A friend in a nearby troop sent me the following:
I was talking with a former Scoutmaster of our troop about how we have some Second-Class and Tenderfoot Scouts who would like to take part in a high adventure activity offered by our council which permits only First-Class Scouts and above. He mentioned:
“If we move the younger Scouts to First Class, they can go on the hike as crew members. In the past, the assistant Scoutmasters and I kept a list of the requirements each boy needed so when we met with the PLC we could help them decide what skills the troop should focus on in meetings and campouts. The boys didn’t know about the list, but it was helpful because of our aim to help the Scouts make First Class in the first year.”
This sounds like a good idea. It would help get them to First Class faster and let them experience our high adventure trek. What do you think?
Last night I assisted the fledgling pack that I commission with their Join Scouting Night presentation. The pack arranged for a local yo-yo scientist (think Bill Nye with a pocket full of yo-yos) to entertain the boys and families with some stringy hijinks, and the Cubmaster talked about the fun activities to come over the next year. His aim is to tie in with the school’s STEM emphasis by providing complementary experiences, and our council is helping out with program resources tailored toward STEM.
In the 
Last night I sat proudly in the audience as my sister Micheline Maynard received the distinguished alumni award from our alma mater, Michigan State University. Sharing the stage with her were others who have done outstanding work in their professions, in their young careers, in philanthropy and in service to their communities.