When Don Richard and Chuck Rose set out to write a book on Scouting America’s Northern Tier program in Bissett, Manitoba, Canada, they weren’t sure how long it would take, how long the book would be or what the finished product would look like. “At first, I thought it might be a pamphlet,” Rose says.

By Jeffrey L. Johnson  Jeffrey L. Johnson is Scout Executive/CEO of the Cornhusker Council in Walton, Nebraska. He is a retired U.S. Navy officer and volunteered as Scoutmaster while stationed at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain. Scouting at overseas military installations provides an extraordinary experience for youth and families. It offers a sense

Somewhere in the journey from little kid to young adult, Scouting becomes less “Do Your Best” and more be “Prepared for Life.” And a Scout leader’s job in preparing Cub Scouts for the jump to Scouts BSA is proof of that. In a perfect world, every Cub Scout’s journey leads them toward becoming a member

Assistant Scoutmaster David van Alphen was looking for ideas to keep older Scouts in his troop engaged. “I wanted to do fun projects with them to keep them excited about Scouts,” he says. Scouting has plenty to accomplish this, and it helps when you put your passions into action. Van Alphen enjoys learning about nuclear

The Francis family moved to Okinawa Island a few years ago when Mark Francis took the helm as the Scout executive for the Far East Council. The kids joined units there, including Avonlea with Troop 109. When Avonlea earned the Life Scout rank, she began brainstorming ideas for her Eagle Scout project. “I wanted to

Scuba diving is a serious adventure. It’s the kind of thing that gives you a thrill just hearing about it, even if you’ve never done it before. And for a lot of Scouts, that’s the case. Many haven’t had the chance to try scuba yet. Why not? Two big reasons usually come up: cost and

Nestled in the woodlands of southeastern New Hampshire sits nearly 1,000 acres devoted to Scouting adventure and fun. Part of it is also devoted to what Camp Ranger Robb Ellis calls “the ultimate conservation project.” For the past three years, T.L. Storer Scout Reservation, a Spirit of Adventure Council camp, has invited more than Scouts

Whether someone has been helping for a couple of Cub Scout outings or serving for decades on camp staff, volunteers’ time and energy fuel Scouting. The movement doesn’t happen without adult leaders. Week after week, they plan meetings, prep activities and think through every detail that allows Scouts to Scout. As Cub Scout committee member

Scouting America’s merit badge program continues to expand, this time with the launch of two badges aimed at giving Scouts some of the skills needed to be successful in our constantly evolving digital world. The Cybersecurity merit badge is designed to provide a comprehensive look at the world of digital security, equipping young people with

When he was in the fifth grade, Dennis Wagner’s father bought him an official Scouting bugle – a shiny nickel silver-plated instrument perfect for playing at Scouting events. Dennis had been practicing the trumpet that year in school. “The trumpet was not for me,” he says. Hence, neither was the bugle. That’s OK; Wagner still