Program Innovation to
Drive New Membership
Top Hands 2015
Youth Engagement
Dennis Kohl
Florham Park, NJ
L E D R
Leadership Excellence - Direct Results
L E D R
Leadership Excellence - Direct Results
L E D R
Leadership Excellence - Direct Results
L.E.D.R. is designed to highlight the need for
continued support of older youth by providing
them with training in “applicable leadership” and
development for entry into the workforce.
L.E.D.R. components have been selected to
highlight specific “life-skill” areas not easily
obtained through general education.
L E D R
Leadership Excellence - Direct Results
L.E.D.R. Program focuses on the following:
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A “What is Leadership” modules – thread running throughout program
The need for self – confidence/assurance/awareness
The role of “community” in everyday life
Cultural and educational diversity
Young Adult Activities – including COPE
Community & Career Issues – including:
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Government Affairs
Environmental
Health Care
Education
• Criminal Justice
• Communications & Media
• Career Planning – College Selection
Youth Executive
Committee
What is the YEC?
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The Youth Executive Committee is a pilot program in the Boy Scouts of America
established by the Patriots’ Path Council. This committee consists of male and
female representatives, ages 14-20, from the Order of the Arrow, Venturing,
Exploring, Sea Scouts, National Youth Leadership Training Staff, and the Council
Youth Leadership Award recipients.
The purpose of the Youth Executive Committee is to have outstanding youth
leaders assist in the organization of teenage Scouting events, provide youth input
on various council committees, develop a new fitness incentive, create stronger
bonds with outside organizations, educate youth in leadership training, and
continue promoting the ideals and methods of Scouting.
Member Expectations
YEC Runs on an April-April Calendar Year
Regular
Member
• Must Participate in Three Events
• Members can only miss one-two meetings a year
• ELE Is Mandatory and doesn’t count as “Optional”
Events
• Pays $25 dues every year before retreat.
• Pays for Own Shirt
College
Member
• Must Participate in Two Activities
• Attends meetings when possible
• Pays No Dues, however pays for own shirt.
No really.. What IS the YEC?
• Council’s head youth representatives
• Serve as Council’s VOA
• Focus on Membership Retention, Service
and Venturing/Scout Training/Promotion
• YOUTH serving YOUTH
Positions
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President
VP of Membership Retention
VP of Communications
VP of Service
Venturing President (Appointed)
College Liaison (Appointed)
• Chairmen
Three Sub-Committees
Membership
Retention
• ELE
• ELCN(s)
• VILSC(s)
Service
• Blood Drive
• MS Walk
• Alexander’s
Walk
• Car Bash
• Coat Collection
Communications
• YEC Grams
• Executive Board
Meetings
• School Board
Meetings
• Website
• Videos &
Commercials
STEM in Scouting
Andrew Zahn
St. Louis, MO
Investment in Staff & Volunteers
• Greater St. Louis Area Council created a Director of
STEM Programs executive position in 2012
– Added 2 additional STEM Executives in summer, 2015
– Report to Director of Field Service
– Hybrid program-membership-development positions
• Council Volunteer Structure
– Board-level STEM chairman
– 80 person council STEM committee
• District Volunteer Structure
– All 15 districts have STEM chairman & committees
Partnerships
Cub Scout STEM Twilight Camp
4 Nights: 5:30-8:30pm
• Evening day camp
• Each evening hosted by
local STEM corporation
• Boys earn 2-3 NOVA
awards, several belt
loops
Boy Scout STEM Camp
Began in 2012
• Resident camp program
• Volunteer counselors
and area STEM
companies teach 40
different badges
• Afternoons/evenings
packed with common
camp programs
STEM University
Two Days, Two Universities
• Partner with local
universities
• All BSA programs
• STEM professionals and
university staff teach
NOVA and STEM-related
advancement
• 2,200 participants to date
STEM on CAMPus
2015: Inaugural Summer
• 55 Scouts stayed on
campus, experienced
college life
• University faculty
presented on 32
different STEM merit
badges and 4 NOVA
awards
Einstein Dinner
Recognition
• Honor NOVA recipients,
volunteers, and
corporate partners
• 100 Scouts and 200
guests attended
inaugural dinner in
November, 2014
STEM in Scouting Results in St. Louis
Results
• 3,300+ NOVA awards
earned since 2012
• Traditional retention
increased 3.65% to 73%
in 2014
• Align with STEM
companies otherwise
not accessible
Pistol Marksmanship
Tom McDermott
Davenport, IA
Why look for new ideas?
• Between 2001 – 2011...our Scout Camp
attendance was flat.
(Nationally, attendance over this period dropped 15%)
• With our new program...
Camp Attendance increased by 26% !
Pistol Marksmanship Program
Do you live in a “gun friendly”
area?
• In the Illowa Council, all High Schools and most Junior
Highs have Trap Shooting Teams.
• Our Scout Camp is located in arguably the State with the
most stringent gun laws in the country….yet we are thriving.
• Use of handguns by youth have restrictions that vary by
state.
Financing & Support
• NRA Grants
• Youth Shooting Sports Organizations
• Local Gun Manufacturers (72 with offices in the United
States)
• Local Gun Clubs
• Local Gun Stores
• More engaged charter organization volunteers
Items impacting the program
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Volunteer Manpower
Location of Camp
Training & Camp Schedule
BATFE
Announcing the D.U.F.F.E.L Program
(Donated Used Firearms For Enhancing Leadership)
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Enable individuals with
unwanted firearms in their
possession to donate them to
the Illowa Council, thus
removing them from their
homes and potentially earning
them a non-cash tax-deductible
charitable contribution.
Firearms may be handguns,
rifles, shotguns and/or
muzzleloaders. (Archery
Equipment may also be
accepted)
New “Wildlife Observation Tower /
Wounded Warrior Hunting Blind”
New Shooting Sports Complex
What Are We Accomplishing?
“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole
body of people always possess arms, and be
taught alike, especially when young, how to use
them”
Richard Henry Lee, 1788
Founding Father
Thank you
Dennis Kohl, Scout Executive
Patriots’ Path Council; Florham Park, NJ
(973) 765-9322; dennis.kohl@scouting.org
Andy Zahn, Deputy Scout Executive
Greater St. Louis Area Council; St. Louis, MO
(314) 256-3006; andy.zahn@scouting.org
Tom McDermott, Scout Executive
Illowa Council; Davenport, IA
(563) 388-7233; tom.mcdermott@scouting.org