TICKET COMPLETE!
In September and October 2022, I have attended the BSA’s Wood Badge leadership training course. As part of the course, I had to develop a vision and set of goals (collectively called a “ticket”) that will improve Scouting in some way. I now have until March 10, 2024 to achieve those goals in order to complete my Wood Badge. I’d like to share some of the details of my ticket as my vision is intended to have a positive impact on our Troop, Scouts, and families.
I’m excited to start completing my ticket and I hope your excited about how our Troop will continue to grow and improve in the coming years. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas.
Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Maloney
Assistant Scoutmaster
WHAT IS WOOD BADGE?
Wood Badge is the ultimate leadership training program of the Boy Scouts of America. Reflecting the best of nearly a century of Scouting experience and tradition, Wood Badge draws upon current leadership models used to train leaders in organizations throughout the world. Through hands-on activities, learning experiences, and games, leadership models are brought to life.
Wood Badge isn’t just a training, it’s an experience. Participants come together with a variety of leaders in Scouting to learn and practice the latest in leadership models, backed by the timeless principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
MY WOOD BADGE TICKET
Vision
To create a repeatable onboarding process for new Scouts and their families that is welcoming and rooted in the deep heritage of Scouting.
Goals
- Create and send a series of “New Member Bootcamp” emails and website posts: (COMPLETED 5/2023) Joining a Troop (even from Cub Scouting) can be an overwhelming experience, especially in a Troop with over 80 years of history behind it. To complete this goal, I’ll continue sending monthly emails to our incoming AOL families sharing important information they’ll need to know when their Scout crosses over and make that same information (and more) available on a special “New Member Bootcamp” section of our Troop website.
- Develop a plan with the AOL Den Leader to engaged Scouts from the Troop in the Den’s annual advancement: (COMPLETED 11/2022) The Troop’s greatest recruiting tool is our Cub Scout Pack and we want our Cub Scouts to be excited to join our Troop. To complete this goal, I’ll work with our AOL Den Leader to a schedule for 2022-2023 and finding ways to get our Scouts to help the Den and Pack.
- Offer a Scouting Heritage Merit Badge Class to Scouts in Troop 457 after crossover this spring:(COMPLETED 5/2023) Scouting Heritage Merit Badge helps Scouts to learn the history of our program and gain a greater appreciation for this traditions and methods of Scouting. As a counselor for this Merit Badge, I hope our Patrol Leaders Council will allow me to present this merit badge class to all of the Scouts in our Troop.
- Hold quarterly “Coffee with the Scoutmaster” sessions: (COMPLETED 2/2023) Scout meetings can be chaotic affairs and sometimes there just isn’t enough time for leaders to address questions from Scouts and families. During these quarterly events, Scouts, their families, and the whole Zelienople Community will be invited to join me at a local Zelienople business to have your questions answered while also helping the Troop be more visible in the community. (Think of it as an in-person Reddit “Ask me Anything”)
- Compile a “scholarship list” for youth who would like to participate in the program:(COMPLETED 5/2023) Scouting can be an expensive activity, but I want to make sure that every youth who wants to participate in our program can. This scholarship list will allow us to proactively identify ways that we can help Scouts fund their participation when the costs can’t be covered through fundraising or family contributions. (This may include setting aside funds at a Troop level, identifying donors in the community willing to sponsor Scouts, or even finding groups that provide Scouts uniforms.)
HOW YOU CAN HELP
I’m ultimately the one who needs to complete the goals on my ticket, but I hope that you will help me by:
- Anyone: Participating in the “Coffee with the Scoutmaster” and Scouting Heritage Merit Badge sessions
- Scouts and their Families:
- Telling me about what you wish you knew when you joined the Troop
- Responding to requests for assistance / input
LEARN MORE ABOUT WOOD BADGE
- About Wood Badge from scouting.org
- Why Wood Badge from Scouting Magazine
- Wood Badge on Wikipedia
- Wood Badge playlist from Scouter Stan on YouTube
- Watch me not be able to hold it together in skit titled “Give the frog a loan” at Wood Badge 12-532-22
