Recently, a friend let me read a letter of recommendation written by his son’s high school baseball coach. His son is applying to college and the letter was to introduce him to the head coaches at the various schools. It spoke of his strong skills and talent on the field, his exemplary work ethic, and how he inspires his teammates, arriving early for practice and being the last one out of the locker room. His academic credentials are top-shelf as well, as is his dedication to other extra-curriculars and community service.
Reading the letter, I was reminded of the dozens of recommendation letters I’ve read while serving on Eagle Scout boards of review. Continue reading “Highly recommended”
Of all the things that terrify people, the one at the top of the list for most is public speaking. So much so, in fact, that a lot of people would rather have a root canal than get up and give a speech to a group.
It’s been said that the Boy Scouts of America is the largest user of dead trees anywhere in the world. The number of printed publications has been legendary – handbooks, pamphlets, forms, guidebooks, magazines – seemingly one for every purpose and sometimes several.
On Scout Sunday, I visited the Blue & Gold Banquet of a Cub Scout pack that I am the commissioner for. The pack is well-run, with exciting and interesting activities planned in advance throughout the year. Most of the Scouts received advancement recognition or awards of some kind, and all dens took part in the entertainment segment of the program. Each den has a den leader and parent help. The most important observation I made was that the boys are having a great time.
I recently attended a presentation on the new Cub Scout Adventure program. Aimed at Scouters who will be implementing the program starting later this year, it was conducted by a member of the national task force that created the new program. He offered insights into how the committee arrived at its findings and what it hopes to accomplish by moving Cub Scouting forward .