Court of Honor

This is the Court of Honor right after summer camp, so there were tons of merit badges to present tonight.

Calvin earned his Mammal Study, Archery, Environmentalist (earned at a merit badge college), Emergency Preparedness, and Rifle Shooting. Whew. That's a lot. He has one more requirement to meet for Reptile Study.

They also presented the boys who went to camp with special achievement awards.

Calvin earned Bieber Award (I'll let him tell that story).

Joshua earned "Smile King" for being so smiley and good-natured even when the temperature was above 100deg and humidity was around 90%.

Joshua was also presented his Scout Rank tonight.

2nd Class Scout

Calvin earned his 2nd Class rank tonight. He was also elected Patrol Leader a few weeks ago. He's a hard worker, and it pays off.

Webelos Boy Scout Camping Trip

Once a year Troop 401 hosts a camping trip for the Webelos IIs of Pack 401. This meets a requirement for the Arrow of Light and prepares them for bridging over into Boy Scouts.







Jeremiah got to tag along. It was a very special treat for him.





Calvin helped teach the younger boys how the Boy Scouts earn their Firem'n Chit and Totem Chip cards. These cards give a scout the right to carry a knife and make fire.





Joshua and Calvin will share many special scout experiences as Joshua bridges over.

Camp Campbell

Calvin's first ever camping trip as a Boy Scout.
He worked all day on his Fishing Merit Badge.



He's completed many of the requirements. He still needs to catch 2 fish, identify 3, and clean/cook a fish he caught.

Cause the fish just won't bitin' that day.



...He'll get it done.



Leon chaperoned the event, and Lamont came out and spent the day with him on Saturday. Lucky kid had both his dads on this trip!



The Warrior Patrol worked on their Cooking Merit Badge together.





The boys are getting ready to make what's called a hobo. Basically you take your meat (chicken, beef, pork, whatever), veggies, and spices and wrap them up in aluminum foil. Then you cook them in your fire for about 45 minutes.

These are actually very very tasty.



Mr. Shaun and Mr. Keith.







These boys have a great time. They bond over these type of trips becoming very close friends.

Boy Scout Court of Honor

Calvin earned his Scout badge. This signifies that the boys have met all the joining requirements and that they are ready to start working their way up in rank:

Tenderfoot
Second Class
First Class
Star Scout
Life Scout
and finally Eagle Scout

Calvin is finding that Boy Scouts is 10 times harder than Cubs. He is loving the new challenges.





The boys keep a board that shows where all the scouts rank. As they move up, they move their little emblem up the pegs.



We are so proud of all his hard work.

Blue and Gold - Bridging Over

When a Cub Scout bridges over into Boy Scouts it's a pretty big deal.



First the Webelos Den Leader and the Cubmaster take off the boys' Cub Scout epaulets, neckerchief, and slide.



Then the Scoutmaster calls for each boy from the other side of the bridge. Two Boy Scouts greet him and put on his Boy Scout epaulets, neckerchief, and slide.



Then once all the new scouts have crossed over, the whole troop walks by welcoming the boys in.



And they are officially Boy Scouts.

Three Scouts

Webelos Outdoor Adventure

We went to the Mountains to the Sea trail. It was snowing and the ground was covered in ice, water, and mud.






On the trail we stopped and learned how to make an emergency shelter. We got a really large stick and leaned it against a tree. We put sticks leaned against the tree that was leaned against the big tree. We put dead leaves over the sticks that were leaned against the branch that was leaned against the tree. You are supposed to put a tarp over top of that and you have a waterproof shelter for the night. But we had to get back to the trail head. So we didn't put the tarp on.






-Calvin Webelos II

Photography Beltloop and Pin

"Photography: the process, activity and art of creating still or moving pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a film, or an electronic sensor."

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Point out the major features of a camera to your den or family and explain the function of each part. Parts could include film, lens, shutter, power on and off, zoom, battery, flash, display panel, case, settings, etc.

Parts of the camera: screen, lens, flash, battery house, memory card house, function buttons, body, tripod thread, lens cap, usb port

2. Discuss with your den leader or adult partner, the benefits and contributions photography makes to modern life. Report what you learned to your den or family.

Photography is important because it helps us remember stuff and leaves a history.

3. Using a camera, take at least 10 pictures of your family, pet, or scenery; show these to your den.

For the Pin I can choose 5 of the other requirements.

2. Look at a book of published photos about a subject that interests you. Find out what makes these photos remarkable and why people want to look at these pictures. Learn whether the photographer used light or angles to make the photos interesting. Discuss what you learned with an adult.

My mom and I looked at a National Geographic book. I showed her the picture of the rhinoceros. It was cool because was the focus was great and we could see detail. The subject was not right in the center. The background was blurry so you only notice what is important.

3. Explain to an adult what “red eye” is and why it can happen in a picture. Show examples.

"Red Eye: The effect in a photograph taken with flash of a subject's eyes appearing red due to the reflection of light from the blood vessels in the retina."

Mom and I found this website that explains it.  You should check it out.
www.colorpilot.com/redeye_effect.html

4. Make a short video of a friend, family member, or pet, and show it to your den or family.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

5. With an adult’s help, use a photo-editing software feature to crop, lighten or darken, and change a photo.

I change the darkness and the lightness of this picture by changing the color curves in Gimp(a free computer program).

6. Make a creative project using at least one photo.