Planning an EPIC STAKE 11 YR OLD DAY CAMP or CLINIC

SO I was seriously tired of boys who would frequently head into 12 years old only having Tenderfoot. Killing me! In our area there is so much growth and movement and with this there is epic overachiever leaders contrasted by leaders who day one had no interest or understanding of 11 yr olds Scouts.

MY SOLUTION:
INVITE ALL BOYS 11 and up to come to my CLINIC.

 

What is this you say?

I'm glad you asked!! 

You invite all the boys 11 and older to come to participate in one of 3 options

1. a trail to 1st class series of 4 rotating classes

2. a First Aid merit badge

3. an Orienteering merit badge

The ONLY way to pull this off is to have each ward register the number of boys and options they will decide to do with your presidency...but I'm putting the cart before the horse. Lets go to the steps my presidency took to get here!

 

STEP ONE:

Speak to your high councilor and pitch the idea. If he is ok with it call up the YM president and pitch the idea to him. You need both to approve your idea and support you!

STEP TWO:

Set up a formal meeting with your Primary Presidency the Young Men's presidency. 

Stake rules: YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE HIGH COUNCILOR ATTEND!!!!

The meeting starts with a prayer and your high councilor will be in charge of the meeting and he will turn the time over to you for you to explain your idea and make plans. After this you really can do the rest by communicating through email or phone calls.

STEP THREE: NAME GAME

As you plan for teachers to teach a class, name generating always comes up. Sometimes this can be hard. You can ask permission from your high Councilor if you can contact Bishop's and get name recommendations. (In a few Stakes, this job is entirely handled by a high councilman.) 

 

In any case, keep both yourself and the Young Men's President free from teaching a class if you can.

 You are at your events to run them and oversee them. When a major problem happens you need to be free to respond accordingly. Besides, someone has to give the 5 minute warning knocks and take a few memory pictures right!?! 

BUT, Feel free though to offer the opening and closing devotional.

I mean just look at this emergency when a snake tried to eat my winner's list for best orienteering ward!!! -->just kidding, Kahn was our special guest!

 

STEP FOUR:  Publicize! 

POSTERS, EMAILS, BULLETINS, Ward Social Media!! I can DIRECTLY correlate my success of attendance to this step. 

That $5 poster is worth its weight in gold! SPREAD THE WORD!!

2 emails are needed:

1. The invitation

2. The follow up

Here is a sample of "THE FOLLOW UP" email:

Good Evening!

I am just double checking on registration.
Please register right away if you haven't yet by simply replying to this email!
Please forward this email to anyone we are missing!

Here is what we have on the books so far:

• Morning Sun:  10 boys Trail to First Class, 3 Orienteering, 3 First Aid (Must bring own First aid kits)
• Skyline: 18 boys Trail to First Class
• San Tan Heights: 6 Trail to First Class
• Brenner Pass: 9 boys Trail to First Class
• Mountain Vista:
• Sierra Vista:
• Stone Creek:

We are just missing a few more and there still is time to sign up!

DON'T FORGET!

1. Bring the signed Photo permission slips
2. Plan a Lunch and submit a plate to the cook off (bring your own food and camp stove of any kind)
3. Bring a Blue Card signed by SM for those attending Merit badge option 

 

Here is a sample of "THE INVITATION" EMAIL:

Your Stake Primary Presidency has combined its forces with the Stake Young Men's Presidency to provide an 11 yr old day camp with a TWIST, invite 12 yr olds and older!!

It's a CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE:
Trail to First Class <~ or ~> Merit Badges!

Sat. Feb. 20th,
9am to 1pm

We are offering this so that those who are behind have a chance to take classes to catch up and those who are light years ahead can go for merit badges!!

YOU MUST REGISTER for this. LET US KNOW RIGHT AWAY,  what option you plan to do!

Here is the schedule:

• Option 1)  Trail to First Class: Knots & Lashings, Fire & Knife, Orienteering, First Aid
• Option 2)  First Aid Merit Badge (required that trail to 1st class, First Aid has already been completed prior to)
• Option 3) Orienteering Merit Badge (required that trail to 1st class Orienteering has already been completed prior to)

Please let us know which of the three options you will be attending with your group. If you have a circumstance where boys want to split up the rule is one leader minimum per option.

Please let us know at your earliest convenience.
Attached is our flier and class schedule.
If you have any questions please email or call!
Thank you for all you do!

STEP FIVE: DIVIDE AND CONQUER!

I usually have me and my councilors oversee one class and the secretary be over lunch. You can do it how ever best fits your presidency. By "OVERSEE" I mean you find the teacher, and help make sure they have all that they need for the class. Do they need rope? Bring some rope. Simple! 

 

Set up the night before as best as you can. Make your copies of handouts teachers might need!

Get that check in desk ready to go so you can just pull it outside in the morning.

(The photo release I use was posted in the cub day camp post.) 

WHY A CHECK IN DESK?

Well, you need to know who showed up in case of emergency situations!! Plus you can evaluate numbers of who showed up. If a ward doesn't show, you will know.

 

Always make sure that the SCHEDULE is posted in each class and can be clearly seen!!

Also, invite Priests to come help teach. Try to avoid making them the sole teachers. You will certainly eventually get left with a forgetful teen who slept in and no one to teach!! 

This picture is a PURE EXAMPLE of the joy of including the PRIESTS! 

The Priest in the center has autism yet he was able to read the opening devotional. The 11 yr olds were very respectful. They had 2 Young Men leaders there to help just in case.

Several wards had boys who listened to these nice high school role models and saw first hand that Scouting was something to be proud of. It was superb!! 

STEP SIX: RELAX THE LORD IS IN CHARGE!

He will make up the difference! I asked our member of the Stake Presidency over Primary to open at our flag ceremony with a few words. It was done on the spot but it was so perfect.  

I gave a devotional and I felt such peace!

The flag was done by 11 yr old scouts but I have had the YM presidency or priests do it also.

It doesn't have to be perfect just do your best.

With each event I have done, I have learned something I could do better! 

I always have devotionals in each class and score cards for teachers to find who did best. I do a short awards ceremony at the end. Emphasis on SHORT!!

I'm not fully giving you every single detail of what we had for lunch (which was yummy subs & chips) or what awards I did because I would write for 20 years and you would never read all of it!!! 

Always PRAY NIGHT & DAY, but ESPECIALLY BEFORE your EVENT!!

TRUST IN THE LORD that as you TRY HARD things will work out!

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR AN IDEA, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW FOR ME!

:-)