Come celebrate the Class of 2024 Eagle Scouts and Silver Beaver Awardees!
Join us on February 1st by Monterey Bay Seaside
This special evening celebrates the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council’s award-winning achievements in 2024. It is set for Saturday, February 1st, 2025 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, Monterey Bay Seaside for an evening of Scouting fellowship, inspiration, and gratitude.
We would like to recognize our recent class of Eagle Scouts and Silver Beaver awardees. Our special guest speaker will be Nathan Orloff, a Los Angeles-based film editor.
Class of 2024 Eagle Scouts may register for a complimentary ticket for the dinner and program until January 20, 2025. Early Bird pricing is in effect until December 31, 2024. Register Here!
For more details click here
2025 Eagle Scholarship Portal is now open!!
The Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council and the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) are excited to announce that its scholarship application portal is now open! From December 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, eligible Eagle Scouts can apply for a range of scholarships designed to support their academic pursuits.
Eligibility Requirements
Eagle Board of Review: Must have been completed on or before January 24, 2025.
NESA Membership: Applicants must be current members of the National Eagle Scout Association.
Education Status: Open to full-time students in high school (senior year), undergraduate programs (up to junior year), or those halfway through an associate or skilled trade program.
Application Highlights
Scholarships are awarded based on merit, Scouting involvement, community service, and financial need. Applicants are encouraged to showcase their unique stories and contributions. The portal will close promptly at 11:59 PM CST on January 31,2025.
For more Information
Visit the NESA Scholarships page to learn more and apply today! Don’t miss this opportunity to secure funding for your educational journey
Recognizing Exceptional Service: The Glenn A. & Melinda W. Adams Service Project of the Year Award
Are you a 2024 Eagle Scout? If so, we have a great opportunity for you!
The Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (SVMBC) in conjunction with the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) proudly presents the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award (ESSPY), an esteemed accolade that honors outstanding service by Eagle Scouts through their projects. This award recognizes the remarkable contributions made by Eagle Scout candidates to religious institutions, schools, communities, and various entities.
Celebrating Impactful Projects
The ESSPY highlights projects of exceptional nature, often benefiting underprivileged children, honoring veterans, helping schools and communities, or addressing international needs. These projects require considerable dedication of time and resources, showcasing the Scouts’ commitment to their communities.
Selection Process
The award selection starts at the local level, facilitated by the SVMBC NESA committee. After reviewing nominations, the committee will select a recipient from our council.
The winner is then submitted to the Council Service Territory (CST) consideration. The CST scholarship committee then identifies “Territory” ESSPY recipients, who receive $300 to support future educational endeavors or participation in Scouting events.
From this pool, the national recipient is chosen by a special selection committee, with the honored Scout receiving $3,500 for educational purposes or Scouting activities.
Nominations Open for 2024 Eagles
Nominations for the council award are now open, with eligibility extended to anyone who earned their Eagle Scout rank in 2024. Nominations can be submitted by the Eagle Scout, their parents, or any registered BSA volunteer (with the Scout’s permission). All nominations must be sent to the SVMBC NESA committee by January 31, 2025, at nesa@svmbc.org. The Council recipient will be announced by February 28, 2025.
Evaluation Critera
Projects will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including:
- Project Planning: Evidence of thorough planning and execution.
- Challenges Overcome: The Scout’s ability to navigate difficulties, including personal limitations.
- Leadership: The extent of leadership demonstrated throughout the project.
- Achievement of Results: How well the project met its intended goals, including any necessary modifications.
- Community Impact: The project’s benefits to its beneficiaries and the wider community.
- Inspiration: Potential for the project to motivate others to expand its scope.
- Originality: Creativity and uniqueness of the project.
- Scope of Work: The overall scale of the project.
- Resources: Time and materials contributed.
- Skill Level: The expertise demonstrated during project completion.
How to Apply
- Interested candidates can download the nomination form from the NESA website at nesa.org.
- Nominations MUST BE SUMBITTED to the SVMBC NESA committee at nesa@svmbc.org
Please make sure that all parts of the nomination are completed.
- Completed nomination form
- A SINGLE PDF FILE with the following items should be submitted with this nomination form:
- Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook
- Up to 10 project photographs
- Optional supporting documentation (drawings, news articles, etc.)
- Optional (but highly recommended): a short video that is between 3-5 minutes, tells the story of your Eagle Scout Service Project and describes the impact on their community as well as yourself. (details for submission are included on the nomination form)
For more Information
For additional details, please contact the SVBMC NESA committee at nesa@svmbc.org. This award not only honors the dedication of Eagle Scouts but also inspires future generations to engage in meaningful service.
[Update effective 9/1/2024]
Accommodation
The older youth Scouting America programs (Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouting, and Exploring) encourage leadership development, growth, and independence by recommending that youth share accommodations with other youth (must be the same gender per Barriers to Abuse). However, we also recognize that exceptional circumstances may warrant a parent or legal guardian sharing accommodation with their same-gender child if the parent/legal guardian meets all leader registration requirements.
Youth siblings of the same gender may share sleeping accommodations regardless of age with permission from their parents or legal guardians.
Campsites and/or housing must be arranged to separate genders adequately. This separation could be achieved through natural barriers, physical distance, or by the campsite being divided, so long as the separation achieves privacy for both adults and youth, as well as by gender. Adult leaders are responsible for establishing the barriers and reminding Scouts that members of one gender must not enter the tent/housing of another.
The Buddy System
The buddy system is designed to provide an additional layer of safeguarding by ensuring no youth member/participant is alone and that a buddy can get help in an emergency.
The buddy system is used whenever members/participants are outside the line of sight of qualified adult leadership and specific activities where the buddy system is required for participation. Of note:
- The adult unit leadership oversees and approves buddies.
- Buddies are two and can also be three to prevent members or participants from being alone.
- If the original pair for a buddy group is mixed gender, a third youth/participant must be added (for a buddy group of 3).
- Youth siblings of the same gender may serve as buddies regardless of age with permission from their parents or legal guardians.
- Except for siblings, the age gap between buddies must be at most three years for all non-sleeping activities and no more than two years for all sleeping accommodations.
- When exceptional circumstances warrant, a parent or legal guardian may serve as a buddy of their own child for both Scouting activities and sleeping arrangements, but youth buddies meeting the above criteria, if available, are always preferred.
Participation by Parents and Legal Guardians
Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to participate in Scouting activities with their children. However, to meet youth protection policies, some participation—including all overnight activities—requires the parent or legal guardian to be a registered adult in their child’s unit.
*See and note the Cub Scout Exception
[End update effective 9/1/2024]
18 – 20 Adult Leader/Program Participant Policy
17-year-old* youth members transitioning to an adult leader (Scouts BSA), Camp Staff or adult program participant (Order of the Arrow, Venturing and Sea Scouts) upon their 18th birthday may continue to participate while their adult application and CBC are processed, but this period shall not exceed 30 days. These individuals are subject to the same youth protection policies and guidelines as all adult Scouters even during this registration transition period.
This includes:
- Adhere to the Youth Protection and Barriers to abuse polices of the BSA.
- Follow housing and tenting policies that apply to adult membership.
- Utilize restroom and shower facilities for adults.
- Buddy system is not required but is recommended for all participants.
- While adult program participants do not require two deep leadership, as they are subject to the same youth protection policies and guidelines as all adult Scouters. All Scouting activities are still required to meet barriers to abuse and must have two leaders over 21.
17-year-old youth members whose 18th birthday occurs during active participation at Summer Camp, a High Adventure Base or any BSA National Events may complete the activity they started as a youth participant without interruption; however, at its conclusion they must immediately register as an adult. This exception is intended for limited use in scenarios such as completing a trek while staying in the same tent or accommodation in the last few days of an event. It does not change or extend Eagle Scout or other advancement required to be completed by a Scouts 18th Birthday; they will need to follow all applicable advancement policies.
*Cub Scout Programs – Overnight Exception: Cub Scout parents or legal guardians taking part in an overnight Cub Scout program with their own child or legal ward are not required to register as leaders. All adults must review the “How to Protect your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide” that can be found in the front of each Cub Scout Handbook. In addition, the parent or legal guardian must be accompanied by a registered leader at any time they are with youth members other than their own child/ward. All other overnight adults must be currently registered in an adult fee required position.
For more information, visit the National Resources page.
Due to registration no longer being a prorated registration as of August 1st 2023 all registered youth or adult after that date have a 12 month registration. It is important for units to follow up with those families that are due to expire and provide instructions that will either have the unit or the individual pay for their renewal.
We have provided some helpful documents that will guide you through the process. If you have any further questions please contact registration@svmbc.org or your District Executive.
In August 2023, all BSA registrations changed to 12 months.
Parents and leaders can renew their registration online two months before the membership expires.
My.Scouting displays a reminder notice in the upper right upon login when your registration is due to renew within two months. An email membership renewal notice is also sent with a link that can be used.
Click on the Notice icon to open the renewal page.
Review to ensure everything looks correct, then click on the “Go To Payment” button.
You will be prompted to sign and agree to the BSA Terms and Conditions, just like you did when you joined the BSA. (Please review before signing).
Click on “Go to Checkout Summary.”
The checkout page shows the fees to pay and allows you to adjust the Scout Life Magazine Subscription.
NOTE: The default is to subscribe. You will need to “uncheck” the box if you do not wish to subscribe.
Proceed to enter your Credit Card information.
The payment process will default to the billing address record on file. Please check this. If the Credit Card has a different address, you can change it.
Click on “Place Order” and your membership is now renewed.
Once the credit card process is completed, your receipt will show. Click on the “Complete Registration” tab at the bottom and you will be directed back to your application in My.Scouting.
Changes to the Cub Scout Program now in effect as of June 1, 2024
The Cub Scout program will be updated for the 2024-25 program year. Cub Scout program changes are important for Scout leaders of all levels to know about. The new updates are based on feedback from over 23,000 parents and Cub Scout leaders through various surveys and data. The National Cub Scout committee identified four key improvements.
The four areas of improvement are the Bobcat badge, Cub Scout Adventures, Webelos, and Cub Scout Awards.
Bobcat
Bobcat will become a required Adventure for each rank and is designed to be the first Adventure earned each year. The requirements for the Bobcat Adventure are different for each grade to make them age-appropriate.
Cub Scout Adventures
Cub Scout Adventures have been improved to make it easier to deliver the program to multi-rank dens or as a Pack. A Cub Scout will need to earn six required Adventures and two elective Adventures to complete each rank. Required Adventures reflect the aims and focus areas of the BSA. There will be an increase in the number of elective adventures to choose from.
Webelos and Arrow of Light
Webelos and Arrow of Light will be separated. Webelos becomes the 4th-grade program in Cub Scouting. Arrow of Light becomes a stand-alone badge of rank for 5th graders and will no longer be associated with Webelos. Arrow of Light will be the program that prepares Cub Scouts to join Scouts BSA.
Cub Scout Awards
Cub Scouts Awards will be reimagined as Cub Scout Adventures. Topics like camping, STEM, and range and target sports are reimagined into elective Adventures that can be used towards earning a badge of rank.
What’s not changing?
For one: the Scout Oath and Law. That was nonnegotiable.
The uniforms also are not changing.
But maybe most importantly, the overall goal of the Cub Scout program — character, citizenship, personal fitness and leadership — remain the same.
Cub Scouting’s values remain embedded in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Cub Scout motto, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake and salute, as they always have been.
Summer is here! What rank is my Cub Scout now?
Cub Scouts who just finished kindergarten are now Tiger Cub Scouts and can start work on the updated Tiger program from now all the way through next spring.
Cub Scouts who just finished first grade are now Wolves.
Cub Scouts who just finished second grade are now Bears.
Cub Scouts who just finished third grade are now Webelos.
Cub Scouts who just finished fourth grade are now Arrow of Light.
Children who begin kindergarten this fall can start working on the new Lion requirements once they start school in August or September.
Click here to learn more about the aims and methods of Cub Scouting.
The Scouting adventure, camping trips, high-adventure excursions, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in making sure you have a great Scouting experience.
The three page form has a Part C that needs to be filled out and signed by a physician. There needs to be a current set of vital signs (i.e. blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate, body temperature, etc.) Part C is only required for participation in events lasting longer than 72 hours, all Boy Scouts of America participants are encouraged to complete this pre-participation to the activity.
Kaiser Permanente is a local medical group that provides medical care for approximately 74% of all attendees to Camp Hi-Sierra. Kaiser changed its policy last year so that all youth groups get the same, generic form for Part C. The Council Risk Management Committee determined that these Kaiser forms are acceptable as long as they have a current set of vitals.
Please note this Kaiser form is acceptable to go to Camp Hi-Sierra, but is not accepted for any of the High Adventure Bases or Jamborees. If you are attending a summer camp other than Camp Hi-Sierra, please check with that Council to determine whether or not they will accept the Kaiser form.
We are modernizing! The Council has begun the transition to a new system named Black Pug. This exciting tool will consolidate four systems to one – streamlining event registrations, payments, check-in, and managing your unit account.
Over the next few months, you will see changes to how payments are processed at the front desk or over the phone, reserve camping, and sign up for events.
Setting Up An Account
A Black Pug account allows you to save your activity data, makes registering faster, and access your unit account if you have a leadership role in your unit. Below is how to get started! If you are a committee chair, make sure to register with the email address on file in my.scouting.org so that it automatically syncs you with your unit.
Video below includes:
- Creating account
- Editing profile
- Changing password
- Import and manage roster
- View past registrations
Registering For Events
A Black Pug account allows you to save your activity data, makes registering faster, and access your unit account if you have a leadership role in your unit. Below is how to get started! If you are a committee chair, make sure to register with the email address on file in my.scouting.org so that it automatically syncs you with your unit.
Videos below includes:
- Finding information about event or training
- Who to contact for questions
- Entering contact information and participant information
- Required information in red
- Additional actions – Adding or deleting participants. etc
- Pay schedule and completing check-out process
- Council policies
Accessing Roster Imported By Council
Once a month we will update the roster in Black Pug to assist you in registering on behalf of your unit and to valid membership for anyone registered to stay overnight. For anyone in your unit with roster access they will be able to see the roster and use it when registering.
Videos below includes:
- How to see the units that you are linked
- Accessing the roster
- Using the roster to register
- Viewing activities by participant
Unit Account Management
Every unit has a controller (committee chair) that has the keys to the unit and can provide different access to other members of their unit to see the roster, make payments, see current unit account amounts, and more. The below video is for the controller of the unit.
Videos below includes:
- How to add additional trusted people for your unit
- Deposit to your Unit account
- Different levels of access that can be set up
- How to see a record of unit transactions.
We have an important update for you. A memo about BSA National fee updates was released to Council Key 3s during the National Annual Meeting of the BSA early this month. This change is typically announced in mid-July.
As you might expect, information has quickly made the rounds via social media, and we are aware that many of our volunteers have heard portions of the message, if not the whole message. While we’d like to have all of the answers for you today, the changes that are coming will take time for our council to understand how they affect our units. Rest assured that the Council Executive Board and Staff are working to define the scope of the changes. We want to present our frontline volunteers and parents with the right information rather than speculation.
For a summary, click here.
So, what do we know?
1) Some fees are increasing, and some are staying the same. In the setting of economic inflation and the National Council exiting from bankruptcy, this is an unfortunate but necessary consequence of ensuring that Scouting will continue. New fees and the changes below will take effect on August 1.
2) The adult fee increase is directly related to the cost of the new enhanced background check. California AB 506 rules do not supersede the BSA check and remain requirements for volunteers in all youth service organizations in the state.
3) There is a new fee of $25 for newly registered Merit Badge Counselors (MBC). This fee applies to those only serving as an MBC and no other role. For those currently only serving as an MBC, this fee will apply at recharter time for the 1/1/24 to 12/31/24 time frame.
4) Our local council annual insurance fee will increase to cover rising insurance costs for the council. Our local insurance fee will be $16 per person, a $4 increase starting August 1. Merit Badge Counselors will continue to benefit from insurance but not pay into our insurance program.
5) New member fees will no longer be prorated. Both youth and adults will pay the full annual membership fee and will renew their membership on the anniversary date of joining Scouting. The current recharter process will change. We are unsure of the exact changes, but we expect that the onerous recharter process will be simplified by this change.
6) Because member fees will no longer be prorated, the SVMBC insurance will also no longer be prorated.
7) Existing members will renew their membership during their normal registration/recharter cycle through March 2024. Moving forward, all members will renew on their anniversary date.
- Existing members’ Anniversary date will be their unit recharter month.
- New members’ Anniversary date will be the month they joined.
In summary, beginning August 1, 2023, all new youth and adult members who join Scouting will be enrolled in a 12-month membership cycle and BSA will cease prorating fees. Both youth and adults will pay the full annual National Council membership fee and will renew their membership on the anniversary date of joining Scouting. All proration of membership fees will be eliminated.
Below are our updated fees:
We will update you with additional information as we learn more. This information will be sent via email and will be updated on the council website.
We hope to better understand these changes in the next few weeks and appreciate your patience as we learn more.
Yours in Scouting,
Chris McGugan, Council President
Jeff Thompson, Council Commissioner
Eric Tarbox, Scout Executive
Scouting’s Barrier to Abuse is getting stronger this fall. As part of our ongoing commitment to abuse prevention, the Boy Scouts of America is updating the adult supervision requirements for overnight activities. This update enhances the minimum “two-deep leadership” requirements by additionally requiring every adult present on overnight activities to be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America. A limited exception is for parents and legal guardians of Cub Scout youth attending overnight with their children.
All other adults staying overnight in connection with a Scouting activity must be currently registered in an adult fee-required position as listed or as an adult program participant starting September 1, 2023. In addition, these adults must submit an adult application and registration fee, complete the Live Scan criminal background check and complete the required Youth Protection and Mandated Reporter training.
Simply put, starting September 1 all adults who attend an overnight activity must be fully registered in Scouting. The only exception is for parents or legal guardians attending with their Cub Scouts.
This new policy will protect our Scouts by improving adherence to Youth Protection policies at camps and adding more uniform screening of adults interacting with our Scouts. We recommend all units use this summer to work with your families to explain this new policy and start registering anyone planning to go camping with the unit.
More information can be found in Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse and Youth Protection and Barriers to Abuse FAQs. Click here to watch our Informational Meeting we held on Zoom. Below are answers to some common questions and scenarios.
Thank you for your commitment to keeping our Scouts safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does a Cub Scout parent or legal guardian have to be a registered leader to participate in a Cub Scout overnight program with their own child/ward? A: No. However, they cannot serve as unit or den two deep leadership or supervision.
Q: I am an adult attending a pack, troop, crew, or ship overnight activity, do I have to be registered?
A: Yes, if you participate/stay overnight, you must be currently registered in an adult fee required position or as an adult program participant. Exception for legal guardians attending with their Cub Scout.
Q: When does this change take effect?
A: All Cub Scout Packs, Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, Sea Scouting Ships, Exploring Posts, council, and district overnight programs will be required to comply with this update by September 1, 2023. We encourage early adoption prior to the effective date to get your families ready for this change.
Q: Why is this change being made?
A: For decades the BSA has evolved its Barriers to Abuse to better protect youth from abuse. This new measure is a continuation of this commitment by the BSA to prevent abuse in our program and adds a new layer of protection for our Scouts.
Q: What is an adult fee required position?
A: Adults may select from the list below of adult leader position options provided in the “Registration Guidebook of the Boy Scouts of America” that is available for their unit, district or council position. For example, registration as a Merit Badge Counselor, Lion Cub Partner, Tiger Partner does not meet this requirement.
Q: An Arrow of Light den is camping with a troop for their Scouting Adventure pin. Do all the adults need to be registered?
A: Parents who are attending with their Arrow of Light Scout do not have to register and will camp alongside their den. Reminder the den must still have registered two-deep leadership. All adults camping with the troop must be registered.
Q: A Cub Scout pack is having their unit campout. A grandpa wants to bring his grandson to the pack campout because the Scout’s parents will be out of town. Does grandpa have to register?
A:Yes. The Cub Scout exception is limited to a parent or legal guardian. A grandparent or other family member who is not the legal guardian could attend overnight but must register. Reminder, the Scout and grandpa cannot share the same tent.
Q: Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse states “All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders.” Does this update change that policy?
A: No – Parents are still able to attend any program within Scouting; however, to observe programs and stay overnight, they must register with the BSA.
Q: A merit badge counselor wants to attend a troop overnight activity. Can they?
A: Maybe. Merit Badge Counselor is a council position that would require another multiple registration from the list of approved positions. An adult registered only as a merit badge counselor would not qualify. Reminder – only adults registered in one of the positions on the approved list of “fee required positions” may stay overnight.
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