THUNDERBIRD NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING (NYLT) - June 20-26, 2010 at Adventure Camp, Rochelle, IL

Thunderbird National Youth Leader Training, is a seven day outdoor training conference for youth leaders, which supports the Scoutmaster’s responsibility for training junior leaders. It is conducted by the Council Training Committee using a syllabus that was developed by the Boy Scouts of America. Leadership requires vision, goals and planning. Through presentations and positive experiences in goal setting, planning and problem solving, participants learn how to set a clear course toward realizing their team and individual visions, and then begin to put themselves in the center of those pictures of future success. WHO MAY ATTEND? Participants must be 13 years old by January 1, 2010, be First Class rank or higher, serve in a leadership position, and have long term camping experience. Since the conference will take place in a camp setting, the Scouts should have skills in camping hiking, and cooking.

Historical merit badges help Boy Scouts celebrate Scouting’s past



A merit badge called Computers would sound just a crazy to a 1910 Boy Scout as a merit badge called Tracking sounds to Scouts today. That’s because the BSA’s list of available merit badges has evolved through the years as the interests of boys have changed.

In honor of the BSA’s 100th Anniversary, though, today’s generation of Scouts will get the unique opportunity to experience some of the activities their predecessors enjoyed. That’s possible thanks to the BSA’s new Historical Merit Badge Program, a set of four discontinued merit badges that today’s Scouts can earn.

Boys can earn any or all of these merit badges:

We started at Goodridge, our usual meeting spot. Once we were all there and we had realized Sanjay, one of our newest scouts, was on the other end of the parking lot, we left. On arrival we set up our tents and ate cracker barrel which was chips and salsa as opposed to the usual of Crackers and cheese or meat. After we ate there wasn’t much to do so we went to bed. The next day we ate German pancakes for breakfast. Well at 11:00 in the afternoon but still breakfast. After this was ham and cheese burnt sandwiches because the fire was too hot. Most of the day was spent cooking and cleaning these meals but after the dessert and dinner were prepared for later we were finally able to leave camp. We sat around the fire and went sledding for a few hours while Josh, San-Jay and Travis went adventuring through the trails trying to find a good sled hill. Mr. B planned on going cross country skiing but his boot broke after 300 feet. Later we sat around the fire eating the earlier prepared meals while Josh pulled Brandon around on a sled. Josh was holding a lantern and was looking for the hole in the hole in the snow that had been made. Mr. A told him to put it down somewhere in the snow and he said, “Where’s the snow?” He then proceeded to put it in a random spot, touch the lantern top, and burn himself. We stayed up until 7:00 before going to bed. The next morning we got up at 7:00 and packed up. Travis took so long that he earned himself the nickname Tristan. Tristan is a scout who takes at least 1 hour just to wake up, and another 2 to pack. Eventually everything was in the trailer and we ate cereal and left.   

Troop elections will be held on Thursday the 17th of December. Please think carefully about how you will be choosing your leaders. Remember that these officers will be determining the future events, agendas and plans for the Troop for the next several months and that they will determine how smoothly and effectively your Troop runs.

Offices are held by scouts who are First Class or higher (although if no higher ranking scout is interested or available for a job and a newer scout wants it, it can be held in an "acting" capacity by a scout who is still working on T-2-1).

Please cast your votes with the following in mind: this ought not be a popularity contest, but rather a decision based on how well your Troop will run. Please try to vote for candidates whom you think will be most competent, rather than based on friendship or perceptions of popularity. See you all on Thursday!!!