Welcome to the April 2021 edition of the Digital Eagle! This is a monthly publication of the Greater Alabama Council, BSA.
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UPDATED YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING MODULES
Over the decades, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in developing training and policies designed to keep young people safe. Over time, these policies have become standard with organizations across the nation. True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, regional, area, council, district, and unit levels.
We have heard your feedback and are now releasing updates to the mandatory online Youth Protection Training to include items such as:
- New mobile friendly design.
- Updates to the certification test to make questions less ambiguous.
Youth Protection is Required Training:
- Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers and is a joining requirement.
- Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of re-charter, the volunteer will not be re-registered.
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Council Pinewood Derby POSTPONED
Unfortunately, due to on-going facility-access concerns related to COVID-19, the Greater Alabama Council is delaying its annual Pinewood Derby. Additional details will be forthcoming in the Cub Chatter eNewsletter on Thursday, May 6, 2021.
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Is your Annual Health and Medical Record up to date?
The Scouting adventure, camping trips, high-adventure excursions, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in making sure you have a great Scouting experience.
With summer camp rapidly approaching, now is the time to make sure your Annual Health and Medical Record is up-to-date. Remember, you will need a current AHMR form to participate in any Scouting activity or high adventure event. To learn more about why the AHMR is so important, you can watch the video above, or click on the "AHMR: A Key To Safe Scouting" link below.
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2021 Summer Camp Staff
We are looking for the best of the best to join us this summer to deliver a stellar program at both Camp Comer and Camp Sequoyah. Working on staff at a summer camp is a rewarding experience that offers memories, leadership enhancement, and of course fun!
Do YOU have what it takes? Come and find out! Answer the call to serve!
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Join Scouting families across the country in a spirited Summer of Service! As we have throughout our history, Scouting families are answering the call to work together in service of the greater good. From public health drives, to caring for the environment, to assisting neighbors in need, Scouts have always been a force for positivity and goodness in our communities.
Want to know more about the Summer of Service? Click on the links below!
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Its time to get ready for Summer Camp! |
Summer Camp 2021 starts next month! It isn't too late to think about your Greater Alabama Council summer camping options! To check out the awesome programs at both of our camps, check out the Leader's Guides Below, or go to the Camp's web pages. |
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Friendly reminder that during the first few months of each year our volunteers work together to raise the funds required to provide the Scouting program to our local youth and families. We invite all members of our Scouting family to support us as we strive to provide and grow Scouting throughout Alabama in 2021.
Unit Leaders, please remind your families that they will soon be asked to make a charitable donation to support the Scouting movement, whose mission is to instill in young people the values of the Scout Oath and Law. To all our Friends of Scouting, thank you for helping forward the Scouting movement!
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The eKnowledge and the SAT/ACT Donation Project remains in effect for Scout families – both current and former – enabling them to access SAT and/or ACT test-prep computer programs for a reduced rate. The test prep includes multiple hours of video instruction, several lessons and drills, hundreds of practice questions, and numerous automatically graded tests. The 2021 Exam Schedule has just been announced. See the flyer for full details.
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Advancement Policy Updates
Effective Jan. 1, 2021, local councils will have the authority to grant limited extensions of time to complete Eagle, Quartermaster, or Summit requirements. These extensions are available only to youth members who qualify under the three tests listed in the attached advance copy of topics 9.0.4.0, 9.0.4.1, 9.0.4.2, and forms 11.2.0.0 and 11.2.1.0 from the 2021 edition of the Guide to Advancement (GTA), which will be published early in the year. Advance copies of these topics and forms are also published at www.scouting.org/advancement.
The three tests are laid out in topic 9.0.4.0. The process for requesting and reviewing a time extension is outlined in topic 9.0.4.1. An appeal process has also been established if the council denies an extension. This process is outlined in topic 9.0.4.2.
Though the updated GTA containing these three topics will not be published until after the new year, the authority outlined in topics 9.0.4.0, 9.0.4.1, and 9.0.4.2 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
Council Advancement Committees are advised that after Dec. 31, 2020, there is no plan to authorize COVID extensions as has been allowed during 2020. It is possible, however, that as of Jan. 1, 2021, COVID could become a circumstance that warrants an extension if it qualifies under the three tests listed in 9.0.4.0. Note that existing COVID extensions granted between Oct. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020, will expire three months after they were granted.
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2021 Webelos Resident Camp
The 2021 Webelos Resident Camp is four days and three nights of Scouting fun and adventure! The goal of Resident Camp is to provide Webelos Scouts a taste of the summer camp excitement they will enjoy as a member of a Scouts BSA troop. This camp also offers the opportunity to complete some, if not all, of the requirements for select Webelos Adventures. Webelos Resident Camp is held at Comer Scout Reservation and is led by trained Webelos Leaders, assisted by Camp Comer Summer Camp Staff.
To learn more, click on the link below for the Information Guide.
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Registration forms are found in the back of the Information guide! |
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Religious Emblems Camp
Mark Your Troop or Crew Calendar for September 17-19, 2021. The Greater Alabama Council will be hosting a Religious Emblems Camp at Camp Comer for Scouts BSA and Venturing Scouts. This weekend-long event will help you work towards earning your Religious Emblem award in time for Scout Sunday 2022. To learn more about this exciting weekend at camp or to go ahead and register for the weekend, please click on the button below.
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Calling All Troops!
Join us September 10-12 @ Camp Comer for our Emergency Services Weekend. The event will give Scouts the opportunity to participate in merit badges, activities, demonstrations, and competitions based on first responder skills. The weekend will also feature a Wilderness First Aid course adults can sign up for. More information coming soon!
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Winter Camp 2021
Mark your calendars for Winter Camp 2021! Winter Camp will run from December 27-31, 2021 at Camp Comer. More details to come!
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50th Anniversary Environmental Protection Agency Award |
The Environmental Protection Agency, as part of a public awareness campaign to celebrate its first 50 years, has partnered with the Boy Scouts of America to create an award for members of troops, crews and ships. This new award will recognize youth who research and learn about the subjects of human health and the environment, as the EPA develops its vision for the next 50 years.
The objective of the EPA award is to combine a variety of disciplines to challenge and educate youth; introduce them to the breadth of the EPA’s involvement in environmental protection and conservation; and encourage them to research, investigate, experiment, demonstrate, survey, and study air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and ocean dumping.
To learn more about the award and to access the application form, please click on the links below.
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Powder Horn is a High Adventure Resource Management Course open to all Scouting Adults and Youth age 14 . Participants will learn the necessary skills to oversee a high adventure program and learn of local resources available for your group’s program. For more information and to register, click the button below. |
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Summer NYLT Course: June 20-26
NYLT is a six day, five night course that gives Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts, Explorers and Venturers methods, skills and experiences to become better leaders in their unit. The course centers around the concepts of what a leader must be, what they must know, and what they must do – with a clear focus on how to accomplish all this.
To learn more and register for the course, you can visit the page at https://1bsa.org/nylt/ or click on the button below.
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Engineering Merit Badge
Sign up to participate in the Engineering Merit Badge Program at the Barber Museum! This program is on the move from start to finish and includes a hands-on Build-a-Bike activity, a tour of the largest motorcycle collection in the world, and a short film. With stunning views of the Barber Motorsports Road Course, vehicle exhibits, and restoration shop, the museum offers a thrilling environment in which to learn about the field of engineering.
The opportunity costs $18 per Scout, and it includes all materials needed for the program, including the Barber Museum BSA Patch. We ask that Scouts be prepared by reading the Engineering Merit Badge book prior to their troop’s scheduled visit. To show pride in your troop and demonstrate your participation as a Scout, we ask that Scouts wear their uniforms.
Reserve a spot for your Scout or their whole troop today!
The Engineering Merit Badge Program, sponsored by Yamaha, will be offered at the Barber Museum on the following Saturdays, at 9:30 am. Spaces are limited, so please contact us to reserve your spot.
Register to attend our Engineering Merit Badge Program. When you arrive at the registration link close the login box to enter your information. The form on the first page is where you'll enter parent information, and the form on the second page is where you will enter the Scout's information. You can register multiple attendees/scouts at one time.
If you have any questions, please email Rachel Landers or call her at 205-702-8713.
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Make the Summer of 2022 legendary! Go to the Moot!
Make summer 2022 the stuff of legends and join the BSA Contingent to the Moot! The BSA will be sending a National Contingent to the 2022 World Scout Moot hosted by Scouting Ireland. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you definitely are not going to want to miss! To learn more and register to go, click on the button below!
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Updates from Coosa Lodge!
The National Order of the Arrow Conference is next summer! Join Arrowmen from around the country as NOAC convenes on the campus of The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN! More details coming soon, but to see an FAQ and other information, you can click here to learn more!
If your Scout wants to take part, now is the time to enroll in the OA's High Adventure Program. This program provides a unique experience for your Arrowman to explore and contribute to the legacy of the BSA's High Adventure Bases. To learn more about the OA's High Adventure Program, click here or on the link below.
To make sure you are in the loop, be sure to make sure your OA Dues are paid and that the Lodge has your most current email address so you can receive the Lodge's digital newsletter. Also, once you pay your Lodge dues for the year, you'll receive a "Member in Good Standing" patch! Need to update your mailing address or email address? Please take a moment to submit the form below!
To stay up-to-date on all the latest with Coosa Lodge, follow the links below!
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Are you looking for ways to keep Scouting while you're at home? We have compiled a resource page for you to keep the adventure going! You'll be able to find 30-Day Challenges and more on our resource page. To access the page, just click on the button below. |
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Scouting is a global institution– there are National Scout Organizations representing their home countries and delivering the promise of Scouting in virtually all areas and regions globally. The BSA International Department works to help Scouts and Leaders from the BSA to experience the bigger picture of Scouting and connect with it through our involvement in the World Organization of the Scout Movement. To learn more about Scouting around the world, including exciting events like the upcoming World Scout Moot in Ireland in 2022, click below. |
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Pre-commit today for the new Protect Our Birds tag—for free!
Alabama Audubon needs your help to launch their new PROTECT OUR BIRDS specialty license plate! We need 1,000 pre-commitments by 31 October, which are required by the state before our tag can go into production. Learn how you can help on our website at alaudubon.org/tag, or visit alaudubon.org/sponsored-tag to sign up for FREE! Good news—you don't have to wait until your current registration is due to pre-commit! Once we reach 1,000, the tags will go into production and anyone in the state will be able to choose this tag at their time of renewal, which will provide a steady stream of income to help us protect our birds for years to come.
Already signed up? Invite five of your friends to complete and send us their forms!
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Stay up-to-date on Scout days |
One of the best parts of Scouting is the outing! We're actively building a list of Scout Days at various events near and far that you and your Scouts will love to attend! For more information, click on the Scout Day image, or the button below. |
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