When you planned a big spring event for your pack, troop, crew or ship last year, you weren’t counting on a global pandemic disrupting everything.  The same can be said about the volunteers who created the 2020 Journey to Excellence scorecards.

Journey to Excellence, often shortened to JTE, is a self-evaluation tool that lets unit leaders see, quantitatively, how well their unit is meeting the goals of Scouting. JTE scorecards are updated each year to reflect feedback from unit leaders like you. (Want an overview of JTE? Read our explainer here.)

“We made certain assumptions in creating the JTE standards,” says Neil Lupton, chairman of the BSA’s National Assessment and Evaluation Committee. “Those assumptions fail in the face of the coronavirus.”

That’s why the committee has announced that it will re-evaluate and revise JTE requirements once the coronavirus threat is diminished and the country’s path forward becomes more clear.

“As always, JTE should be helpful and encouraging to all in Scouting,” says Jeff Rand, Lupton’s professional counterpart on the committee and leader of the BSA’s performance management team.

Scouting isn’t on pause –

While JTE requirements will need to change for 2020, it’s worth noting that Scouting itself hasn’t been paused during the lockdown.

It’s been truly inspiring to see Scouts continue meeting, serving others and having fun while everyone is at home. And the BSA’s brilliant Scouting at Home initiative, developed in a matter of days, gives families exciting, meaningful activities they can safely enjoy at home.

But some JTE standards cannot realistically be met during stay-at-home orders — at least not as written on the scorecard. That’s why Lupton and his fellow volunteers are planning to revise the standards once it’s reasonable to do so. The Scouting at Home activities you’re doing now will meet many of those new requirements.

“In the interim, units, districts, and councils should use the Journey to Excellence standards in addition to other planning tools, but all should be tempered with realism and with the need for safety for all,” Lupton says. “As far as revisions to the Journey to Excellence standards or changes in the requirements for gold, silver and bronze, it’s premature to make any such decisions.”

How you can help – 

JTE is a grassroots effort built by Scouters, for Scouters. Longtime readers of this blog know that each year, we ask for your help in creating the next year’s scorecards.  That community-driven effort isn’t stopping now.

Lupton and Rand encourage Scouters with suggestions about modifications to JTE during 2020 to send them to jte@scouting.org. That’s also where you can send any questions you might have about JTE and its implementation this year.

I’ll close with this: Just by reading this post, you’re proving how much you care about Scouting and its life-changing effects on young people.

If you’ve read this far, it’s because you’re invested in JTE. And if you’re invested in JTE, it means you want to deliver the best possible program for your Scouts or Venturers.

Thanks for all you do — now and always.

From Bryan On Scouting

For more than 100 years, Scouting has helped build future leaders by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun and adventure in the outdoors. At Boy Scouts of America, we are dedicated to developing leaders of character by preparing young men and women for life by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The timeless ideals of the Scout Law, such as being trustworthy, helpful, kind and brave, make up the foundation young people need to address and overcome challenges in their lives and the issues facing their generation.

Here in Hawk Mountain Council, Scouting serves more than 5,000 youth and 2,000 adult leaders in Berks, Schuylkill and Carbon Counties annually. Now as we continue the Scouting mission, it is important that we keep pace with an ever-changing world. While costs to the organization have increased every year, the Boy Scouts of America has worked to keep the annual membership fee as low as possible by subsidizing core costs, including liability insurance we must carry to cover all official Scouting activities. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to subsidize at the level we have in the past, especially as the cost of insurance has increased dramatically. We kept the cost low to make Scouting available to as many young people as possible but keeping the cost artificially low for many years now magnifies the impact of changes.

To ensure we have the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting despite increasing operating costs, the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America has made the difficult but necessary decision to increase the annual membership fee effective January 1, 2020 to:

• $60 for youth members in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts
• $36 for youth members in Exploring
• $36 for adult members (includes the cost of a background check and Scouting Magazine)
• $8 per registered member for the Hawk Mountain Council insurance fee
• $60 for unit charter fees

Every dollar of the national membership fee will go toward the cost of essential services, including liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, program resources, safety standards, youth protection and personal safety training, and services to councils nationwide to sustain Scouting. The National organization will also continue to develop and improve resources that support our volunteers and youth members such as online registration, Member Care and Scoutbook, which now includes the Den Leader experience to ensure the safe and consistent delivery of Cub Scouting; as well as improvements aimed at simplifying the annual renewal process. In Hawk Mountain Council, we collaborate with over 145 community partners to bring Scouting and its leadership development programs to families and scouts in our service area.

Across the country and in our own community, we know that Scouting remains one of the most valuable investments we can make to support young men and women today so they can become the leaders we will turn to tomorrow. From once-in-a-lifetime adventures to merit badges that spark interests and future careers; from campouts under the stars to service projects that leave a lasting impact on our communities; Scouting’s year-round program expands horizons and provides young people with a safe and welcoming place to learn, grow, and thrive.

That is why we are committed to ensuring that all youth can experience the character-building benefits of Scouting regardless of their financial situation. The Hawk Mountain Council will continue to provide scholarships for youth who cannot afford the membership fee as well as camping cost at Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation. Additional information will be provided to units during the re-chartering cycle for 2020. In addition to our existing council and unit membership assistance, the BSA has established a national Growing Future Leaders Fund, which is funded entirely through donations, to provide additional financial support to those who need it.

Thank you for your continued role in empowering a generation of future leaders of character through Scouting programs. Please contact me if you have any questions at james.milham@scouting.org or call me at 610-926-3406.

Yours in Scouting,

Jim Milham
CEO/Scout Executive

Read the BSA Fee Increase FAQ

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is committed first and foremost to keeping youth safe. Part of that commitment includes continually updating our youth protection policies to help ensure we are always at the forefront of youth safety.

As you know, one of the BSA’s many barriers to abuse is a mandatory criminal background check during the adult volunteer application process. The BSA will now also perform periodic rechecks of criminal backgrounds to support the continued safety of youth in our programs.  Please see these Frequently Asked Questions about the Criminal Background Checks

Please complete the process listed below at your earliest availability to help us continue to provide the safest environment possible for our Scouts and leaders. Please note that these steps must be completed before your 2020 annual registration can be processed.

1. Review the separate disclosure document linked below that is being provided to you separately for your review. It is titled “Background Check Disclosure” and be downloaded here  Background Check Disclosure Revised

2. Once you have reviewed that, print the separate document titled “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization.” Review the additional disclosures on that form, then complete and sign the Authorization using an ink/wet signature.  Download form here Disclosures & Background Check Authorization Revised

Note: A print signature is required for this document. Electronic signatures will not be accepted unless through a third-party vendor.

3. Turn in the signed “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization” form promptly to your unit leader or local council service center.  You can email to Hawk.Mountain@scouting.org, fax to 610-926-4965 or mail to 5027 Pottsville Pike, Reading PA 19605.

If you choose to decline the background check, or if you do not complete the Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization form and return it to your unit leader or local council service center, your 2020 annual registration will not be processed.

We are truly grateful for your continued commitment to keeping youth safe and for helping them learn, grow, and thrive through Scouting programs.