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Submitted by High School Junior Donald Lovejoy, Greenwich, CT.

"Math is Buildings" is a program that uses buildings and architecture to make math interesting to learn. I have done extensive tutoring with socio-economically disadvantaged children and I have discovered that math is often difficult for them, with simple concepts seeming impossible for them to grasp. Thus I created this program to make learning math interesting to kids. I have integrated simple math concepts with the steps used in constructing buildings. Because the steps have been itemized clearly, this program is ideal for use by volunteers helping elementary school-aged children with math.

For more information please email Donald Lovejoy at DWRL@optonline.net
Can we change the name of the Webelos program. When I speak about it to 4th and 5th graders I get a lot of laughs and disappointed faces. "We Blow" is what most of the kids hear. "We Below" is what others hear. When they learn that first graders are Tigers and there are Bears and Wolves, the boys are disappointed to learn that they are called "We blow Scouts". Let's make the move to the 21st century and change the name to something more exciting. Like Raptor Scouts or Shark Scouts, or Wolverine scouts.
Never understood Arrow Points. When a Cub earns all he can get, in order to display them proudly at a Pack Meeting he has to keep his uniform shirt untucked. The leaders all tell him to tuck in his shirt and then he has to hide all of his Arrow Points. I'm sure we're smart enough as an organization to fix that one.
It would be greatly appreciated by the parents I come in contact with every day if the Cub Scout uniform was a simple T-shirt. Besides the "wear factor", meaning a T-shirt is easier to care for, the expense of the traditional uniform is getting to be beyond many folks. The rank advancement emblems, as well as other patches could be worn on a sash designed for the Cub's.
Tiger requirement 4G reads, "Visit a television station, radio station, or newspaper office. Find out how people there communicate with others."

Does this really make sense? How many Tiger cubs are able to go out and complete this requirement? In light of 9/11 a lot of TV, radio and newspaper stations are refusing to allow tours. I think that this should be eliminated and replace it with something that makes sense and is feasible for a Tiger den to actually complete.
Remove the plaid from the Webelos uniform. Follow the lead of the Centennial Boy Scout uniform and go for a more subtle and muted look. The uniform should be something that a 4th or 5th grade boy wants to wear to emulate older boys. Older boys don't wear plaid hats or plaid neckerchiefs.
It is not a small or insignificant change, if, as I believe, it would:
1. Increase Cub Scout retention, as parents see greater value in the program’s values.
2. Increase Cub Scout parent interest in having their son stay in Scouting and become a Boy Scout.
3. Increase former Cub Scouts’ understanding of the value of Cub Scout experience, so as adults:
a. They would still have the 12 point of the Law of the Pack, in their heads
b. They would be more interested in getting their own son into the program and its values
c. They would be more likely to be willing to contribute to the support of Scouting, even
if they did not have a son.
If this is correct, the impact of the change would be long term, and very significant.

We say it is our mission to “instill the values of the Scout Oath and Law . . .”, and yet we don’t even teach these values to 70% of our youth members. Let’s change that!

In addition, we are now launching a Words to Live By campaign. These 12 words, the 12 points of the Scout Law, are among our foundational values. These are the values, even more than the Scout Oath, that former Boy Scouts remember the rest of their lives.

With such a demonstrated power to be remembered (and so, we hope, lived) why do we NOT teach these same 12 points to the other 70% of our youth members and adult leaders? Our Cubs and Cub leaders, Venturers and Venture leaders, do not know and are not asked to learn or teach our core Words to Live By.

Let’s change this by simply changing the Cub Scout Law of the Pack, to the 12 points of the Scout Law, with 8 year old descriptions, but the exact same 12 words. And develop a Venturer’s Law (by whatever name), that has the exact same 12 words, with 16 year old descriptions.

Then, when we talk about Words to Live By, 100% of your youth, leaders and future alumni, will see them as their words to live by. And long after they are out of Scouting, long after the marketing theme has been changed, they will all still have the 12 points, the Words to Live By, in their minds and influencing their lives. Our former Cubs who didn’t become Scouts, and our former Venturers, who were never Scouts, do not have this today, and they represent 70% of our youth members. Let’s change it . . . for kids’ sake, and for our future!

-Alan Anderson, Area Director, Central Region
The Belt Loop Midway is a District Event that offers a day of classes where Cub Scouts can earn up to 6 Belt Loops in that one day.This unique district event has grown over the years. With the right location, enough volunteer teachers, and fun Belt Loops to offer...the Cub Scouts have a blast!
Soccer & Scouting is one of the fastest growing programs in the Boys Scouts of America. It is also fairly new and Council's across the country are facing many challenges on implementing the program in their local areas. There should be a separate category under the Innovation Engine for "Soccer & Scouting" so that DE's and other professionals can post their ideas, share their success's and challenges to help each other improve and grow this program. Another possibility is to have a separate category under the heading Hispanic Initiative and provide a subcategory of Soccer & Scouting.