Welcome to the Advancement Page for Thunderbird District of Three Fires Council

Advancement Committee Information
Chair: Jerry Bevignani
Eagle Project Approvals: John Meyers - 630-430-0720
Alternate Eagle Project Approvals (ONLY if you can not reach John Meyers: Ron Mobley - 630-357-6625

John Meyers is the primary contact for the Eagle Project review. His number is 630-430-0720 Ron Mobley is the alternate contact. It might take up to two weeks for an appointment, so please plan accordingly. Leaders and Life Scouts... just a reminder that all approvals must be signed before starting any work on the project. This is direct from the Project Workbook. There is a new Eagle Application that must be used for the packet to be accepted. Thanks!



New Merit Badges have been announced: Counselors Needed!!! The Pathfinding, Carpentry, Signaling, and Tracking merit badges have apparently been released for 1/1/10-12/31/10 to celebrate 100 years of scouting. Historical merit badges help Boy Scouts celebrate Scouting’s past.

In honor of the BSA’s 100th Anniversary, today’s generation of Scouts will get the unique opportunity to experience some of the activities their predecessors enjoyed. That’s possible thanks to the BSA’s new Historical Merit Badge Program, a set of four discontinued merit badges that today’s Scouts can earn.
Boys can earn any or all of these merit badges:

1. Signaling: First offered in 1910 and discontinued in 1992. Sample requirements: build a simple buzzer or blinker capable of sending Morse code messages, and send a message of at least 35 words; send and receive messages using semaphore flags at a rate of at least 30 letters per minute.

2. Tracking: First offered in 1911 (as Stalker merit badge) and discontinued in 1952. Sample requirements: recognize the tracks of 10 different animals; give evidence to show you have tracked at least two different kinds of birds or animals, documenting their speed and direction.

3.Pathfinding: First offered in 1911 and discontinued in 1952. Sample requirements: be able to guide people to important places within a three-mile radius of your home; submit a scale map of your community.

4. Carpentry: First offered in 1911 and discontinued in 1952. Sample requirements: demonstrate the use of tools, such as a miter and bevel; build a simple piece of furniture for use at home.


The basics of the 2010 Historical Merit Badge program include:
• The merit badges will closely resemble the original designs of the merit badges with the exception of the borders. The borders will be embroidered with a shiny gold thread that will be immediately identifiable as a 2010 Historical Merit Badge.
• The original merit badge requirements will be used wherever possible. Exceptions will be made when current safety or social standards dictate. Adaptations can also be made for special needs Scouts.
• The merit badges will count for towards a boy’s rank advancement.
• Work on the badges is not to commence prior to January 1, 2010 and is to be finished no later than December 31, 2010.
• The Supply Division will not create or reprint pamphlets for the merit badges. Any and all material will be posted to a special section of the 100th Anniversary web site that can be accessed by the interested boys and their merit badge counselors.
We are also seeking Merit Badge Counselors for the above badges. If you are able to counsel any of the above badges, please contact me with your name and information and you will be put on the list.

Jerry Bevignani
Thunderbird District Advancement Chairman
Phone (630) 972 - 1446
GameGuru09@aol.com



Scuba Diving Merit Badge: The Boy Scouts of America Announces the Scuba Diving Merit Badge. The Scuba Diving merit badge pamphlet is available at our Norris & Deicke Service Centers.

• Scuba Merit Badge - Info Flier





• ONLINE ADVANCEMENT Three Fires Council is excited to announce that units can now use Internet Advancement to record their youth member advancements from any online location, at home or at the office. You will find this new method to be easy, convenient, and accurate because YOU enter the information. Here’s how it works: Three Fires Council has an Internet Advancement link at Three Fires Council with instructions and a link to this new functionality. Internet Advancement makes it easy for unit leadership to record awards, ranks, and merit badges to youth via an online process.




• CUB SCOUT AWARDS & ADVANCEMENTS:
  Cub Scout Outdoor Award - Requirements





• The Boy Scouts of America is pleased to announce the introduction of 13 new belt loops and pins as part of the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. It has been more than 10 years since new topics have been added to the program, which is supported by the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program Guide, No. 34299. Look for the new blue cover on this new edition, available for sale the end of January 2010 in stores and online at www.scoutstuff.org.

  Academics
  Disabilities Awareness
  Family Travel
  Good Manners
  Nutrition
  Pet Care
  Photography
  Reading and Writing
  Video Games
  Sports
  Hiking
  Hockey
  Horseback Riding
  Kickball
  Skateboarding

  Belt loops and pins are a great way to help Cub Scouts fulfill the aims of Scouting-building character, developing citizenship, and encouraging mental and physical fitness. Through a variety of subjects, a boy can stretch his mind and abilities by exploring the wonders of science, learning about the world around him, and expanding his skills in new areas.

  The belt loops may be worn with the Cub Scout uniform on the Cub Scout belt. Webelos Scouts who have chosen to wear the khaki uniform may still wear the blue Cub Scout belt so as to display the belt loops they have earned. (The pins are not worn on the uniform.)

  The Cub Scout Academics and Sports program gives leaders and youths a supplemental enrichment opportunity to earn recognition for learning and skills development. Leaders often use this program to enhance den, pack, or family participation and provide more immediate recognition opportunities. For more details, go to:
  www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Awards/Boys/sanda.aspx

  
  
  

• BOY SCOUT AWARDS & ADVANCEMENTS:





• EAGLE SCOUT LETTER TO SCOUT LEADERS This letter, from John Meyers, is for all Scout Leaders who are advising Scouts working on their Eagle Rank. For almost 3 years John has had the responsibility of reviewing and approving Scout’s Eagle Projects for Thunderbird District. He has had the opportunity to meet some really great Scouts with a variety of interesting projects. He has seen some well-organized project write-ups and some that were not as organized. With each project, he has taken the time to read the projects, make comments and explain the reason for the additional information required. This letter is to make you aware of the things he sees that you as Scout Leaders can do to help your Scouts reach their goal of becoming Eagle Scouts.

  For those of you who have been helping the boys for years and have extensive knowledge, thank you. You make John's job easier and the Scout’s understanding of the process better!

• EAGLE PACKET INFORMATION: As you plan and carry out your leadership service project, use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook to record your plans and progress.
  The workbook may be downloaded the following formats:
  • Eagle Scout Leadership Project Workbook This PDF version can be printed, then completed by hand.
  • Eagle Scout Leadership Project Workbook This DOC version can be downloaded & then completed on your computer, using Microsoft Word software.
  • Eagle Scout Leadership Project Workbook This RTF version may downloaded then completed on your computer.(Virtually all word processing applications are capable of opening a Rich Text Format document).
  • NEW 2009 Eagle Application - Replaces ALL former EAGLE Applications as of August 1st!

• MERIT BADGE COUNSELOR INFORMATION:
  • Merit Badge Counselor Form Fill out this form to indicate which Merit Badges you are willing to counsel Scouts. Turn in this form to the Scout Center, along with an adult leader application to become a registered Merit Badge Counselor. There is no fee to be a MB counselor.
  • A Guide for Merit Badge Counseling This guide will give you more information on being a Merit Badge Counselor.

  
  
  2010 ADVANCEMENT NEWS:

• 2010 BOY SCOUT ADVANCEMENT & MERIT BADGE CHANGES: - Effective 2010. All the Rank and Merit badge requirement Changes can be viewed by clicking on this link:

A new 12th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook (34622) was issued in the summer of 2009. That book contains new requirements for each rank listed below, which did not officially take effect until January 1, 2010. Scouts working toward ranks in 2009 could use the new requirements, or could continue to use the old requirements, at their option. If a Scout started work toward a rank before January 1, 2010, using the requirements that were current before January 1, 2010, he may complete THAT RANK ONLY using the old requirements. Any progress toward a rank that is begun after January 1, 2010, must use the requirements as they are presented in the Boy Scout Handbook (34622) or in the 2010 Boy Scout Requirements book (34765). The fact that a Scout can work on the requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class simultaneously does NOT mean that he is "working toward all three ranks". He can NOT use the old requirements for all three. Similarly, if a Scout has multiple merit badges, he is NOT "working toward Star, Life, and Eagle". He may only use the old requirements for the NEXT rank he completes.

The Boy Scouts of America has also issued a definitive definition of "Active":
A Scout will be considered "active" in his unit if he is
1. Registered in his unit (registration fees are current)
2. Not dismissed from his unit for disciplinary reasons
3. Engaged by his unit leadership on a regular basis (informed of unit activities through Scoutmaster conference or personal contact, etc.
4. In communication with the unit leader on a quarterly basis.
(Units may not create their own definition of active; this is a national standard.)
If the Scout does not initiate communication, the unit leader is to contact the Scout and ask if the youth wishes to remain in Scouting. If the answer is negative, then the unit leader should no longer communicate with the Scout. If the answer is affirmative, the unit leader should provide the unit calendar. After six months of non participation, the unit leader may cease to contact with the youth and drop the Scout from the unit at recharter time.
The Scout may return to the unit at any time while on the unit charter. At any time a Scout is dropped from a charter, the youth may re-apply to a unit for readmission; the acceptance of the application is at the discretion of the unit. The youth would be reinstated at the rank and level that can be documented by either the Scout or the unit.




• MERIT BADGE PAMPHLET REVISIONS - Updated for 2009. This link shows when each Merit Badge Book was last revised or updated. ALL Merit Badge books have gone to the color printing format. Consult this link for requirement changes to the actual badge, if any.




Diocese of Joliet Scouting Information

Contact: Deacon Rod Accardi, Scout Chaplain / E-mail: rod_accardi@cdh.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / 630-933-6634
Anything related to the purchase of Boy Scout Scout Religious medals should be referred to:
Nancy Ferencik, Diocese of Joliet, Administrative Assistant, Youth Ministry Office,
St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center, 402 S. Independence Blvd., Romeoville, IL 60446
815-834-4048 / nferencik@dioceseofjoliet.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Boy Scout Religious medal program workbooks are available at the Council Scout Shops.