“The best camera is the camera you have on you…”

As mentioned before, the BSA’s “Bryan on Scouting” is a terrific resource for Scouters. Moreover, some of the best stories on the blog give readers a solid kick in the pants.

“Get out there and try it,” is a cause celeb for Bryan and co. Reasonable, given the traditions of the BSA.

However, this time around, the blog reminds Scouters – via the advice of BSA pro photog Michael Roytek – “The best camera is the camera you have on you.”

In other words, your smartphone might be the best camera any of us might ever acquire.

Writer Aaron Derr explained why so  in a piece entitled, “How to take and share the best photos of your Scouts this summer … and beyond”:

Some folks might prefer to carry around heavy pieces of photography equipment with long, powerful lenses, and that’s great. For the rest of us, we have the modern smartphone, which has the capability to produce photos good enough to save as memories — and to share online with friends, fellow Scouting families, and maybe even members of your community.

In the article, even the most trepidatious photographers will learn about:

• The rule of thirds
• Action Shots
• Sharing photos

My favorite advice in the piece reads, “Nothing tells the story of Scouting more than great photos of Scouts having a blast in their natural environment, whether that’s at summer camp or any fun Scouting activity.

“If you can get those photos in front of the eyes of some non-Scouting families … who knows? Your unit just might recruit for itself, thanks to all the fun you’re having.”

Check out the accompanying video:

How to Take Better Scouting Pictures!

And be sure to read the article – then get out there and take some photos!

Just before Memorial Day, one Mayflower Council Scout collects clothes for veterans…

Beyond trips to the beach, hot dogs, and lawn mowing, Memorial Day retains one true purpose: Remember.

And while some Scouts will carefully place flags beside the graves of those who served, and many others will proudly march in parades, one Eagle candidate sought to remember and honor those veterans who still walk among us.

Carlie B. of Newton’s Troop 209G explained her project on its GoFundMe page.

“My name is Carlie,” she posted. “I’m a 13 yr old Life Scout in troop 209 located in Newton, MA. I’ve partnered with the… New England Center and Home for Veterans as part of my Eagle Scout Project.”

That partnership – noticed by WHDH – garnered Carlie and the project some well-deserved attention at this important time of the year.

“I think that joining scouting teaches you plenty of great lessons in life,” said Carlie. “it really helps you out.”

And in turn, Carlie – who raised almost $17,00 – helped out many veterans; 250 or so were gifted clothing, toiletries, and shoes.

Speaking of the good turn, Carlie implied she simply followed the example of another Scout.

“My dad, he’s an Eagle Scout,” she told WHDH’s camera. ”And so, when I receive Eagle in the next few months, I will become an Eagle Scout just like him.”

 Here at the Mayflower Council, we think her fellow Scouts should follow Carlie’s example, too.

Troop 209G Scoutmaster and her Scouts garnered national attention from Bryan on Scouting…

Scoutmaster Sangeet Srikanth is a trained educator. But she insists that some of the most important lessons are taught outside the classroom.

“None of the experiences in Scouting can be measured in terms of letter grades, GPA, test scores,” she told Bryan on Scouting. “But you can witness and experience it every day in your son and daughter’s life.”

It was a chance exposure to Scouting that changed the lives of Sangeet, her son Arnav, and her daughter Anishka.

Bryan Wendell of ScoutingMagazine.org explained that Srikanth “first learned about the BSA in 2010 on a family trip to Boston when they happened upon an event celebrating the BSA’s 100th birthday. Her son, Arnav, wanted to sign up right away. Her daughter did, too, but this was before the BSA had opened all its programs to young women.”

Enter Troop 355 of Newton. Or, make that, Arnav entered the venerable unit. Then, fast forward to 2017, and an Eagle Scout court of honor.

“Every rank advancement was a clear sign of leadership building,” explained Sangeet. “Every merit badge was a new life skill.”

Two years later, it was Anishka’s turn to join Scouts BSA.

“Every day, my admiration for her increases as she excels in her maturity and ability to deal with the challenges of life,” Srikanth said.

However, it’s not like Arnav or Anishka were alone on their journey. Their mother was there – unofficially – every step of the way. 

Later, after a two-year stint as an assistant Scoutmaster, Sangeet was named Scoutmaster of Troop of 209G.

It’s a commitment, but Srikanth indicated it’s more than worth it.

“It’s about five to six years from start to finish — weekly meetings, camping trips, outdoor trips, and finally the long-awaited Eagle project,” she says. “Some families find it hard to commit with their own busy careers.”

That said, the end rewards, particularly for Eagle-earners, are worth it. 

Meanwhile, Sangeet hopes that other families, particularly those in the Indian community, see Scouting as a viable adjunct to traditional education.

“Scouting structures their lives and gives them the most valuable experience that even the best classroom education may not fully provide,” she said.

Planet Fitness is helping parents to get their teens out of the house and stay active this summer by offering a one-of-a-kind benefit: a free membership for the entire summer. Perfect for our Scouts BSA and Venture crew members to stay physically strong all summer long!

The High School Summer Pass initiative offers a solution to teens’ struggles. Planet Fitness conducted a study that 93% of teens actually want to stay healthy, but only about 15% actually partake in 60-minutes of physical activity. Planet Fitness is determined to motivate teens and help them accomplish their fitness goals.

This offer is available at all Planet Fitness locations throughout the US and Canada. This is a part of the movement to improve teens’ mental and physical health. Originally, this program was called the “Teen Summer Challenge” which launched in 2019. They had almost a million teen signups who completed over 5 million workouts!

According to the Centers for Disease Control, fewer than 15% of teens were meeting the daily physical activity recommendation during the pandemic. Planet Fitness wants teens to feel safe and have a welcoming space when they arrive at any of their locations to get their sweat on in a healthy way.

All teens who sign up for the membership are automatically entered into a drawing for a scholarship, which will reward one student in each state with a $500 scholarship and one grand prize of $5,000 in scholarship money.

To enroll, students must be between the age of 14 and 19 years old. Teenagers under 18 years old must sign up with a parent or guardian either online or in-person at one of their clubs.

High school students can work out for free from May 16 to Aug. 13 at the nearest Planet Fitness location.

Teenagers looking to enroll in the program can register on the Planet Fitness website.

To uncover how high schoolers view health and fitness today, Planet Fitness commissioned a national study in partnership with Material to shed light on mental and physical health from both teens’ and parents’ perspectives.  Although negatively impacted by the pandemic, teens are ready to make a commitment to getting healthy, both physically and mentally.

Key findings include:

• Physical Fitness for the Win. Despite three in five teens (60 percent) reporting their usual health and fitness routines were severely disrupted over the last two years, nearly all (89 percent) of their parents credit regular exercise and physical activity as helping their teens cope with the challenges of the pandemic. And nearly all (92 percent) teens agree that when they are regularly physically active, they feel much better mentally.
  • Although many teens make exercise and fitness a priority in their life (65 percent), there are significant barriers to doing so. In fact, 78 percent of teens note that just having access to a place to work out and being able to do so with friends (72 percent) would benefit their health and fitness journeys.
  • A majority of teens who exercise also agree that physical fitness makes them feel healthier (61 percent), stronger (57 percent) and happier (50 percent). It also provides the meaningful health benefits of more energy (69 percent), increased strength (64 percent) and stress relief (61 percent).
  • And 84 percent of teens agree that there has never been a better time than now to focus on their health.
• Mental Health Takes Center Stage. Almost half (48 percent) of teens admit that they struggled with mental health for the first time during the pandemic. And more than half (51 percent) explain they currently struggle with anxiety.
  • Parents are overwhelmingly concerned about how the past two years have impacted their teens’ mental health (71 percent), overall health (66 percent) and physical fitness (60 percent). And 71 percent are equally concerned for their high schooler’s academic progress and preparedness for college.
  • That said, more than four in five teens report they are feeling hopeful about what’s to come in the future (85 percent) and that the pandemic showed them how strong they really are (82 percent).
• Let’s Get Talking. Parents have overwhelmingly spoken more regularly to their teens over the past two years about topics like self-esteem and confidence (92 percent), exercise and working out (88 percent) and mental health (82 percent). The majority of teens today also say they are now more open and communicative about their feelings (79 percent).
• Screen Time, More Time. A majority of parents (55 percent) also report the time their teens spends on social media has increased since the start of the pandemic. In fact, many parents feel their teens are spending more time being sedentary than active – 54 percent noted their teens text more today, 52 percent saw an uptick in playing video games and 50 percent of parents say their teen is spending more time watching TV.
• And more teens agree they spend too much time in front of screens than they did right before the pandemic (61 percent in 2022 versus 52 percent in 2020).

Our council executive board is a volunteer board made up of MetroWest & South Shore areas top business and community leaders. Here’s who serves on the executive board. To sort the list scroll to the bottom and select by executive board complete, advisory, executive board or by executive committee.

Our council committees are lead by a group of dedicated Scouters from across the council. Here’s who serves as the leader of each committee.

What is Eagle Giving Month?

Eagle Giving is an online fundraising throughout the month leading up to the 2022 Eagle Recognition Dinner. For one month, the Eagle Scout Alumni community will come together in support of Scouting and future Eagle Scouts.

Together we are helping the Mayflower Council enrich, enhance, and elevate the lives of youth in Scouting.

Why have a Giving Month?

A Month of giving is more than just raising money online — it’s a tool to engage alumni, and Scout families by generating awareness and building a culture of philanthropy at Mayflower Council. It is an incredible opportunity to tell our story, inspire our audience, and acquire new donors, all in support of Scouting. This year, we are challenging 300 Eagle Scouts to Give Their Eagle Pride A Purpose.

How can I be a part of it?

From Wednesday, May 11, 2022 starting at 5:45am – Monday, June 13, 2022 at 5:45pm we need YOU to show Give Your Eagle Pride A Purpose!

• Show your pride! Between 5:45 am Wed 5/11 – 5:45 pm Mon. 6/13:

1. 1. Make an online gift: Eagle Gives
   2. Help us gain momentum and reach more people. Encourage your networks to follow your lead by letting them know you just made a gift and why Scouting is important to you.
   3. “Like” the Mayflower social networks & Join the Alumni page
   4. Post to Instagram or Facebook stories with a short video of why it is important to support Scouting. Get personal. Tell your Scouting story to inspire others to make a gift. Repost, share, and like #SupportingFutureEagles #GiveYourEagleAPurpose social media posts throughout the day.

• Share your pride! “Like” and “Share” the posts on our social networks (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter) & Share your Scouting Story using the hashtag #GiveYourEaglePrideAPurpose.

• Become a Fundraiser! Create your own custom fundraising page through Facebook or GoFundMe. Add photos, text and videos on why it’s important to you to help support Future Eagles. Then tag your fellow Eagle pals and share away. It’s quick and easy, and you could win some terrific Scouting swag! For help creating your page, contact Mariama Sano

Hashtags: #EagleGives, #GiveYourEagleAPurpose, #SupportingFutureEagles
Donation Link: Eagle Gives

Mayflower Social Networks:

• Facebook:  MayflowerBSA
• Twitter:  @mayflowerbsa
• Instagram: @Mayflowerbsa

Mayflower Alumni Social Networks:

• Facebook Mayflower Council Eagle Nest

Scouting is a family. We rely on our strong network of alumni and friends to keep Scouting going. Thanks to our generous alumni, Scouting continues to Thrive.

Join us by making your gift, challenging your Eagle pals, and sharing on social media! Together we are Supporting Future Eagles and helping to keep Scouting alive.