Friday, December 18, 2009

FW: [CDBSA] The River, December 2010 PDF [1 Attachment]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/yg/img/doc/pdf16x16.gif12 2009 Edition of The River.pdf

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· Youth Religious Emblems

· OA Ceremonies Team and Announcement

· New Merit Badges

· Nearly Free SAT/ACT prep Software for Scouts

From: CDBSA@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CDBSA@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ftrooper93
Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 1:28 PM
To: CDBSA@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CDBSA] The River, December 2010

December Edition of The River

Youth Religious Emblems

Youth Religious Emblems are earned by fewer than 5% of scouts. These represent a significant achievement in a scout fulfilling his Duty to God and deepening his relationship with his faith.

God and Church Religious Emblems Opportunity

For the first time in 4 years the God and Church Program is being offered in our District!

General Description

The God and Church program will lead young people on a journey. It will be a faith journey with three parts: meeting Jesus, worshiping God, and witnessing and ministering for Christ. Participants will create either a video or a photo album to share what they have learned on their faith journeys. Young people will have the opportunity to work with their pastor or other Christian adults as they study the church's structures and objectives and participate in service projects that will give them a better understanding of the mission of the church.

Interdenominational Resource
The God and Church curriculum was developed without theological bias. Therefore, all students use the standard God and Church curriculum regardless of church membership.

Curriculum Goals:

· To strengthen young people's relationship with Christ

· To challenge young people to learn about and participate in the worship and ministry of the church

· To have young people make a plan for daily Bible reading and memorize a creed or statement of belief or passage of scripture

· To provide the opportunity for young people to experience the joy of serving others

Eligibility Guidelines:
Girls and boys in grades 6-8 are eligible to participate in the God and Church program even if they do not belong to a Girl Scout or Boy Scout Troop. This program requires that students have original workbooks and present their work to the pastor for final approval.

The Program will be held on Thursdays from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM in Building D starting on January 7th thru March 25th. (No meeting February 11th). Cost for materials is $12.

Roswell United Methodist Church

814 Mimosa Blvd.

Roswell, GA 30075

The link for directions to the church and the site map is: http://www.rumc.com/page.aspx?id=79224

For the Leadership Position of Chaplain's Aide, BSA National states; "the Boy Scout seeking the position of chaplain's aide should have earned or be in the process of completing his religious emblems study program".

Please forward this information to the Scouts in your Troop.

Any Scout or Parent interested in participating is to contact by email at: LKoleos@Bellsouth.net.

GOD AND SCOUTING

When asked where religion came into Scouting and Guiding, Baden-Powell replied, It does not come in at all. It is already there. It is a fundamental factor underlying Scouting and Guiding.

One of the key tenets of Scouting is "duty to God." While Scouting does not define religious belief for its members, it has been adopted by and works with youth programs of all major faiths. Each of the major faiths breeds hope, optimism, compassion, and a belief in a better tomorrow. Scouting encourages each young person to begin a spiritual journey through the practice of his faith tradition.

Cub Scouts have the opportunity to earn a Youth Religious Award for participation in youth program of his faith. This award is a knot patch and like the Arrow of Light Award is worn on a scouting uniform throughout the stages of the scouting program. In the United States less than 5% of the scouts earn this prestigious award, which makes it all the more special. Faiths vary in their execution guidelines and requirements for the award, but in each case it requires a passion and commitment from a group of volunteers.

We are happy to announce that group of passionate volunteers will be running the following Protestant programs starting January 2010:

· God and Me Grades 1-3 (Roswell Presbyterian. Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. January 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th)

· God and Family Grades 4-5 (Rivercliff Lutheran Church. Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. January 17th – February 21st)

· God and Church Grades 6-8 (Roswell United Methodist. Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. January 7th – March 25th)

· God and Life Grades 9-12 (Roswell Presbyterian. Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Janaury 7th – April 8th)

If you are interested, please contact us: juha.m.harkonen@hotmail.com

Due to pent up demand in the district classes are filling up quickly, but we are already planning for a second run later in 2010.

We would very much like to hear from families that belong to any faith and help in finding a program that will meet your spiritual needs.

OA Ceremonies Team and Announcement

Greetings from Lowanne Nimat, Chattahoochee's Order of the Arrow Chapter. We are pleased to announce that we are training an Order of the Arrow ceremonies team which will be available to conduct Cub Scout Crossovers coming up. Our ceremonies team practices tirelessly to ensure a quality experience for everyone involved. There is no cost for our services, however, donations are appreciated; Our regalia has to be maintained so that we can continue using it! If you are interested, please contact our Vice Chief of Indian Affairs, James Deaton (jamesdeatonmail@gmail.com) or our adult Chapter Adviser, Mr. Craig Barnwell (770-789-6471).

To all Lowanne Nimat members: If your Troop has an OA representative, please encourage him to attend meetings. The point of an OA rep is to act as a bridge between the Troop and the Chapter and that includes attending meetings. If your unit does not have an OA rep, please consider applying for the position. We encourage all members to attend our meetings, which are held on the second Thursday of every month behind Roswell Baptist Chirch at 7:30PM.

The next meeting, December 10, will be a Holiday party. All Lowanne Nimat Arrowmen are invited. There will be games (including a Wii!) and pizza (please bring money for the pizza) and lots of fun and fellowship. We look forward to seeing you there!

New Merit Badges

Scuba Diving is the first new Boy Scout merit badge in three years; it will become available in December. Click here for a brochure about the badge that you can share with your volunteers.

Four other new merit badges will appear over the course of the coming year:

  • Inventing (First quarter 2010)
  • Geocaching (Second quarter 2010)
  • Scouting Heritage (Second quarter 2010)
  • Robotics (Fourth quarter 2010)

These badges are being introduced because they received positive feedback in a youth interest survey.

If five new merit badges seems like a lot, it is. By comparison, the BSA introduced just six new merit badges between 1992 (Collections) and 2006 (Composite Materials).

When you have an idea for a new merit badge, the first step is to complete a proposal form, which you can get by e-mailing merit.badge@scouting.org . Proposals that fit merit-badge criteria and rank highly with youth members are sent to a volunteer task force and the Program Content Committee for review and development.

But the new badges aren't the only innovation. In the past it took three years to create a merit badge. Now, that time has been cut to just less than a year, helping to keep the badge topics and content fresher than ever.

Please help spread the word about the new merit badges, belt loops, and pins through Web sites, newsletters, e-mails, social networking, roundtables, and events. As always, www.scouting.org is your best source for the most current information about these awards.

Nearly Free SAT/ACT prep Software for Scouts

NFL and MLB players support eKnowledge donation of free SAT/ACT software to Boy Scouts of America families

In alliance with the Boy Scouts of America, eKnowledge is offering SAT and ACT test prep programs valued at $200, free to Boy Scout families. The eKnowledge Sponsorship Alliance is made up of educationally focused foundations, as well as a group of professional athletes from the National Football League and Major League Baseball that includes Warrick Dunn and Chipper Jones. The eKnowledge Sponsorship Alliance has provided more than 120,000 SAT/ACT prep programs to families all over the United States.

"I believe in using my gifts and public image to help the community," said Chipper Jones, six-time All-Star and future Hall of Fame baseball player.

Now in its fourth year, the eKnowledge Sponsorship Alliance has donated more than $26 million of SAT/ACT test preparation programs. In response to the donation, eKnowledge has received more than 40,000 thank-you letters from those who have benefited from the test preparation programs. The PowerPrep™ program helps prepare students to take the exams and increases student confidence, which can result in higher test scores and thousands of dollars in scholarships.

EKnowledge recently announced the arrival of the new v6x SAT/ACT PowerPrep™ software; v6x was in development for more than two years at a cost of $1.5 million. It includes more than 20 hours of video instruction, 3,000 files of supplemental test prep material, thousands of interactive diagnostic tools, sample questions, practice tests, and graphic teaching illustrations. The new PowerPrep™ v6x software is Mac- and PC-compatible.

Families interested in obtaining the FREE $200 v6x SAT/ACT PowerPrep™ Programs may order online at www.eknowledge.com/bsa or by calling 951-256-4076.

There is a fee of $13.84 (per standard program) which enables eKnowledge to provide technical and customer support, registration, licensure, processing, handling, and worldwide shipping. This nominal fee allows the sponsorship alliance to continue helping thousands of students each year.

For more information, please contact Lori Caputo, ESA Programs, at LoriCaputo@eknowledge.com or 951-256-4076.

Monday, November 30, 2009

December 2009 Newsletter

Please select this link to open the letter.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Jamahrae Jackson's on Google's Blog

Below Jamahrae is featured on Google's internal blog for the FUSE program he was invited to in NYC last summer.

Click on the picture to see the article. Congrats Jamahrae!

Jamahrae is a sophomore at Howard University majoring in Systems and Computer Science.

  • Bloomberg flew him to NYC a couple of weeks ago for interviews - airfare, hotel, car service, etc..
  • Last Monday they offered him a summer internship in NYC!
  • So he has two to choose from - State Farm in IL and Bloomberg in NYC.
  • He is still waiting to hear from Google and Apple, but says he wants to go to NYC.

·
Jamahrae Jackson

Howard University '12
Systems and Computer Science

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Sea Base Selection

While there are several sea adventures we can take, we must pick one.  We will use the multi-voting process.  The adventure with the most votes will be selected.  Please have your parents consent and select all adventures that you would like to attend.  Voting closes on January 14, 2010.  Please see the links below for more details on each adventure.  Please see previous post for more details.

High Adventures

  • Must pass the BSA swim test for most adventures
  • Most adventures are 7 - 8 days 
BAHAMAS TALL SHIP ADVENTURE

Fly directly to the Bahamas! Experience all the Bahamas Adventure has to offer aboard a Tall Ship. This Advventure is for groups of 18-20 people who are willing to explore the Sea of Abaco in a vessel equipped with kayaks for reef discovery. Crew members must be 14 years of age by September 1 of the year of participation. This is a seven day event. Every participant MUST have a valid current United States passport.

BAHAMAS ADVENTURE

The Sea Base is offering an exciting adventure based in Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island. Your crew can snorkel the beautiful, pristine reefs surrounding Marsh Harbour, wade ashore on the many small cays (pronounced keys) in the area, learn their unique history, and fish for the gamefish which are abundant in the Abacos. There's plenty of time for fishing, snorkeling and swimming. Crew members must be 14 years of age by September 1 of the year of participation.  Every participant MUST have a valid current United States passport.

OUT ISLAND ADVENTURE

You think Survivor is tough? Check out Big Munson. The Out Island Adventure combines camping on a remote 100+ acre island, snorkeling on pristine coral reefs, trolling for sportfish, kayaking through red mangroves, and exploring the flora and fauna of Big Munson Island.  If your crew has strong camping skills and enjoys rugged camping, then the Out Island program is for you. Crew members must be 14 years of age by September 1 of the year of participation.

CORAL REEF SAILING

A 40- to 50-foot sailing yacht will become your home for a week. Your captain will instruct you in navigation, fishing and sailing, and will remain on board for the entire trip. This trip offers one-of-a-kind snorkeling and abundant fishing.  Crew members must be 14 years of age by September 1 of the year of participation.

FLORIDA FISHING

Come enjoy the fishing you’ve only dreamed of, spending a week in the beautiful Florida Keys exploring the ocean as you try to hook that trophy fish! Play in the largest Scout camp in the world, spanning from the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Straights in the Atlantic Ocean. The Florida Keys boast several different ecosystems you will have the opportunity to fish and explore.  Participants must be 14 years old by September 1 of the year of participation.

 
SCUBA CERTIFICATION

Discover the excitement of SCUBA diving in the warm, tropical waters surrounding the Florida Keys. Crews are trained by professional instructors in our specially designed dive tanks. Crew members must be 14 years of age by their date of arrival.

FLORIDA KEYS ADVENTURE PROGRAM

The essence of the Keys Adventure program is to offer as much excitement and variety of activities as possible within a seven-day period.  This adventure has the flexibility to include activities that personally interest your crew, such as night trawling to examine marine life, a possible overnight, great boating days visiting fabulous fishing and snorkeling areas. Crew members must be 14 years of age by September 1 of the year of participation

ECO-ADVENTURE

If you are looking for an up-close, hands-on educational adventure, then the Eco Adventure is for you.  Your crew’s home and base of operation for the week will be two 40’ – 45’ sailboats.  From there you will launch into your undersea world of exploration by means of snorkel, mask and fins; kayak; fishing pole and glass-bottom viewer.

Sea Base Blessing

Bless the creatures of the Sea
Bless this person I call me
Bless the Keys you made so grand
Bless the sun that warms the land
Bless the fellowship we feel
as we gather for this meal
Amen

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

October 2009 NewsLetter

Please select this link to open the letter

Friday, October 2, 2009

Seabase

Troop 206 youth leadership has decided that they would like to go to Sea Base in the summer of 2011.  The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base is owned and operated by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to offer unique educational aquatic programs to our members. Located in Islamorada and on Summerland Key in the beautiful Florida Keys, as well as Marsh Harbour , Great Abaco Island , Bahamas , the heart of the Florida Keys , the near shore reefs and crystal clear waters offer unparalleled opportunities for long term and short term programs year round. The process is beginning now:

 

  1. Select the adventure and desired date
  2. Bid for the adventure and date desired January 15-Febraury 15, 2010 by troop representative.

 

General criteria:

  1. Must be 14 years old by September 1, 2010
  2. Must pass BSA swim test (comfortably)
  3. Limited number of adults  allowed

 

More information:

Parent’s meeting

Call K. Barton at 770/475-0385

http://www.bsaseabase.org/seabase/default.aspx

http://www.bsaseabase.org/Adventure.aspx

 

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