Woodbadge

I know it's been a long time since I have made a post. Let me explain why. First of all I've been working more hours to help out with the finances. Secondly, I've been trying to finish a goal I set while at Woodbadge during the summer of 2006.

Woodbadge is a leadership training course put on by the Boy Scouts of America. The course teaches leadership skills and communication/listening skills through games, skits, lectures, campfire ceremonies, flag raisings, etc. It is not just for scouting people. They encourage anyone who wants to become a better leader to attend it. Of course it helps if you have scouting background because they refer to it a lot. When I attended, the course director was a judge from the juvenile court system here in Pocatello. Since he was the director, he assigned a lot of people who work in the juvenile system to attend the course. About 1/3 of the attendees were there because of their affilation with the Judge (most had no scouting experience). Anyway, one of the things you do at Woodbadge is set 5 tickets (goals) to work on and complete over the course of the next 18 months. They have to be fulfilled within that time in order for you to receive "beads" and a neckerchief. I have completed 4 of my 5 tickets and the last one is still in progress. That goal was to read the Book of Mormon. I am so close to being done. So, between work and reading the BOM, family, and church calling, my evenings have been pretty full.

I had a blast at Woodbadge! While I was there, they organized everyone into patrols. There are 5-6 people in a patrol and each patrol has a troop guide to teach us things that make us better leaders. I was assigned to the Bobwhite Patrol. Our patrol had a blast and thoroughly enjoyed our time at Woodbadge. Here is a picture of us.


My patrol still communicates with each other often and we are working on our goal of having our beading ceremony together.