We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

Early Bird Extension for Summer Camp!

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Plans are still on for summer camp, because we’re all going to need some extra time outside this summer! Planning that far out is difficult right now for many families so to give you more time to decide National Capital Area Council is extending the Early Bird signup period for all of our camps through April 30, 2020!

Check out our 2020 Summer Camp Guide for info about all our programs, then find your favorite below and reserve your tent!

Day Camp

NCAC offers about 20 local day camps every summer so that every Scout has one nearby. Each camp’s program is a little different, but each offers some combination of the all-time favorite Scout camp activities; things like BB guns, archery, sling shots, arts and crafts, nature, field sports, fishing, and aquatics.

This year’s Day Camp theme is On The Farm, so get ready for a barn-raising, sheep-herding, egg-hatching good time! To find a camp near you and sign up, go to gotodaycamp.org!

Go To Day Camp

Camp William B. Snyder

The closest Scout Camp to Washington, D.C., Camp Snyder will have a variety of programs for Packs to enjoy this summer, including day camp, weekend Cub Scout camps, STEM programs, and full-week programs for Cub Scouts and Webelos!

This year’s camp will be truly out of this world a Cub Scouts go on an astronaut adventure! Learn more and sign up at gotosnyder.org

Go To Camp Snyder

Goshen Scout Reservation

Goshen offers programs for Scouts BSA, Webelos, and Venturers on the shores of beautiful Lake Merriweather. With three Scout camps, two Webelos camps, and the Lenhok’sin High Adventure Base, there is an adventure waiting for you this summer that will thrill and challenge you.

To keep in line with the extension of the early bird dates, merit badge registration has also been delayed until May 1, 2020. We hope that will give your Scouts more time to make their plans for the summer. To learn more, get important updates, and register for Goshen, please click gotogoshen.org.

Go To Goshen

Refund Policy

One question many leaders have is what will happen if the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to cancel summer camp. Please assure your families that if camp is cancelled by NCAC they will receive a 100% refund. We hope this will give your families the chance to make their plans without worrying about the financial risks.

Further updates about our plans for summer 2020 will be coming as the situation develops. Until then, stay home, wash your hands, and keep on #ScoutingAtHome!

NCAC Guidance on Virtual Meetings with Youth

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In certain circumstances, because of distance or sheltering-at-home, virtual meetings including youth membership is necessary. This can be for a Board of Review (covered by GTA 8.0.1.6), merit badges, or working on STEM or Hornaday awards with counselors and mentors. The National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, set this guidance for council, districts and units so that we can provide a way for Scouts and Scouters to interact adhering to our Youth Protection guidelines.

Approvals

  • Merit Badge:  refer to the NCAC Policy on Merit Badge Group Instruction summarized below.
    • A troop or crew can use group instruction of merit badges within their unit without seeking approval from the council or district.
    • If a unit decides to offer a merit badge opportunity to Scouts outside their unit, an individual counselor solicits scouts, or the district sponsors such an event, they must get district advancement committee approval to conduct the event. This affords the district advancement committee the opportunity to ensure compliance with the GTA guidance on group instruction.
  • Preapprovals are only necessary for Merit Badges. STEM Nova or Hornaday awards, for example, do not require a preapproval, but still require an approved STEM Nova counselor, Supernova mentor or Hornaday adviser.
  • Outside organizations to the BSA must always receive council approval

Guidelines

  1. Check the terms and conditions for the online service to make sure that the service allows for users under the age of 13.
  2. Online meetings require the presence of adults to be in compliance with BSA Policy.  Be sure to review the Guide to Safe Scouting for adult Supervision requirements — https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01/.
  3. Youth should earn or renew their Cyber chip prior to participating or it can be a requirement during the first meeting.
  4. Instruct Scouts to use public communication methods or to include a parent/guardian for all communication with adults.

Methods that work

Of the carriers we surveyed, currently only Zoom complies with our age requirements. Check with your carriers for compliance before choosing.

Zoom https://zoom.us/ allows for users under 13, is in use for K-12 programs and is broadly approved for use in schools. The free Zoom account is limited to 40-minutes. A unit can create one plan with a single host for its activities, provided that only one meeting at a time is scheduled.  Be mindful of sharing usernames and passwords for the account and consider using a new email account tied to the troop committee or leader that is not used for other accounts. The next section has some example settings for Zoom.

One good practice is to set up a new GMAIL account for the service and then sharing the login information to schedule and host meetings with the appropriate adults.

Zoom example settings

Recommended Meeting Options

  • Meeting Password – Require meeting password so the meeting is secure.
  • Audio – Use of computer audio is best, so you have a clear record of who is speaking and listening as they are required to login.
  • Meeting Options
    • Disable join before host – DISABLE so early callers cannot access before required adult supervision is present
    • Mute participants upon entry – to keep the noise down, unmute speakers as it is their turn to talk per the agenda
    • Enable waiting room – To keep early arrivals in a queue.  You can then add everyone when the adult supervision requirement is met

Additional Settings

For further compliance please adjust these settings here – https://zoom.us/profile/setting

  • Host video — ENABLE
  • Participants video — DISABLE
  • Join before host — DISABLE
  • Embed password in meeting link for one-click join — ENABLE
  • Require password for participants joining by phone — ENABLE
  • Mute participants upon entry — ENABLE
  • Chat — ENABLE
  • Prevent participants from saving chat — DISABLE
  • Private chat — DISABLE
  • Autosaving chats — ENABLE
  • Automatically save all in-meeting chats so that hosts do not need to manually save the text of File transfer — ENABLE
  • Allow host to put attendee on hold — ENABLE
  • Allow hosts to temporarily remove an attendee from the meeting. — ENABLE
  • Screen sharing — ENABLE
  • Remote control — DISABLE
  • Breakout room – ENABLE if Enough adults present for patrol or den meetings (or set up separate online meetings for this)
  • Far end camera control — DISABLE
  • Identify guest participants in the meeting/webinar
  • Waiting room — ENABLE
  • Show a “Join from your browser” link — ENABLE
  • Mask phone number in the participant list — ENABLE

Online Help

See https://bit.ly/2Ud61Nl  for more information from Zoom.

Useful video quick tutorials are provided here — https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials

Full support is here — https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us

To learn more please visit https://zoom.us/ and if you have any questions please contact your District Executive.

The NCAC Marketing & Communications Committee also put together this training:

Troop 976 Take Virtual Meetings in Stride

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Following the words of the Boy Scout motto to “Be Prepared”, Troop 976 of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna, Va did just that and more this week. In this time of uncertainty and social-distancing due to the coronavirus, the leadership and scouts of Troop 976 rallied to continue with their regularly scheduled Wednesday evening Troop meetings. Instead of holding a meeting as they usually do in the Counsel Room at OLGC they took it online!

On Wednesday March 11th 27 Scouts of Troop 976 utilized online video teleconferencing via Zoom to participate in their meeting. This inaugural approach went extremely well keeping the Troop not only on schedule but connected with one another. Scoutmaster Abe Bacarra set up the teleconference and laid out ground rules with the Scouts at the start to help the boys understand Zoom’s features and to also help in keeping the meeting under control. For example, virtual handraising was one of the many areas instituted with the boys to insure a forum where each boy could follow the discussion and also participate.

As moderator, Mr. Bacarra had planned initially for a 10 -15 minute virtual Troop meeting to see if the approach was even viable but their meeting lasted for 45 minutes and could have gone longer. The Scouts were not only engaged but excited to be continuing in some format with their normal routines. The Scouts followed a pre-set agenda that was listed on screen. An unexpected side benefit emerged in that there was even more participation than usual from the younger scouts as the format seemed to help with any hesitation to participate.

“The Scouts took the virtual meeting in stride,” Scoutmaster Abe Bacarra said. “I think this is indicative of their generation where they have been exposed to computing/mobile devices from an early age. The virtual meeting is in line with current distance learning efforts. The boys are so adept with this technology that they may be helping their parents setup Webex and Zoom sessions for their office meetings.”

Due to the great success of the meeting last Wednesday the Troop plans to continue using the online format for their weekly Troop meetings as long as social distancing is necessary. In fact, Troop elections for Scout leadership positions are scheduled for next week and will continue now online. The Scouts are not the only ones going online. On the same night the Troop’s adult comprised Committee meeting led by Committee Chair Pete Thiringer took place via teleconference as well. Even more, there are plans already in process to hold virtual scout Boards of Review (needed for rank advancement) next week. Troop 976 is not only remaining “Prepared” but keeping their close connections during these unprecedented times.

Pack 1859’s Journey to Earn the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award

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Cubs in Pack 1859 from Sully District are earning the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Awareness award for Cubs. Before the recommendations to suspend all in-person Scouting events, they dedicated their last pack meeting to Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace!

Pack 1859 holding Leave No Trace reference cards.

The NCAC Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award has 4 requirements.
1. Cubs and Scouters recited the Outdoor Code together as a pack. The Outdoor Code captures the essence of the Scouting Outdoor Ethic and establishes our aspirations and commitment.

2. They viewed the Leave No Trace video, produced by the National Park Service and the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. This video introduces the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.

3. Cubs and Scouters learned some of the principles by playing interactive games with a person who has taken the Outdoor Ethics Orientation, the Leave No Trace Trainer course, or the Leave No Trace Master Educator course. They played the trash timeline, the durable surface game, a wildlife habitat matching game, the animal vault game, and the thumb trick.

Cub Scouts determining whether surfaces are durable for hiking.
Learning the Thumb Trick to respect wildlife by keeping a safe distance.

4. At home with an adult they will take the Leave No Trace online awareness course. This online course can be tricky, even for adults, so do your best.

The NCAC Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award for Cub Scouts .

To learn more about LNT check out their online awareness course!

Life Scout Donates to Fisher House Foundation

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My son, Andre Jackson is a Life Scout with Troop 29 (Patuxent District) has recently donated greatly needed items to the Fisher House Foundation at Andrews Joint Airforce Base on Friday, March 13th. His Eagle Service Project campaign, “Helping Those Who Help Others” for the benefit of the Fisher House Foundation, collection drive ran from January 31, 2020, and ended on March 13th, 2020. He collected donations from his Troop family, neighbors, his classmates at the Lab School of Washington and his church member at Largo Community Church. He collected and donated the following items:

106 Rolls of Paper Towels 
40 Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
39 Hand Sanitizers ( 4 – 32-ounce bottles, 20 – 8-ounce bottles, 7 – 12-ounce bottles, and 8 – 2-ounce bottles) 
189 K-cups assorted coffees and teas
26 Hot Chocolate packets
45 Cheez-it Snacks
42 Snack Pack Assorted Chips
30 Frito Lay Baked Mix Chips
36 Pringles Variety Pack Chips
36 Quater Chewy Bars
64 Soft Chewy Granola Bars
18 Breakfast Bars
48 Nabisco Nutter Butter Cookies
24 Animal Cracker snack packs
4 packs of Reynolds wrap
2 20-bags Quart size storage
2 13-bags tall Kitchen
4 V05 Shampoos (15 oz/each)
2 Tides Liquid Detergent

In the middle of his service project, the Coronavirus 19 news broke here in America and affected the amounts of donations, especially the Clorox Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers. Ms. Veronica Harris, who is the house manager at Fisher House JAFB, was astonished at the amounts Clorox wipes and hand sanitizers Andre was able to collect. Her staff and she was so grateful to Andre achieving so much during the times when those items are sold out in the stores. I’m very proud of my son’s effort and dedication to helping others. He is a leader in his Troop and his school as the vice president of the student body at Lab School of Washington.

Today, he is adjusting to the new reality the Coronavirus 19 has caused such as distance learning from home and his plans to complete his Eagle Board of Review this next month. He has been a blessing helping out with cooking for his grandparents who live with us and keeping them calm during the pandemic. I wanted to share his completed service project and pictures of his journey towards his Eagle Rank to bring joy during these trying times. He cannot wait until this crisis is over so we can meet face-to-face with his troops, friends, classmates and other family members. Funny thing, yesterday he actually told me he misses going to school and seeing his classmates.

Try Your Orienteering Skills!

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Troops & Venturing units are challenged to test (and learn!) map skills at the 44th Annual Maryland Scout Orienteering Day Oct. 24, 2020 at Patuxent River Park near Upper Marlboro. Event cost is $4.00 per participant including patches, plus, if camping, an extra $2 per person per night.

Last year’s event had 69 units, 507 youth (60 girls), plus 160 adult orienteering participants. #myNCAC Scouts had their usual great results, with nine of the top twelve troop awards. Troop 111 from Chain Bridge District, Arlington, was the top NCAC troop. Scouts from 20 different troops nabbed spots in the top 23 individual awards. Nate Beardmore of Troop 347, Western Shores (Prince Frederick) was the overall winner.

Register online at www.BaltimoreBSA.org/orienteering by October 18, 2020. No Cubs, no Webelos. Come for the day, or camp one or two nights. Self-guided map instruction starts off the day, designed for beginners to this forest navigation map sport; intermediate and advanced levels are also included.