08/26/2025
Just reflecting on the recent Eagle Ceremony I was honored to be invited to and a few things stood out to me:
In scouts, one does not fail. Instead, each experience is an opportunity to reflect on what went well, and what could have been done better. To learn that maybe that backpack was too heavy for the hike and there may have been a better way to plan what to take on that hike. To reflect that maybe that its not as easy to start a fire in the rain as one may have thought or how the leaders demonstrate. When speaking in front of an audience of fellow scouts and parents while acting as MC at a Court of Honor, it maybe would have been better to practice once or twice or to have some notes handy. All of these moments of "failure" are much more than that. Learning by failure means giving young people the space to try things on their own, even if they might not succeed at first. Instead of immediately stepping in, adult leaders and peers allow mistakes to happen, then guide reflection and growth. In today's world of pressure to succeed in school or in sports or social circles, Scouting America fosters an environment of failing in a controlled environment which is a welcome contrast to pressures our your leaders of tomorrow face on a daily basis today.
What failure means in scouting is best summarized in these 4 main points:
1. Planning and Doing - Scouts plan activities themselves such as building a campfire, organizing a hike, or managing a patrol task. They are encouraged to take initiative, make decisions, and carry out the plans with minimal adult intervention.
2. Encountering Challenges - Mistakes are natural where they might build a poor shelter, forget essential gear, or mismanage time. These errors are not punished but viewed as part of the process
3. Reflection and discussion - After the activity, Scouts reflect individually and as a group by asking "What went well? What didn’t work? What would we do differently next time?"
4. Trying Again with New Insight - Scouts apply the lessons learned to future tasks, gradually building resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence.
From Scouting America New Hampshire Website:
In Scouting, boys and girls start with their best right now selves and grow into their very best future selves. It’s fun, hands-on learning and achievement that puts kids in the middle of the action and prepares them for today – and for life.
Do you need to start your scouting journey as a cub at a local den? Not at all - you can join scouts anytime from 6th grade until you reach 18 years of age. Will your daughter or son rise through the ranks of scouting to achieve the rank of Eagle? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Will the youth of today learn valuable skills that will aid them in untold ways for a lifetime to come? Absolutely! Will your scout build and hone their moral compass to guide them on their journey to greatness? WITHOUT A DOUBT!
As we start our new school year and you think that maybe you want to hold on just a little bit longer to those days outside - swimming, paddling, hiking, camping, biking, why not build that into your routine 12 months / year? Come find out what today's scouting is all about. Who knows, you may be taking the first step out of your comfort zone on a way to memories that last a lifetime.
https://nhscouting.org/
