Programming
Spring Camporee Planning Session
Sagamore Council’s University of Scouting in Kokomo: mixes MBU with adult trainings.
If you need training in the Spring for new leaders in the Fall, consider sending them in March. Here is their flyer.
Thoughts on Merit Badge Counseling
The role of the Merit Badge Counselor always needs to be re-examined. It helps us keep the mission of the Counselor top of mind.
To that end, read this short article on Bobwhite Blather.
An important point is
Although not expressly prohibited, large group counseling is generally frowned upon. The Guide to Advancement cautions that in such situations, the counselor must confirm that each and every Scout completes each and every requirement, including the show, demonstrate, do and tell actions. It is not sufficient for a Scout to just sit in a class, write notes on a worksheet and turn it in.
The counselor, therefore, needs to tailor his or her counseling style to the merit badge and to the Scout. This means determining just how much teaching and hand-holding the counselor should do versus how much self-study and learning the Scout is expected to accomplish. Generally speaking, a Scout will learn more if he studies on his own, but he can certainly benefit from the teaching that a counselor can provide. As with other interactions with Scouts, it’s more effective if the counselor leads the Scout to learn and discover the answers on his own, rather than handing them over, as might be done in a classroom setting.
Del-Mi’s Merit Badge University 2017
From Con Sullivan, our District Executive:
The Del-Mi Merit Badge University is approaching early next month. At this event we have 1,600 slots for Scouts over the course of Friday evening and all-day on Saturday. There are numerous Merit Badges that are offered and might make a good program offering for your units. I have included the information below. Please forward out to your units in your district if you believe this opportunity would fit with what your units might be looking for. We already about 900 of those 1,600 slots filled by Del-Mi Scouts, however there is plenty of room left. Here is info you can copy and paste while sending to your units:
What: Del-Mi District Merit Badge University
Where: Carmel High School, Freshman Center (520 E. Main Street, Carmel, IN) – Entrance 13
When: Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th
Online Registration: https://scoutingevent.com/160-DMmbu
The Merit Badge University is open to any registered Boy Scout, Varsity Team member or Venturer working towards Boy Scout rank advancement. Tiger, Cub, and Webelos Scouts are not eligible to participate (even if they will be crossing over into a troop later this year after the merit badge university).
- Pre-requisites are required for many badges.
- Online registration fee is $6 per Scout per session. Individual courses may have additional equipment or material fees.
- Three sessions are available. Some merit badge classes span across 2 sessions.
o Session 1: Friday evening from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
o Session 2: Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to Noon.
o Session 3: Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Lunch is available from Noon to 1 p.m. at a cost of $6 per person.
There are over 1,600 Merit Badge slots open and available for Scouts. If your first choice is not available, there are plenty of other options.
Questions? Contact: Laura R. (lkr@isbits.com)
Ryan Kelleher | Del-Mi District Director
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
Crossroads of America Council
Golden-Burke Scout Center
7125 Fall Creek Road North
Indianapolis, IN 46256
P: 317.813.7085 | C: 317.445.0658
North Star District Awards Banquet
Remember to put in your and your spouse’s reserviation for the District’s Annual Awards Banquet. Thursday, March 9, 2017 at the Palomino Club in Zionsville. This is our chance to recognize our dedicated adult scouters.
This is a non-uniform event.
Swim Test: Summer Camp 2017
Last year Troop 343 hosted a district-wide swim test for summer camp. Troop 343’s Brian Crow has been working to repeat that process for the new year. Any troop interested in participating should read Brian’s email below:
Troop 343 has reserved the pool at Pike High School for [the evening of Monday,] April 17, 2017, for the swim test.
The facility fee is $120.00. The school is providing two certified lifeguards for safety compliance only.
Each Troop wanting to attend will need to administer their own test and must have enough adults onsite to provide adequate supervision of scout’s behavior in high school and swim tests in the pool.
We will split the facility fee equally among all Troops that attend. They will need to bring cash money on the day of the test.
More specific information about test day will be distributed in the near future.
Please have any questions forwarded to me.Thanks. …Brian
Remember that all scouts and adult leaders who wish to swim or participate in aquatic activities must participate in the swim test each year before they will be allowed to participate.
The advantage of this swim test is that the swimmer will have a controlled pool environment to take his or her test. Many scouts have never swum in muddy lake water before. We have had many competitive swimmers fail the swim test because of the shock of lake water or muddy lake bottom.
Give your scouts the ability to adapt to the lake environment gradually. If they don’t have the psychological pressure of demonstrating their swimming skills at the same time they are adapting to the environment, scouts often adapt quickly to the lake. The testing is a rough time to adapt to a new environment.
Give them their best chance for success: require all first-time summer campers to do the swim test in a pool before summer camp. Other swim tests with Del-Mi at the Carmel High School Pool and Pathfinder District at the Southport High School Pool will take place around the same time. Del-Mi’s is often the first weekend of May. More information to follow when it is available.
Roundtable Reminder: Nova Mentor Program (STEM)
A quick reminder that tomorrow Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 7:00 pm (yes, new time!) will be our next Roundtable.
After we discuss general announcements and upcoming events, including the Unit Key 3
Conference and the Annual Awards Banquet, we will turn our attention to discussing the Nova Program for Cubs, Webelos, Scouts, and Venturers and its contribution to promoting STEM advancement topics.
Earning the Super Nova recognition requires some significant effort and will likely grow into a prestigious attainment along with the Eagle Rank and Hornaday Conservation Award.
To register as a Nova Counselor, the counselor must (1) be trained in a class or (2) (a) use the self-study guide, and (b) review the self-study PowerPoint presentation. Then the applicant must submit an adult application on paper or through the applicant’s home unit. (Have your unit chair use the Invitation Manager in my.scouting.org to speed the application process.)
Nominations for District Awards
On March 9, 2017, we hold our annual District Awards Banquet at the Palomino Club in Zionsville, IN. 
We still have some time for nominations for the District Award of Merit (2 available), the highest district award possible in the BSA. Award recipients do not need to be active in the District Committee, but do need to be exemplary scouters in their unit.
In addition, we are looking for
- scouters to recognize in the first year of scouting but made a significant contribution;
- Scouters to recognize for their long term contribution to their unit;
- Scouters who have earned their Scouter’s Key;
- Scouters who have been awarded their Unit Award of Merit; and
- Scouters who deserve recognition for any particular efforts.
Here is the district nomination form.
You will be able to make reservations for you and your spouse by Friday this week. This is a non-uniform event.
Adult Recognition Time
Now is the time to start thinking about recognition for adults in your unit or in the district. From District Executive Con Sullivan:
There are nomination forms for you to complete if you feel someone in your unit or district is deserving of recognition at the North Star District Dinner on March 9th. Please complete the relevant nomination form(s) and return to Mark Pishon, North Star Advancement Chair, at mpishon@gmail.com by February 12th.
The flyer is worth distributing to your unit.
Unit Leader Award of Merit Nomination Form
North Star District Awards Dinner Information and Nomination Form for Calendar Year Ending 2016
District Award of Merit Nomination Form
Eagle Report January 2017
Congratulations to new Eagle Scouts from the January 2017 Boards of Review:
- Christopher Rodriguez from Troop 514, and
- Kevin Braxton from Troop 269.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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