-Will J.
OK guys, a lot of activities have gone on in the last month, so I ought to get started. On May 8th, we held Nick Jones’s Eagle ceremony at Fountain Inn First Baptist. Lots of Scouts and parents came and we are all very proud of Nick. Then on the 14th, the troop went to Franklin, North Carolina for some ruby and sapphire mining. Mr. Koontz even mined a 22.5-karat Ruby! (Chris K. also found a 20 karat six-sided ruby which is more rare). We also had the opportunity to visit an old jail house that is now a gem museum. Then, from the 21st to the 22nd, we held our troop JLT (Junior Leader Training) where the new "junior leaders" were trained hoe to be a good leader. On the 29th we teamed up with the VFW (Verterans of Foreign Wars) to place flags on graves of veterans. We even received recognition for our services from a few veterans.
-Various
Suwannee Time, ladies and gentlemen (mostly gentlemen). Please send your money to him -JB
At the meeting of Apr. 21, we elected our troop’s OA Ordeal candidates. Congratulations to Chris A., Nate N., David J., Chase S., and Mr. Newsome. They will go through their ordeal at COI summer camp this summer. –CH
Cinematography merit badge is super cool. If you want to work on it with Brent, Sean, and Jeremy, see Mr. Magnus. –JB
Campout Review
-Colin H.
The Troop took a camping trip to Franklin, NC from May 14th through May 16th. We left the church around 5:00 and arrived about 9:00. We set up camp and went to bed at 11:00PM.
The next day was very busy. We woke at 7:00 and ate breakfast. At 9:00, we got in the cars and drove downtown. We visited the rock museum, which had rooms like the “Fifty States Room” which had rocks from all states but North Carolina, which were across the hall in the “North Carolina Room”. It had an “Indian Room” which had Indian stone carvings and a bunch of arrowheads (I couldn’t decide who had more, the museum or Mr. Warlick). The Museum had a “Florescent Room” which had rocks that glow under ultraviolet light.
Upstairs, it had a room of glass formations, a fossil room (with fossilized poo), and other rooms with cool rocks. After that, we went back downstairs. We took turns going to a back room to see how rocks are cut and polished while the rest of us looked at items for sale. On the way back to our cars, we walked through a ceremony honoring a battle’s anniversary, and were delayed by the pledge and National Anthem. However, we were soon in our cars and heading for the gem mine.
At the gem mine, we went to the picnic tables and had lunch, where Chase wet his pants (by spilling lemonade on them). After lunch, we received two buckets to pan in a wooden trough with lake water running through it: a native bucket (with local dirt) and a rainbow bucket (with imported fancy-pants rocks). Almost everyone found a ruby or sapphire in his native bucket. Mr. Koontz found a 22˝-karat ruby, Mr. Hayner found a 22-karat one, and Chris Keeton found a 22-karat ruby (His was six-sided, so it may be ‘star-design’. If it is, it would be worth more than Mr. Koontz’s)
When we got back to camp, we played in the field by camp or played cards until Mr. Newsome and Mr. Keeton gave their ‘Leave No Trace’ presentation. We went over the principals of Leave No Trace and then had an activity. We were given a sheet of paper with two columns. “High Impact” and “Low Impact”. Each patrol had a few minutes to classify about 15 items each into a column. Everyone did very well.
We continued playing until dinnertime, which after everybody ran off and left about 5 kids to clean up. After cleaning (which, for whatever reason, took us a while) everybody played until campfire. At the campfire, I saw awful skits, with the exceptions of Sean’s cell phone skit and the mask skit (everyone who participated in another skit, please take off your shoe and smack yourself, than read Jeremy’s skit article in the previous issue). After that, Mr. Koontz told two stories, and then I told the story of George the Fly. So after, everyone went to bed.
The next morning, everyone got up at 6:30 and ate breakfast. Then, we put on our class A, took down our tents and attended a church service organized by Nate and Mr. Newsome. We left the campground early, and about 9:00, so we could get home early. We ate at fast-food restaurants on the way back. The troop was back at the church by 1:30.
This was a very good camping trip. Everybody enjoyed it. Nothing went wrong at all, except for the skits. I might have enjoyed this trip more than others because I collect rocks, but I have to give it a…
9 out of 10
JLT Review
-Jeremy B.
Junior Leader Training. This, my friend, is the best of the best, the cream of the crop. This semiannual event has been going on for many years in the troop now. I remember the first one under the supervision of Mr. Koontz. It was new; it has never been done before. This JLT was either my fourth or fifth and I had grown an expectation for the Troop JLT. This one was in many ways different.
Back in Summer 2003, Brent and myself attended Council JLT. It was by far one of my favorite Scouting experiences and I recommend it to everyone in the troop. The Council knew exactly what they were doing; they had sessions all week and taught me a lot of what I know. That would have easily received a 10/10. That was a year ago, this is now.
This Troop JLT was very similar to the Council JLT in a lot of ways. For one, we were divided into patrols and we got to create our own patrol name, flag, and yell. There were spirit competitions, once again similar to the council’s. We did not choose our patrols; they were assigned to us. Just like last year, I wasn’t in Brent’s patrol, or any of the other Rams for that matter.
The Troop’s JLT was informative with its sessions that taught us how to teach and how to lead selflessly. It was thought provoking with Workshops our patrols completed and presented to the rest of the troop. It was fun with many activities that included our knowledge of scout skills. It was well put together under the supervision of Mr. Newsome and the joint senior patrol leading of Ryan and Steve. I must say that this one is my favorite Troop JLT in the past year or so.
I hate to criticize the JLT, because of the effort that the fossils put into it so I want to make one thing clear. The Fossils did a perfect job in organizing this one; any faults in this campout lay in the hands of the Scouts. Unlike the “Short Yellow Bus” patrol at white pines last year, the “Toast!” patrol did not represent the leaders that they should. Most of the time my patrol was arguing with itself or being immature. We had trouble creating our movies. There was no lack of creativity, only lack of compliance. We did not follow the ways a patrol should function. The Patrol leaders did not take charge and I often found myself trying to take control (which was in part my misdoing). I found myself mistaking the patrol of older scouts for the Vikings.
All in all, the JLT was masterfully planned and put into action. The totems kept spirit high and the patrols added to the spirit. If I were judging on the execution of the whole deal, I would give it an easy 10/10. My biggest irritation got the best of me however, so I can’t afford the thing more than a…
7 out of 10
Monkey Alert
-Colin H.
I have good news and bad news for the Troop. The bad news: Everybody in the Troop (which means the leaders, too) is doomed, except me. The good news: I can save you!
If you refer to the last issue of the Eagle, a horoscope was written, and I quote: “If you do not give Colin H. Five dollars at the next meeting, rabid monkeys will attack you when you are least expecting it.” I haven’t got a clue why but I only received five dollars, and that was from myself. Obviously, this means that rabid monkeys will attack you. However as I stated above, not all hope is lost. You can save yourself with my products.
Hurry! These products won’t be available for long!
Actual testimony: “Since Colin’s monkey-off system, I have been monkey free.” –J. B.
Leadership
-Jeremy B.
JLT was be held this month, so I figured it would be a good idea to give tips to the new patrol leaders (and anyone else for that matter). I’d like to begin with this: You are the future of the troop and all of the other scouts, be them older or younger, depend on you to run the troop. If there is one thing I can’t stand is when the younger scouts (and some of the older scouts) don’t act their age. You are the examples that the other scouts try to emulate. If you don’t act, or rather if you aren’t mature, the other troop members won’t listen to you or respect you, making your job a whole lot harder.
I hate to admit it, but as difficult as Librarian and Scribe are, Patrol Leader have a much harder job. The first step to being successful patrol leader is control. The Patrol is in your hands now, so you are responsible for everything that the patrol is doing. In order for you to accomplish these tasks you need the full cooperation of your patrol. Be assertive! Take charge! Don’t be afraid to put up the sign and call for order.
The second step in this whole Patrol leadership guide is organization. Be sure you know what you are doing each patrol meeting. Don’t come to a meeting one week and ask the patrol, “So, uh, what do you, uh, want to do this week?” Be sure to know what the troop has planned for your patrol, or else, what merit badges or activities your patrol is currently doing. Keep track of your patrol books. Even if they have dust on them, it’s a good idea to update them every once in a while. Be sure to make it to almost all of the PLC meetings so you know what’s going on.
Third step to effective leadership: Juggling Formality & Informality. There is a time and place to be fun and not, the patrol is home to both. It’s a good idea to delegate, but don’t be a “Hitler Scout”. Like I said before, you need your patrol to respect you. If you are always giving orders and doing business they will not listen to you. On the other hand, if you goof off, nothing will ever get accomplished and your patrol will be disorderly and out of control.
If you are Patrol Leader or any other position, don’t sweat it. It’s supposed to teach you leadership and all of that hoo-ha, but it’s also supposed to be fun. A good patrol leader doesn’t worry; they just go with the flow. Everyone has his or her different styles of leadership. You’ll get it eventually, and if you don’t then, well, everyone hates you (just kidding).
Patrol Leader Council and What You Should Know.
-Jeremy B.
Are you a Patrol Leader? A Guide? SPL, ASPL, or Scribe? Boy, oh boy, have I got a deal for you! Three easy letters: P L C.
If the scouts are the heart of the troop, the PLC is the brain. It is imperative that if you are a PL, SPL, ASPL, Scribe, Guide, or Instructor you come to each PLC meeting. With the exception of the Fossil Committee Meetings, all Troop events are planned here. This is where you should bring Patrol or Troop issues that you or your patrol members have. If you don’t speak up at these meetings, we have a problem. If you aren’t one of the above-mentioned people, and you have a problem or suggestion for the troop, talk to your Patrol Leader or SPL and they will bring it up at the next meeting.
I’ll be blunt. This is one big advertisement for Patrol Leader’s Council. Yeah, it’s that important.
Do you want your articles, recipes, jokes, or stories added to the Eagle? Just want to make a suggestion or comment? Email Jeremy or see him at the next meeting with your suggestions.
The Eagle is Jeremy, Will, Colin, Blake, and Matt.