of your health agency as it relates to the outbreak of diseases.
iii. Discuss the kinds of public assistance the agency is able to provide in case of disasters such as floods, storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other acts of destruction. Your discussion can include the cleanup necessary after the disaster.
8. Pick a profession in the public health sector that interests you. Find out the education, training, and experience required to work in this profession. Discuss what you learn with your counselor.
Some Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/idaho/idaho.htm
https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Home/tabid/55/Default.aspx
https://www.publichealth.org/public-awareness/

How’s the cooking and exercising going? Would you like to meet on-line with David and I to complete requirements? Please send me updates.

Boy Scouts of America has made some temporary changes to allow Scouting to continue through these times. See Scouting for more details

Tenderfoot rank requirements
1b. – Virtual patrol or troop campouts via video conferencing will be permitted.
2a. – During the same day as your virtual patrol or troop campout, assist in preparing one meal with the help of those with whom you live. Tell your patrol or troop why it was important for each person to share in meal preparation and cleanup.
2b. – During the same day as your virtual campout, demonstrate the appropriate method of safely cleaning items used to prepare, serve and eat a meal.
5a. – Explain the importance of the buddy system as it relates to your personal safety on outings and in your neighborhood. Verbally commit to following the buddy system on your next troop or patrol outing.
7a. – Tell how to display, raise, lower, and fold the U.S. flag.
Second Class rank requirements:
1a & 1c. – Virtual patrol or troop activities via video conferencing will be permitted. 
3b. – Using a compass and map together, plan a 5-mile hike approved by your adult leader.
4. – Evidence of wild animals can be demonstrated with information or photos of your local area found online.
5c. – May be completed virtually via video conferencing on dry land.
7c. – Learn about the dangers of using drugs, alcohol and tobacco and other practices that could be harmful to your health. Discuss what you learned with your family and explain the dangers of substance addictions. Report to your Scoutmaster or other adult leader in your troop about which parts of the Scout Oath and Scout Law relate to what you learned.
8a. – May be completed virtually using video conferencing.
8d. – May be completed by comparing costs at three (3) online sites or locations.
First Class rank requirements:
1a – Virtual patrol or troop activities via video conferencing will be permitted.
2e. – On the same day as your virtual campout, serve as the cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in First Class requirement 2a. Supervise the cleanup.
4a. – By drawing, computer software, or other virtual methods, plan an orienteering course that would cover at least one mile. Explain why measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower, canyon, ditch, etc.) is helpful. Explain how you would complete your course using a real map and compass.
4b. – Scouts do not need to follow their route.
5a. – Evidence of native plants can be demonstrated with information or photos of your local area found online.
6e. – May be completed on dry land.
9a. – Visit may take place virtually or by phone.
9c. – Outings can include past or future plans.
10. – Invite the potential new member to a virtual meeting or future activity using video conferencing. 

The troop has now held two meetings and a fantastic virtual campout. If you need more details, did not get an invite, or would like an invite, please send Brian a message. During the time between meetings, Scouts have completed many requirements.

Some fun things to do besides the school’s homework and working on rank advancement. www.scouting.ort/scoutingathome/

Pass this on to all your Scouts that are interested in the Search and Rescue Merit Badge. This is a requirement that can definitely be done during this hiatus. Plus, once you take the test, it will be on your permanent record with FEMA. That being said, all leaders can take it too.

FEMA – Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Course | IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100 FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Independent Study Course overview: IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100 training.fema.gov

To work specifically on Emergency Preparedness, contact Nicholle Riley, venturingsilver2014@gmail.com. Be sure to CC your scoutmaster as well! You will have to do the work on your own, but she will give you resources. 

Service project ideas:

• Contact a local senior center and do virtual visits.
• Write letters/cards to health care workers.
• Do a neighborhood collection box for ER workers or local PD, FD, EMS
• Crocheting baby blankets for hospitals
• build nesting boxes for birds, esp. waterfowl (to be installed when parks open again)
• make native bee habitats (also covers Insect Study MB requirement)
• Organizing a weekly window walk.
• Help sweep, rake or mow a neighbors yard
  

With Willow Creek cancelled, Camp Wilson cancelled, and Boise School District extending the break until April 20th, Troop 33 will not be holding an in-person meeting until April 21st at the earliest. Instead, let’s try holding virtual meetings. March 24 will be a trial meeting to figure things out on-line from 6:30 to 7 pm. I will be sending out a Zoom invite.  Topics during the virtual meeting will be completing advancement, working on merit badges, making modifications to the schedule, and finding the opportunities the situation creates.

This is a great time to practice and learn additional cooking skills. Scouts, are you helping out in the kitchen? There are many cooking requirements in rank advancement that can be practiced at home. And the cooking merit badge requirement number 4 is home cooking.

What about joining us Saturday for a virtual campout? Scouts find a buddy or family member to campout in your backyard. We will touch base occasionally in the evening including a campfire. Sunday, take a hike around your neighborhood. Cooking will be your choice of inside, backpacking stove, or food delivered. This campout will help you mark off an outing and help the troop not miss a monthly campout. Details to be posted in Scoutbook by Wednesday and an RSVP.

There are many, many Scouting activities you can do during this unusual time. Let’s see how many rank requirements can be completed over the next few weeks. Many require learning, practicing, and then demonstrating. Describing, sharing, and demonstrating can be done in a video conference. Now is a good time to connect with other Scouts virtually to work on requirements.

Many merit badges require some preparation, research, and a skill or project to be completed. Once ready, a counselor can be contacted; possibly virtually.  A few Possible Merit Badges:

Public Health has a good game relating to our current situation

https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/applications/sto/web-app.html

How many merit badges can the troop complete by the end of May? How many can we start in the next few months? The booklets, worksheets, and resources are all on-line. The troop leadership is looking for merit badge counselors for each merit badge. David can be contacted for the citizenship merit badges. Parents, would you like to be a merit badge counselor?

This is a good time for physical fitness. If you are working on Tenderfoot, record your starting times and count requirement #6a with an adult. Create and carry out a plan to improve over the next 30 days. See Tenderfoot #6b for details.  Scouts, adults, and youth, our situation presents an opportunity for daily exercise from walks around the neighborhood; physical distancing, or at home exercise plan. How many exercise hours as a troop can we record in the next three weeks starting this Tuesday? 

Other activities include Good Turn daily, Duty to God, and more. The above list just scratches the surface of possibilities.Here is a web site with ideas. Do you have other ideas? Let’s start sharing and carrying them out together.

Scouting Rocks!
Brian Anderson
SMT33 B