Roundtable

Patuxent District

December 8, 2022

Agenda: December 2022

• Opening
• Hot Topics: “The Scouting Story”
• Safety Moment: “Code of Conduct”
• Roundtable Commissioner’s Minute
• Breakout

• Pledge of Allegiance
• "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
• Scout Oath
• “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
• Scout Law
• “A Scout Is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.”

• Outdoor Code
• “As an American, I will do my best to –
• Be clean in my outdoor manners.
• Be careful with fire.
• Be considerate in the outdoors.
• Be conservation minded.”

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• First Time Attendees?

Hot Topic: “Scouting Story”�Six ways to tell your Scouting Story”

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• Have a good story to tell
• A good story is one that is compelling, interesting and intriguing. A good story must have a problem or obstacle, interesting characters (your Scouts), a journey (how they went about solving the problem) and a solution (or victory).
• Create good visuals
• Strong images and video can make the difference between a story running or not making the cut. Select natural action and candid photos — not posed shots — in good lighting. An up-to-date smartphone will suffice for most work as long as you use the original high-resolution photos.
• Use strong quotes
• For newspapers and online outlets, good quotes are essential. A quote should be colorful, short and sound the way people talk in real life.

Hot Topic: “Scouting Story”�Six ways to tell your Scouting Story”�

• Hold an interesting event -
• Cub Scout rain gutter regattas are fun twists on friendly competitions.
• Scout skills such as lashing together signaling towers and practicing emergency first aid are lost arts for most of the non-Scouts out there.
• Venturer backpacking treks on the Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trails are the stuff of dreams for most Americans.
• Sea Scout sailing competitions conjure up the thrill of the open sea, which has sparked a thousand novels.

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Hot Topic: “Scouting Story”�Six ways to tell your Scouting Story”�

• Be the first or set a local record
• The first patrol in your troop to complete a 50-miler, the first crew in the district to go caving, or the first Scout in the troop to earn Eagle are all worthy news items. So is the largest tree-planting event in your community, or the most dreidels spinning at once (a real record broken at the 2017 National Jamboree).
• Celebrate a meaningful anniversary
• The media loves major anniversary stories with a look back and an update on progress today. Look for years ending in 5 or 0. Consider the anniversary of your unit’s founding, the start of your local summer camp, the commemoration of your ship’s first Quartermaster, or a major milestone in Scouting history. (This year marks the 110th birthday of Sea Scouting!)
• To learn more visit: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2022/10/14/six-ways-to-tell-your-scouting-story-to-local-media -outlets

Hot Topic: 2023 National Jamboree�Reminder

• July 19-28, 2023
• Jamboree is more than a destination. It’s the adventure of lifetime. And there is simply nothing else like it on the planet.
• For more information and to register now, please follow this link: https://jamboree.scouting.org

Introduction and Announcements

• Webmaster’s Minutes: Edward Weeks
• District Activity Update: Lenny Wertz
• District Commissioner: Carolyn Miller
• District’s Director/Executive: Lawson Lipford-Cruz
• District Committee Chair: Steward Benson

Safety Moment: “Scouter’s Code of Conduct”�

• How should we incorporate a code of conduct into our units?
• Did you know that the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America support the establishment of codes of conduct?
• The Scouter Code of Conduct should be reviewed and signed by all leaders, unit committee members and parents.
• For additional information: https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/code-of-conduct/

Safety Moment: “The Scouter Code of Conduct”�

• The Code of Conduct should be reviewed regularly; abiding by it is acknowledged by all adults when they complete an application.
• This code of conduct:
• Provides a checklist of expectations for all adults involved in Scouting.
• Emphasizes the need for all adults to follow the BSA’s Youth Protection policies and guidelines.
• Highlights the need for adult leaders to be familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting and SAFE.
• States that drivers will obey all laws and follow safe driving practices when transporting Scouts.
• Sets expectations regarding the BSA Rules and Regulations, policies, and BSA-provided training.
• Helps adults to model behaviors for all youth involved in BSA activities.
• Emphasizes a leader’s responsibility to notify the appropriate person(s) if a violation occurs.

Commissioner’s Minute: Life’s Path

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A young Indian boy dreamed that he climbed a great mountain. To the East, he could see rolling plains all the way to the horizon. To the North, he saw sharp, snow-covered, mountain peaks.�To the West, was the endless ocean, sparkling in the sun. And, to the South, he saw the People's lands where he lived. When he woke, he ran to the chief to ask what his dream meant.��The chief explained that there are many paths in life. As the boy grows, he may take any path.�The plains to the east are full of game and represent an easy life. He may take a path that has few challenges and live a happy, safe life. The northern mountain peaks are the difficult obstacles and hardships in life. He may choose to push himself to great goals and this means that he may sometimes fail. The ocean that goes forever is the great unknown. If the youth explores further than the People have traveled, only he will know what he will encounter.��These days, you all have the same plains, mountains, and endless ocean. You can choose to have a regular job and family and lead a perfectly fine life. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.�Or, you might really challenge yourself to be more than you ever thought possible and keep pushing yourself, even if you fail sometimes. And, a few of you might even go into the unknown - whether that is space exploration, medical research, electronic technology, or something completely unknown today.��What about the view to the South in the dream, that land where the Indian lived as a youth?

Well, no matter what path he chooses in life, the People, his family, will always be there to welcome him home. The same is true for you scouts. Choose your path in life and remember that your Scouting family is always here.

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Breakout Sessions

• Cub Scouts – “Leader Training and Recognition”
• Scouts BSA – “Adults Role in Scouting”