We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

From Afghanistan to America: How Two Scout Troops Reached Across Cultures

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What happens when you put two Scout Troops from across the globe together with an internet connection and a combined desire to learn and engage? You get an amazing dialogue of discovery and a realization that as Scouts, they’re more alike than different.

Earlier this month, Scouts from Troop 1345G in Burke Virginia met over video with Scouts from Troop 2 in Kabul Afghanistan to learn, share, and discover. In that 90 minutes over webcams, microphones, and videoconferencing app Zoom, they learned so much of not only what makes them so different but also what makes them so similar.

The special meeting, organized by one of the Troop 1345G’s First Class Scouts, was inspired by Lt Col Natalie Trogus of the United States Marine Corps and Kabul-based nonprofit, PARSA, who led the effort starting in 2008 to restore the Scouting movement in Afghanistan following years of conflict. Lt Col Trogus, currently deployed in Kabul as a Gender Advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Defense, is a parent of one of Troop 1345G’s Star Scouts and serves as one of the Troop’s Assistant Scoutmasters.

Aided by an interpreter, the Scouts shared examples of each country’s traditions, values, and holidays. They spoke about favorite foods and hobbies, about school subjects and sports. The struggled a bit with unfamiliar expressions and explaining traditional foods but soon realized they had so much in common.

You see, as Scouts under the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), these young women in Afghanistan and the United States are both learning and experiencing the essence of Scouting. Over the course of the meeting, they quickly recognized Scouting in both countries focus on life skills, environmental conservation, service to community, and leadership. They learned that they all work on merit badges and strive toward similar advancements and ranks. They could see that their uniforms were more similar than different.

They also realized that despite the different languages and cultures, they share the values and passions of Scouting.

The connection across these two Troops is just starting, with traditional recipes being shared and relationship starting to form, both Troops plan to stay in touch. Through events such as the worldwide Jamboree on the Internet and on future videoconferences, these two sets of young women will continue to break down national and cultural barriers all under the umbrella of Scouting.

About Scouting in Afghanistan

Scouting is a tradition in Afghanistan which goes back nearly 90 years. At its height, there were over 36,000 Afghan youth actively participating in troops around the country, however the program disappeared after the Soviet invasion of 1979 and subsequent years of conflict. Fast- forward to 2008, when the movement was relaunched by a group of dedicated Afghans leaders working together under the guidance of a local nonprofit called PARSA. PARSA raised funds to start two troops in local Kabul orphanages, and the modern Afghan Scouts were born.

Today, PARSA’s Afghan Scouts have over 2,000 youth active in 18 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. In January 2020, Afghanistan rejoined the World Scout Movement as the 171st member, which sets the stage for the Afghan Scouts to become the primary youth leadership program in the country. Their goal is to have 100,000 Afghan youth participating in Scouting by 2030.

Afghan Scout troops are led by enthusiastic volunteer Scout Masters who are trained by senior PARSA Scouts and supported by WOSM. Scouts participate in similar activities to their peers around the world: troops meet weekly, earn merit badges, host an annual Camporee in the summer, and conduct regular community service activities such as tree planting, distributing cloth shopping bags as part of the “Say No to Plastic” campaign, donating libraries and science laboratories to local schools and orphanages, and distributing care packages to hospitals.

About Scouts BSA Troop 1345G 

Scouts BSA Troop 1345G, sponsored by the Burke Centre Conservancy, was founded in February 2019, following the announcement from Boy Scouts of America that girls were permitted to become full participants in the BSA program. The all-female Troop follows the same curriculum and leadership model as Boy Scouts of America has for over 100 years. The troop is led by the girls, elected by their peers and mentored by adult leaders, and focuses on adventure, leadership, learning and service. Girls will also be able to earn the well-respected Eagle Scout award.

In the year since its founding, the Scouts of Troop 1345G have backpacked, canoed, climbed, swam, and volunteered their way on the journey towards Eagle Scout, all under the historic Boys Scouts of America program. Scouts BSA is a year-round program for youth 11-17 years old that provides fun, adventure, learning, challenge, and responsibility to help them become the best version of themselves.

NCAC Virtual Meetings Webinar

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The National Capital Area Council invites you to a meeting…. about meetings. Join us for a webinar to learn strategies for conducting engaging and safe meetings online. 

The Marketing and Communications committee has set guidelines for best practices that will help you succeed in unit meetings and online programming. We will hear from both key volunteers and from a Scouts BSA troop about their experiences.

This webinar is open to all unit leaders and youth leaders.  

Youth members participating should have a parent/guardian’s permission to attend and should be supervised per their family’s standards.

* How to safely hold meetings online
* Suggested technology
* Online meetings and youth protection
* Strategies to encourage participation
* Council’s published guidelines related to online activities and advancement
* Virtual tours and quiz engines

This is a 40 minute presentation followed by 20 minutes for open questions.
Time: Apr 9, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

You are invited to a Zoom webinar. 

When: Apr 9, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Topic: NCAC Virtual Meetings Webinar 

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HWUfXT_yRlCWRqbVaZ2HsQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Troop 160 of Chantilly, VA Hatches 200 Eagle Scouts in 34 years

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On March 11, Fairfax County’s Troop 160 awarded Ryan Tully of Chantilly the rank of Eagle Scout. He is the 200th Scout to reach the rank of Eagle Scout in the Troop’s 34-year history.

The event was held at the Troop’s regular weekly meeting at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly, VA. The Troop has been sponsored by the Franklin Middle School PTA sine 1986. Currently, Troop 160 has 104 Scouts and is 1 of 652 Boy Scout Troops in the National Capital Area Council.

“We don’t know how many other Troops in the National Capital Area or across the country have reached the milestone of 200 Eagle scouts, but it’s not a lot,” says John Wolsborn, Troop 160 Committee Chair and adult leader. “We spend a great deal of time on both fun and high adventure activities. But we’re always focused on achievement in the Troop. We try to do all we can to help scouts become Eagles. We’re equally proud of Ryan and the 199 scouts who came before him.”

To commemorate this milestone, Troop 160’s first Eagle Scout, Chip Free, attended the event and spoke to attendees about his experiences as a member of the Troop and earning the rank of Eagle. Free earned his Eagle Scout award in 1987 and is now a Scoutmaster of Troop 503 in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Free says “I was honored to participate in Ryan’s Eagle review and ceremony. It was great to see how active and robust the troop is, as they continue to guide boys on the path to becoming Eagle Scouts.”

Also in attendance were a large number of current and former Scoutmasters, as well as a number of other Eagle Scout alumni.

Over 34 years, Troop 160 Scouts have led a wide variety of Eagle project efforts, including: construction/building projects for numerous area schools, churches and other community organizations; food, blood and other drives for food banks, homeless shelters; as well as other types of community service projects. Tully’s Eagle Scout project in 2019 was building a long wooden walkway through marshland for the Bluebell Trail at Manassas Regional Park. Free’s Eagle project in 1987 was building an outdoor classroom for Franklin Middle School.

District Scout Executive Todd Bolick says “I am proud to see the outstanding 34 year legacy of Troop 160 continuing from its first Eagle Scout in 1987 to the Troop’s 200th Eagle Scout in 2020. This Troop and the Franklin Middle School PTA have assisted their community by providing the Scouting program for generations. Here’s to seeing the next generation of Eagle Scouts continuing that legacy and providing countless hours of service and leadership!”

Guidance on Advancement During COVID-19

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This guidance provides districts and units within the National Capital Area Council guidance and answers too many of the questions being asked during the COVID-19 crisis.  This guidance has been revised following Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia “stay at home” orders, BSA and NCAC guidance, and many of your questions.  This information will be posted on the NCAC website under Advancement and distributed widely to districts and unit leaders.  If you have a question or need clarification, your district leaders should be your primary source for answers.

Scout / Adult Meetings (see Guidelines for Virtual Meetings – https://weownadventure.com/ncac-guidance-on-virtual-meetings-with-youth/)

  • Merit Badges, Unit Leader Conferences, Boards of Review for Tenderfoot through Life
    • Even though groups <10 can meet, all in-person meetings for rank advancement, merit badges, unit leader conferences, or boards of review are non-essential per Executive Orders from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia
    • Before scheduling something, review latest government and chartered organization requirements for your location which are subject to change as this situation evolves.
    • Any meetings in support of these activities must be conducted via video-conferencing, telephone, or other electronic means
    • Ensure youth protection policies and guidance are observed at all times
    • 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
    • Meeting Guidelines and Rules
      • Meeting Password – Require meeting password so the meeting is secure.
      • Audio – Use of computer audio is best, so you can clearly understand who is speaking and listening as they are required to login.
      • Meeting Options – Disable the Join Before Host feature so early callers cannot access before required adult supervision is present
      • The moderator can control muting for all participants; the moderator can designate a co-host to provide administrative support
      • Enable waiting room – To keep early arrivals in a queue.  You can then add everyone when the adult supervision requirement is met
    • Additional ZOOM Settings – adjust the 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
    • Guidelines for other platforms
      • Check the terms and conditions for the online service to make sure that the service allows for users under the age of 13

Rank Advancement

  • No changes, no exceptions to requirements unless approved by NCAC ARC through Guide to Advancement processes
  • Unit leaders, without altering rank requirements, should be creative when looking for ways to verify a Scout has completed a “Show” or “Demonstrate” requirement
    • Youth may take a picture of their completed activity/requirement or video and share the work with unit leaders
  • To comply with youth protection policies, all communications from youth should be sent to at least two adults
  • Parents or guardians may send advancement work on behalf of their child
  • The definition of a Patrol has not changed and consists of a group of Scouts led by a Patrol Leader that is part of a Scouts BSA Troop
  • Likewise, the definition of camping nights has not changed; camping nights need to be in patrols.  Virtual camping (e.g., in your tent alone in your house or backyard, connected by Zoom to your unit) does not qualify as camping nights – even though it may be fun!

Merit Badge Group Instruction Guidelines

  • Approvals – refer to the NCAC Policy on Merit Badge Group Instruction summarized here
    • 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 (does not apply to a pair of Family Scouting troops), an individual counselor can solicit Scouts, or the district may sponsor the event; in either case, the counselor must get district advancement committee approval to conduct the event
    • The district advancement committee needs the opportunity to ensure compliance with the GTA guidance on group instruction, including a review of the material for the course
  • Blue Cards
    • An e-mail from the unit leader will suffice as the first signature for the Scout on a blue card – it is simply an acknowledgement  that the unit leader has discussed the merit badge with the Scout and he has recommended at least one counselor
    • For NCAC sponsored merit badge classes, a blue card will be generated and sent to the Scout once the Scout has completed the requirements
    • For unit merit badges, blue cards can be exchanged once unit meetings restart
  • Group Size
    • Each counselor is responsible for determining the best class size for their badge
      • Set the size to ensure each Scout receives high-quality, personal instruction and benefits from the counselor’s unique knowledge
      • Don’t focus on the number of Scouts who can take a class or complete a badge
    • Regardless of group size, each Scout must still “actually and personally” fulfill each requirement
    • For larger groups, multiple qualified instructors may be necessary to assist the primary merit badge counselor in order to ensure Scouts receive individual attention
      • Additional instructors should be knowledgeable about the merit badge subject, but they do not necessarily need to be registered as merit badge counselors
  • Completing Requirements
    • Make certain each Scout personally completes each requirement; some ideas to accomplish this are:
      • Create a Gmail address for Scouts to send written work
      • Use Zoom (see below) to view each Scout completing a task
      • Use Zoom (see below) with conversation muting to listen to each Scout provide the answer to a requirement
    • Group instruction does not mean group testing
    • Each Scout must complete each requirement as written, without exception
  • Worksheets
    • Counselors can use worksheets to assign work on some types of requirements to Scouts
    • Scout may also use worksheets to refresh their memory during testing on requirements
    • Completing an entire worksheet does not constitute completing a merit badge

Merit Badges On-Line (see Guidelines for Virtual Meetings – https://weownadventure.com/ncac-guidance-on-virtual-meetings-with-youth/)

  • Cyber Chip – not required to participate in an on-line merit badge course, just a good idea
    • Youth should earn or renew their Cyber Chip prior to participating or it can be a requirement during the first meeting.
    • Instruct Scouts to use public communication methods or to include a parent/guardian for all communication with adults.

Lone Scouts

  • Requests to re-designate Scouts as Lone Scouts will not be approved for the purposes of effecting advancement requirements during COVID-19

Registration Beyond the Age of Eligibility

  • No change to the process

Active Participation

  • Time missed due to canceled unit meetings still counts
  • Be sure Scout is registered and in good standing
  • The Covid-19 virus is considered a “noteworthy circumstance” – GTA Topic 4.2.3.1.

Positions of Responsibility

  • Units may need to waive normal responsibilities or rethink the expectations.  Units must credit the Scout with time served.  Lack of unit activity because of COVID-19 cannot be held against the Scout.
  • Youth must not be held to unestablished expectations or expectations impossible to fulfill
  • See GTA Topic 4.2.3.4, “Positions of Responsibility,” with its six subtopics.

Eagle Projects

  • The planning and development of an Eagle Scout Service Project can continue consist with the previously mentioned Executive Orders.  Proposals may be approved using electronic means.
  • The conduct of an Eagle Scout Service Project must be put on hold until constraints directed by the Executive Orders are removed.

Eagle Scout Rank Application Verification

  • NCAC is still verifying Eagle Scout Rank Applications prior to the Eagle Scout Board of Review
  • Please be patient as council resources are limited

Eagle Scout Boards of Review

  • An in-person Eagle Scout board of review provides the Scout with an opportunity to learn, grow and celebrate achievements.  It provides the youth with an experience superior to a videoconference Board of Review.  Council can approve extensions to conduct Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster boards of review up to six months after the youth’s 18th /21st birthday.
  • If an Eagle Scout board of review must be convened using videoconferencing, make a request to the NCAC ARC (alandeter@verizon.net), and indicate the following:
    • Scout’s Name, BSA ID, Date of Birth
    • Troop, District
    • Reason for Request including the urgency that argues against holding an in-person Board of Review when conditions allow in-person meetings
  • The recommended platform for conducting the Eagle Scout Board of Review is Zoom
    • Use the settings under Merit Badges On-line
    • Do NOT record the board of review
  • A videoconference board of review needs to comply with the Guide to Advancement (see 8.0.1.6) which basically says:
    • The NCAC is the authority for granting permission to hold a videoconference board of review for the Eagle Scout rank
    • All equipment should be tested ahead of time to provide the best audiovisual experience possible
    • All members of the board of review must be visible to the Scout, and any observers with the Scout must be visible to the members of the board of review
    • No one within hearing range on either side shall be off camera
    • Observers should be minimized
    • For Scouts under the age of 18, a parent or guardian of the Scout, or two registered adult leaders as required by the Guide to Safe Scouting (www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01) who are familiar with these requirements for videoconference boards of review, must be directly present with the Scout at the beginning of the conference
      • The Scouters may be from the nearest council, district, or unit
      • Their role is to verify that the Scout is in a safe environment and that the board of review appears to be in compliance with the requirements
      • Once all the members of the board of review are present on their end of the call and introductions are completed, and the review is about to begin, anyone present with the Scout must leave the room or move out of hearing distance unless they have specifically been approved to remain as observers.
    • Once the review process has been concluded, if the Scout is under age 18, the Scout’s parent or guardian, or two registered adult leaders must rejoin the Scout; their purpose is to:
      • Be available to answer any questions that may arise
      • Join in the celebration of the Scout’s accomplishment, or
      • Be party to any instructions or arrangements regarding the appeals process or the reconvening of an incomplete review

Board of Review Extensions – Eagle Scout / Summit / Quartermaster

  • NCAC will grant extensions to conduct Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster boards of review up to six months after the youth’s 18th/21st birthday (see GTA Topic 8.0.3.1 (Eagle Scout Board of Review Beyond the 18th Birthday))
  • Please ensure the following is done prior to making the request:
    • The Eagle Scout Service Project Report is complete and signed
    • The Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose and List of Leadership Positions, Honors, and Awards are done
    • The ESRA is done, signed, and verified through NCAC
    • The information for the reference letters has been provided to the unit and the unit has made the requests
  • To receive permission to hold an Eagle Scout Board of Review between 3 months and 6 months following the Scout’s 18th birthday, the Scout, parent, unit, or district should send a request to the NCAC ARC (alandeter@verizon.net), and indicate the following:
    • Scout’s Name, BSA ID, Date of Birth
    • Troop, District
    • Reason for Request

Eagle Scout Packages

  • Electronic or digital signatures are acceptable for Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster packets/applications through September 30, 2020
  • After a successful Eagle Scout Board of Review, the unit or family should hold onto completed packages until travel restrictions are relaxed and they can be dropped off at NCAC for processing

Request for Extension of Time to Earn Eagle Scout / Quartermaster / Summit Rank

  • COVID-19 Exclusive
    • NCAC Approval by ARC Chair or Program Director
      • Effective now through September 30, 2020
      • Complete and submit the Request for Extension per the instructions on the form
    • Duration
      • For Eagle, the extension will be for 3 months from the Scout’s 18th birthday
      • For Summit/Quartermaster, the extension will be for 3 months from the youth’s 21st birthday
    • Limitations
      • COVID-19 disruptions are the only circumstances that delayed work on advancement requirements, such as the service project or merit badges
      • Extensions shall only be granted to youth in Scouts BSA who have already achieved Life rank
      • Upon receipt, the council will review the request and approve, if appropriate
        • A written response stating the outcome of the extension request will go to the youth and unit leader identified on the request
        • If approved, the notification must be attached to the youth’s Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster rank application
      • Upon turning 18, the Scout must submit a completed adult application and successfully complete YPT; their participant code will now be UP for SBSA or VP for Venturing and Sea Scouting
      • Extension requests for more than 3 months beyond the youth’s 18th/21st birthday must be sent to the National Service Center following the process outlined in the GTA
    • Request for Extension Content
      • Scout’s Registered Name, E-Mail, Contact Number, BSA ID, DoB
      • Troop, District
      • Life Scout Board of Review Date
      • Description of Eagle Project
      • Reason for Delay
      • Adult’s Name, E-Mail, Contact Number
  • Non-COVID-19 Related or Mixed Explanation
    • Only for the Eagle Scout rank (see GTA Topic 9.0.4.0) or for Venturing Summit or Sea Scout Quartermaster (see GTA Topic 4.3.3.0)
    • The five tests still apply under 9.0.4.0.
    • Contact NCAC ARC Appeals and Extensions Coordinator (Brad Scales, msva_tenor@yahoo.com), reference the Eagle Scout Procedures Guide, or NCAC website under Eagle Scout Information for additional details
    • If youth have already received an extension they can request additional time due to COVID-19 through the NCAC ARC

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.