Dunes Moraine District, LaSalle Council, Scouting America

06/22/2026

Monday Membership Moment: The Power of Humility in Leadership

Great leaders are not defined by how much attention they receive, how many decisions they make, or how often they are the person with the answer. Great leaders are defined by how they help others grow.

For Scouting America volunteers, humility is one of the most important leadership qualities we can model. Our role is not to be the hero of every story. Our role is to create opportunities for young people to discover their own strengths, take ownership, and become leaders themselves.

Humility shows up in the small moments. It means listening before speaking, asking for input from others, admitting when we make mistakes, and recognizing that every person in the room has something valuable to contribute. It means celebrating the success of Scouts and other volunteers without needing the credit.

A humble leader does not say, "Watch me do this." A humble leader says, "Let me help you learn how to do this."

Creating a culture of humility starts with the example we set. When volunteers respect each other, welcome new ideas, and treat every person as an important part of the team, Scouts see what servant leadership looks like. When adults allow youth leaders to make decisions, learn from mistakes, and solve problems, they reinforce that Scouting is truly a youth-led experience.

Ask yourself this week:

• Am I creating space for others to lead?
• Do I listen as much as I speak?
• Do I celebrate others more than I seek recognition?
• Am I helping Scouts become leaders, or am I doing the leading for them?

The most impactful volunteers are not always the ones in the spotlight. They are the ones quietly building confidence, encouraging others, and helping the next generation discover what they are capable of.

Humility does not make a leader smaller. It makes the people around them stronger.

(Every Monday, we share a Membership Moment designed to encourage, inspire, and support the volunteers who make Scouting possible.)

06/19/2026

Question:

I'm a Scoutmaster with parents stepping into roles and responsibilities that are meant for me and for our youth leaders. How do I fix this "bulldozer parent" situation?

Answer:

This is a common challenge. The good news is that many parents are not trying to take over because they do not trust the program. Most are doing it because they care, want their Scout to succeed, and may not fully understand that allowing Scouts to struggle, make decisions, and learn from mistakes is the program working as designed.

One of the first steps is setting clear expectations. Consider a meeting with families to explain the purpose of youth leadership and how adults support the process. It helps frame the conversation around what Scouts gain when adults step back - confidence, problem-solving skills, communication, and leadership experience.

It also helps to involve the youth leaders in ownership. If parents see Scouts leading meetings, planning activities, making announcements, and handling responsibilities, it reinforces that the troop belongs to the Scouts.

When parents step in, have private conversations rather than calling them out. A simple approach can be: "I appreciate how much you care about your Scout. One of the hardest parts of Scouting is letting them work through challenges, because that is where the growth happens. My goal is to help them become confident leaders, and sometimes that means giving them space to figure things out."

Finally, make sure the troop committee is aligned. They must "have your back" and communicate the same message about the youth-led philosophy.

The best troops have engaged parents who understand that their role changes as their Scout grows. The challenge is helping families move from "helping my child succeed" to "helping my child learn how to succeed on their own."

What advice would you give this Scoutmaster?

(Every Friday, we feature a question from one of our volunteers and invite fellow volunteers to share their thoughts, advice, and experiences.)

06/18/2026

Scoutbook users are reporting a significant issue with advancement imports following the transition from Scoutbook Legacy to Scoutbook Plus.

Previously, users could import advancement records directly through Scoutbook Legacy, including files exported from summer camp management systems such as ScoutingEvent and Tentaroo. In Scoutbook Plus, imports now require a pipe-delimited text file, but the available export option from ScoutingEvent is a CSV file, and simply converting the file format does not resolve the problem. Compounding the issue, the advancement import feature has been removed from Scoutbook Legacy, leaving users without a viable bulk-import solution.

The problem is particularly acute following summer camp, where units may have thousands of advancement records to process. Scoutbook representatives have acknowledged the issue, stating that restoring import functionality in Scoutbook Plus is under consideration, but they do not know if or when that will be done.

Learn more here:

https://discussions.scouting.org/t/please-fix-tentaroo-and-other-imports-immediately-3500-rows-of-data-from-summer-camp-is-crazy-to-expect-us-to-key/511035

Update (6/16):

"An issue that prevented the Feature Assistant Extension for Chrome and Firefox from being able to upload a Merit Badge csv file produced by Black Pug has been fixed. Legacy Scoutbook will continue to be used to import Merit Badge csv files until support is ready in Scoutbook Plus. You must have extension version 0.49.0.15. If you do not see the MB Import link on the unit page in Legacy Scoutbook, try a hard refresh (SHIFT+REFRESH) or an Incognito wnidow.

Note: In Chrome, click the 3 dots on the upper right of the Chrome window, select Extensions → Manage Extensions then click Update to get version 0.49.0.15 of the extension."

https://discussions.scouting.org/t/june-16-2026-scoutbook-plus-updates/511047

Continuing the discussion from Advancement import file must be a pipe-delimited text file: You all broke the biggest time saver for your VOLUNTEER advancement chairmen. Our troops all went to summer camp and we now have thousands of rows of data we were expecting to import. Our scouts and parents ar...

06/15/2026

Scouting America has announced a new national partnership with the United States Secret Service to help Cub Scouts and their families learn about personal and online safety.

Using the nationally recognized KidSmartz® and NetSmartz® programs, this initiative will provide age-appropriate resources for youth in grades K-5 and their parents. Topics include safe online behavior, recognizing warning signs, understanding digital risks, knowing when to seek help from a trusted adult, and building healthy digital habits at home.

What makes this partnership especially valuable is its focus on younger children and family involvement. As kids gain access to technology at earlier ages, helping families have these important conversations early can make a lasting difference.

This effort reflects Scouting America's ongoing commitment to youth protection, prevention, and education - giving families the tools they need to navigate today's digital world safely and confidently.

🤝 Together, Scouting America and the United States Secret Service are helping build safer, smarter, and more prepared families.

https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/scouting-america-and-the-united-states-secret-service-launch-new-online-safety-partnership-for-cub-scout-families/

06/12/2026

Our Troop struggles to get adults to attend outings. We tried requiring parents to attend two outings each year, but they ignored us or pulled their kid from the program. What would you suggest?

Your situation is common. Adults don't respond well to demands, especially when they feel participation is being treated as a condition for their child’s membership. The good news is that units usually see improvement when they shift from “compliance expectations” to “clear roles, smaller commitments, and meaningful invitations.”

A first step is to separate “helping on outings” from “being an adult leader.” Many parents assume they have to commit fully or not at all. In reality, most successful units build a ladder of involvement. At the base level, a parent might just help drive once or twice a year. One step up might be helping reserve campsites. Another level might be serving as a registered adult who goes on outings a few times per year.

The second shift is replacing requirements with specific, low-pressure invitations. Instead of “each family must have an adult who attends two outings,” try something like: “We need 3 adults for this campout to run safely. Here are the open spots.” Then describe exactly what those adults will do, such as “help with transportation” or “be a general supervision adult.”

Another important factor is recognizing adult contribution publicly and consistently. Simple acknowledgment at meetings or in newsletters helps, but more importantly, make sure adults see that their presence directly improves youth experience.

Finally, be careful with policies that unintentionally push people away. Requiring attendance can feel like pressure on families who are already stretched thin. A better approach is to build a culture where participation is normal, appreciated, and flexible rather than enforced.

What suggestions do you have to offer this Scouts BSA leader?

(Every Friday, we feature a question from one of our volunteers and invite fellow volunteers to share their thoughts, advice, and experiences.)

06/11/2026

Scouts BSA Announces SPL Summit (Launching September 2026)

Scouts BSA is launching the SPL Summit, the next evolution of its National Youth Council, designed to strengthen youth voice in shaping the program.

The SPL Summit will bring together Senior Patrol Leaders from across the country for quarterly virtual sessions with national program leadership to review ideas, provide direct feedback, and help guide future initiatives.

Key highlights include:

** Quarterly national online gatherings for SPLs
** Direct input into program ideas and improvements
** Early access to upcoming resources and initiatives
** Opportunities to help shape the future of Scouts BSA

The initiative reinforces Scouts BSA’s commitment to youth-led leadership by ensuring the voices of troop leaders remain central to program development.

More details will be shared this summer.

Learn more:

https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/scouts-bsa-announces-the-spl-summit/

06/11/2026

Who Has the Scout Become?

Panther Cheif wrote

A Scout is not measured by how many knots he knows, how quickly he can light a fire, or whether he can navigate by the stars or a compass.

These are important skills, but they are only tools.

The true journey of Scouting happens within. It is the quiet shaping of character, the discipline learned through service, the courage to do what is right when no one is watching, standing for the truth even if alone, the humility to keep learning, and the willingness to place others before oneself.

A person may master every technique and still miss the essence of Scouting. And one who constantly boasts about his skills may never have truly walked the path, even after many years in uniform.

The real question is not, "What can a Scout do?"
It is, "Who has the Scout become?"

Step by step, challenge after challenge, from the day of his Depart and far beyond, Scouting transforms the individual from the inside out.

The campfires eventually fade. The badges grow old. The skills may be forgotten. But the person forged along the way remains.

That is the essence of a Scout.

Panther Chief

06/11/2026

🎯 The Most Important Patch in Scouting? It Might Be This One.

When you think about how it helps grow Scouting and introduce this life-changing program to new people, the Recruiter Strip might just be the most important patch a Scout can earn.

Even better? It’s one of the easiest to earn!

There’s just one simple requirement for a youth to earn the Recruiter Strip - recruit a friend into Scouting.

That’s it. One friend. One invitation. One big impact.

Whether a Scout is in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, or Sea Scouts, helping someone join earns them the red, white, and blue Recruiter Strip.

🏕️ Each Scout unit may handle the award a little differently, but in most cases, the patch is given the first time a Scout brings someone new into the program.

Read more here 👇

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2019/03/06/most-important-patch/

06/04/2026

It's time to plan for Fall Recruitment! Join us for the Membership Training on June 16th, 7PM!!

06/03/2026

Anyone who is interested in working at camp this summer who hasn't contacted Kevin Trojan should do so soon. Camp is just around the corner! 812-272-2368