Virtual Troop ActivitiesRemote Scouting Under COVID-19 Scouting is usually about getting together to camp or hike in the great outdoors and working on skills and knowledge in groups, but in the midst of the current pandemic, where it is important to observe social distancing measures, we have all had to make changes. Back in February 2020, Troop 5 decided to take our activities online to help keep our community safe, in line with guidelines provided by our Chartering Organization, the American School in Japan, and the Government of Japan. Having spoken with a number of our scouts and adult leaders, the transition has not been entirely easy, and everyone misses being able to meet in person. We aren’t sure when things will return to “normal” and what exactly the new normal will look like. However, the troop - led by the Scouts - has made a number of achievements in this difficult time by leveraging technology, to keep our program as active as possible. The following are a few examples. Virtual Court of Honor For Scouts and our community, Courts of Honor are important events to recognize achievement and advancement. Held quarterly, these events are key to socialize and communicate among all of our members - Scouts, adult volunteers and parents alike. In March, we held our first virtual Court of Honor on the Zoom platform. With nearly 50 people in attendance, it was a great success and the first chance for many to see each other since we stopped our in-person activities. In addition to recognizing the Scouts’ achievements, we also took an online poll and the Scoutmaster shared reflections on what Scouts did during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 - 2020, and how one Scouting leader of the time, R.E. Denny, encouraged his scouts to live up to the Scout Slogan of “Do a Good Turn Daily” [Link]. Virtual Eagle Board of Review Troop 5 has produced a number of Eagle Scouts over the years, and to achieve that rank, Scouts must successfully complete a large number of requirements over years, and as the last requirement, pass a formal Board of Review. In March, we held a virtual Board of Review for one of our scouts who was physically in the United States at the time, with all other attendees located in Japan. It went flawlessly, and our Scout passed his review despite being thousands of miles away - a great testament to teamwork and technology! Virtual Patrol Leaders Council Meeting Finally, we are holding Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) meetings virtually as well. The PLC comprises the troop leadership - all Scouts - with the Scoutmaster in attendance as needed for guidance. It is important for PLC members to regularly communicate so that troop activities are planned appropriately, patrols can raise ideas and get support for activities they want, and members can share thoughts on how to improve our Troop. We are using Zoom for these meetings as well. Patrol Meetings: Our patrols, including Camping Ghouls, Pegasus, Grizzly, and Golden Arrows, have met individually to discuss merit badges and other activities that they could work on remotely. Virtual Merit Badge Work To earn merit badges and rank up, Scouts need to work with Merit Badge Counselors - adult volunteers who are qualified to teach the various merit badge subjects. While this work usually happens fact-to-face at our troop meetings, COVID-19 has compelled us to make changes to our approach here as well. Luckily, Zoom and other desktop conferencing tools are perfectly suited to help people work together, not only talking, but also demonstrating the skills required for completing requirements such as knot-tying, dressing a wound, or even playing the bugle! We’re seeing many of our Scouts continue to work hard on their Merit Badges, and our Merit Badge Counselors will continue to make themselves available online to support the Troop. Next: Virtual Campout? Now that the weather is warming up, we all want to spend more time outdoors. One option is to have a virtual campout, where Scouts can camp in their backyards or living rooms, participate in virtual camping activities such as skits and storytelling, and maybe even eat s'mores. As with all of our Scouting activities, the decision on whether to do this is the Scouts’ to make. Stay tuned for updates! Comments are closed.
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AuthorTroop 5 Scribe |