Scoutmaster Musings

R U Going to Jambo?

The 2023 USA Scout Jamboree dates were announced today - July 19-28, 2023 - and the Jambo website is up and running. Pretty exciting stuff for a Wednesday!

Enter your email at that site to stay informed of details as they unfold. It's not too early to start planning how to get your scouts to this massive Scouting event. The last national jamboree was in 2017 with a theme of "Live Scouting's Adventure" but then the 2021 jambo was cancelled due to, well, you know... that covid thing.

The 1973 jambo is the alltime high record with 73,610 participants, but that was held in two locations. 1960's single location, in Colorado Springs, set the single location record of 56,377. 2023 probably won't set any attendance records, but it has been six years, so who knows?

If that's not enough excitement, how about attending the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in South Korea on August 1-12, 2023? The theme for this jambo is "Draw Your Dream" and it celebrates South Korea's 100th birthday of Scouting. What an exciting year for some Scouts BSA members to attend the National Jambo AND be in the US contingent to the World Jambo the next week? Do you think anyone will do it?

That would be a big time and $$$ commitment, but what a super summer of Scouting!

Scout On

The Environmental Protection Agency turned 50 last year, so the BSA and EPA came up with a special, limited-time award that scouts can only earn during 2021. So, you've got 3 months left to get 'er done! Fortunately, if you've got some merit badges under your belt, it's pretty easy to earn.

A scout needs to learn about human health and the environment through merit badges and service. The simple requirements to earn the award are (completed in any order):

• During 2021, participate in an approved Scouting service project of at least 6 hours and that is environmental or public health oriented.
• Earn the Public Health merit badge
• Earn a merit badge from this list of Animal Study badges: Animal Science, Bird Study, Insect Study, Mammal Study, or Reptile and Amphibian Study
• Earn a merit badge from this list of Earth Science badges: Energy, Forestry, Geology, Nature, Oceanography, Plan Science, Soil and Water Conservation, Weather
• Earn a merit badge from this list of Outdoor Activity badges: Backpacking, Camping, Canoeing, Climbing, Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Gardening, Hiking, Kayaking, Scuba Diving, Whitewater, Wilderness Survival

The merit badges can be earned in 2021 or have already been earned previously.

The unit leader completes and brings this application to their local Scout Shop to get a recognition patch.

Some service project ideas are: trail maintenance, clear garbage from a stream, plant trees or flowers, make bird feeders, birdhouses, bat houses, collect recyclables, remove trash from a park, eradicate invasive species. The scout does not need to Lead the project, only participate - so participating in someone's Eagle service project or other troop project could count.