JOY IN THE JOURNEY: W o o d B a d g e

Presenting the OWL PATROL PROJECT.

Skit – Seven Keys to Retention

Goal: The skit will be used as the medium to communicate to the audience ideas for retention of scouts at all levels (any program) of scouting
Props: [to be filled in]
Actors: A narrator and six additional members of the Owl Patrol, three staff going through the “Stages of Scouting,” and various audience members selected at random
Setting: Gilwell field, campfire, or camp
A rope will be strung between two trees to which pictures or symbols of various levels of scouting will be attached. For example the first picture or symbol will be that of a beginning cub scout.
Background: The Wood Badge staff members (I suggest, Chris, Jay, and Mike) are given the skit with highlighted simple instructions describing their roles. They will be told that at first they will be excited and then one or more of them will decide to quit or be disinterested. After the Owl Patrol member discusses the retention idea, they will be expected to rejoin their fellow staff members for the next stage of scouting (i.e., they will be expected to react positively to the Owl’s retention efforts). We want them to adlib so that the skit seems more natural and it will add humor (especially with those three).
Time: approximately 15 minutes
Skit ….
Narrator:
“Welcome to the stages of scouting and the keys to retention. This rope (points to the rope between the trees) represents the timeline of scouting.”
[The first Owl puts up the picture of the Cub Scout]
“Here we have three new Cub Scout who are unbelievably excited to be part of a new program and to wear their new uniforms.”
[Staff acts over the top excited]
“But after going to a few meetings these Bobcats miss their families, homes, pets, and begin to lose interest. At this age, young boys have a limited attention span and are attracted to whatever is the next new thing to come into their lives.”
[Staff acts despondent and disinterested and begins to act out]
Narrator:
“The first key to retention (and while this is critical in cub scouting this key applies to every level of scouting) is family involvement.”
[First Owl, Carmen, makes her presentation]
After First Owl has completed her learning experience:
Narrator:
“With parental involvement scouts feel the support of their families and regain their enthusiasm for the scouting program.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Second picture of an older cub scout is put up]
Narrator:
“However, even with parental involvement [points at First Owl’s props], the cubs lose interest because the program is repetitive and they get bored.”
[Staff acts bored and begins to leave the area]
Narrator:
“The second key to retention is a varied program that allows for every boy to develop and have his own interests nurtured and supported. Like the first key, this second key applies throughout the stages of scouting.”
[Second Owl, Megan, makes her presentation]
Narrator:
“With a varied program that nurtures diverse interests, the older cubs get re-involved in the program and get ready to move on to Boy Scouts.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Third picture of a young boy scout is put up]
Narrator:
“However, even with a diverse program if Scouts aren’t having FUN they will lose interest and seek to do things they consider fun.”
[Staff starts messing around throwing things or otherwise having 10 year old type fun]
Narrator:
“So how important is FUN to the retention of scouts?”
[Third Owl, Larry, makes his presentation]
Narrator:
“When scouting is fun (for youth and adults) they want to be a part of the program and with their units. Fun is contagious and soon the scout and his friends are back in the fold.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Fourth picture of a boy scout is put up]
Narrator:
“However, fun only goes so far as a scout starts to grow up. If a scout doesn’t believe anyone recognizes him for what he has accomplished he questions his own worth and that of the program.”
[Staff starts wandering away and acting despondent again]
Narrator:
“At this age (and actually at any age) we need to be recognized in some form for what we have achieved and completed. Earning scout ranks is a critical part of that recognition, but at least as important is the opportunity for scouts to be recognized by their troops, districts, council, and local media.”
[Fourth Owl, Mark, makes his presentation]
Narrator:
“With appropriate recognition self-esteem is built and a scout identifies with scouting movement.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Fifth picture of a boy scout is put up]
Narrator:
“But what of the scouts who are challenged with physical or mental disabilities?”
[Staff can act out certain disabilities, but must be careful not to make the disability humorous. If there is any question about how the portrayal would be interpreted, staff should simply act disinterested.]
Narrator:
“We are a diverse organization that serves the needs of all scouts, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disabilities.”
[Fifth Owl, Jay, makes his presentation]
Narrator:
“By serving the needs of all youth we prepare every scout to live in a world where scouting recognizes the worth of every youth.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Sixth picture of a boy scout is put up]
Narrator:
“What happens when we, as adults are just going through the motions? When we don’t really have excitement for what we are communicating?
[Staff acts like they don’t really believe they are hearing from an imaginary adult leader]
[Sixth Owl, Red, makes his presentation]
“As adults we must share our passion. This makes us authentic and allows us to inspire youth to greatness.”
[Staff rejoins their colleagues and are excited to move to the next level of scouting]
[Seventh picture of a boy scout is put up]
Narrator:
“Our scouts want to be challenged in every aspect of their lives. One of the reasons they like video games is because the video game makers have figured out how to make the games fun and challenging. What happens when we don’t create a challenging scouting program?”
[Staff starts playing with imaginary video games]
[Seventh Owl, Kevin, makes his presentation]
[Scouting challenges typically involve pushing scouts beyond their typical physical and mental perceived limits. We have tremendous resources available nationally. Philmont, Northern Tier, Sea Base, and the new Summit High Adventure center are all designed to open up our scouts’ comfort envelope.
Imagine your scouts hiking over 100 miles in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies – getting up at midnightto hike to the top of Mt. Baldy at 12,441 feet and watching the sunrise. Every day pushes their physical limitations, their leadership skills, their outdoor skills, their interpersonal skills, and their faith in themselves. When they are done the memories of the difficult times are gone within weeks and their sense of achievement stays with them forever.
You don’t have to take the scouts to one of the national high adventure bases to challenge them. Challenges are everywhere. Remember the game with seven balls and seven patrol members. I don’t know about you, but I felt challenged. We all wanted to keep trying the game until we got it right.
So what do challenges need to have to be successful? First, they must be safe. I like to say that the perceived risk can be off the charts, but the actual risk must be manageable. Second, the task must be achievable with a lot of hard work and perseverance. That means that not every person is successful at every task (not every scout achieves the rank of Eagle). But there should be tasks that every scout can be successful at. As a scout’s comfort level and skills expand, the task must become harder to achieve. But in the end if the task is unachievable, then it is not a good task. Third, challenges need to be accessible. If finances limit going to high adventure bases, the same types of challenges can be found locally. It will take more work to put together the same type of program, but it will be worth it. Fourth, challenges need to be relevant to some aspect of scouting – leadership, physical training, outdoor training, life skills, etc.
Challenges are the type of thing that causes us many times to question whether we can complete the challenge or whether the challenge is worth the time and effort. But in the end when a scout overcomes the challenge, it is a lifetime feeling of achievement.
[Staff comes back and the Owls pretend to recognize them all for earning an award]
Narrator:
The seven keys to retention are: Parental involvement, varied and exciting program, FUN, recognition, opportunities for all scouts regardless of background, passion, and challenge. Of course, there are many other aspects of retention. In preparing for this skit we looked at available resources. Surprisingly, the national resources were less than complete. However, local councils, districts, units, commissioners, and other scouters have done a good job preparing materials. We have assembled the URLs for many of those materials for you to review. The Owls are passing out cards with a QR Code that will allow you smart devices to go to one of our Owl’s blog site where we list the materials. We also provide the URL so you can use your computer to access the site.
Thank you all for your interest in Scouting.
The Owl Patrol
WE1-491-13