Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2026 i Scout Life

New year, new me. That’s right. For my New Year’s resolution, I’m giving up something I really love. I will no longer be swooping down to take fries off picnic tables. It’s selfless, I know. But I’m doing it because someone (The Boss) calls it “rude.” Oh, well. Before we get to some letters, I’d like to introduce you to a very special someone: The Boss’ boss, Mr. Roger Krone. He’s the Chief Scout Executive, president and CEO of Scouting America. (That’s a mouthful!) Best of all, he’s a lot nicer than The Boss. Take it away, Roger! Hello, readers! Scout asked me to help with his heavy workload by answering a letter each issue. Feel free to send me questions about Scouting, camping, how to have fun or…

Louis Braille, who became blind at a young age, created the system in 1824 when he was only 15 years old. Braille is still used around the world today, even in Scouting! WORLD BRAILLE DAY reminds us of the importance of ensuring that everyone has equal access to reading, learning and communication. People who are blind or have low vision RUN THEIR FINGERTIPS ALONG THE DOTS TO READ. READ IT Abolition and the African American Story introduces some of the young people who played key historic roles as soldiers, conductors on the Underground Railroad and more in the effort to achieve freedom and equality for African Americans. By Patricia Williams Dockery. Crown Books for Young Readers, $12.99. Ages 10 and up. A village girl named Ciara discovers a magical book and…

Towering nearly 70 feet tall, a cascading frozen flow looms over the Scouts of Troop 16 from Parker, Colorado. Many of the Scouts aren’t intimidated. With ice axes in hand and crampons strapped to their boots, they’re excited to climb this impressive ice wall. “It looks so cool,” says First Class Scout Brendan Klinker, 13. “You don’t realize how difficult this will be.” As the Scouts get rigged into the ropes and approach the icy challenge, their adrenaline starts pumping. Each climber swings two axes above their head, embedding the metal into the frozen surface. They kick the crampons’ spikes into the ice and slowly lift themselves up. The climb is on! ADVENTURE ON ICE Camp Alexander, a Pathway to the Rockies Council property in central Colorado, offers ice climbing…

To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Scouting America and America250 are launching Service 250, a nationwide challenge for each unit to complete 250 hours of service throughout this year. Kicking off with a National Day of Service on Feb. 7, Scouts will contribute hours through food drives, Eagle projects, cleanups and more — honoring our nation through meaningful community service. Here are some service-related Adventures and merit badges for you to check out: Lion: King of the Jungle Tiger: Team Tiger Wolf: Council Fire Bear: Paws for Action Webelos: My Community Arrow of Light: Citizenship Merit badges: Citizenship in the Community, Emergency Preparedness, Personal Management, Sustainability, Woodworking and more.  …

National Popcorn Day is JAN. 19. Many TASTY FLAVORS on grocery store shelves include classic butter, caramel, cheese and chocolate drizzle. Each popcorn kernel contains a TINY BIT OF WATER. The water turns to steam when heated, causing the kernel to explode! POPCORN IS A HEALTHY SNACK. Plain popcorn is rich in fiber and has very few calories. MORE THAN 15 BILLION QUARTS OF POPCORN are eaten every year in the U.S. That’s enough to cover the entire state of Rhode Island knee-deep in popcorn! Popcorn was first enjoyed by Native Americans MORE THAN 5,000 YEARS AGO. Popcorn is a SPECIAL TYPE OF CORN called Zea mays everta. The corn has a hard outer shell. Sac City, Iowa, is home to the WORLD'S LARGEST POPCORN BALL. It weighs 9,370 pounds.…

Digital Technology Today’s computers and smartphones are the modern-day result of the work of many inventors, mathematicians and philosophers during several centuries. In 1804, a Frenchman named Joseph Marie Jacquard invented an automatic weaving machine controlled by instructions coded on punch cards. It’s widely considered to be the first computer. The 1990s saw the expansion of the internet, a public worldwide computer system. In the early 1600s, William Oughtred invented the slide rule, a device that uses logarithms to simplify the task of multiplying and dividing. It was widely used until calculators became common. In 1977, two young men — Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs — released the Apple II, one of the first highly successful personal computers. In 2007, Apple Inc. released the first iPhone, a telephone that could…

The Saint George award is for Cub Scouts in first through fourth grades. The Scout must be a communicant member of an Orthodox Christian Church recognized by the Assembly of Bishops. The Chi-Rho award is for Webelos, Arrow of Light and Scouts BSA members in fourth through seventh grades. The Scout must attend church school or another formal religious instruction program. The Alpha Omega award is for Scouts BSA members and Venturers in sixth through 12th grades. The Scout must be a communicant member of an Orthodox Christian Church recognized by the Assembly of Bishops. For more information, contact your local council or visit go.scoutlife.org/religiousawards…

SEE IT Watch Will, a small but mighty goat, dive into roarball — the wildest sport on four hooves. When he joins an elite team of animal athletes, this determined underdog/undergoat must prove he has the heart and hustle to compete. GOAT charges into theaters Feb. 13. [Not rated at press time.] CALENDAR Jan. 14 is National Dress Up Your Pet Day. Don’t embarrass Rex or Fluffy too much! (And it’s OK if your pet doesn’t want to dress up at all!) Jan. 19 is a federal holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. February is Black History Month. Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. Feb. 16 is Presidents Day. ON THIS DATE Jan. 10, 1899: The first U.S. escalator is patented. Jan. 24, 1848: Gold is discovered in California, sparking a…

GERMANY: Pour hot liquid lead into cold water. If it takes the shape of a heart, there will be a wedding this year; a ship means travel, and a pig predicts plenty of food. CHINA: Paint the front door a lucky color of red. THE PHILIPPINES: Wear polka dots and build up piles of round fruits and coins to bring wealth. SOUTH AFRICA: Dump old furniture from the highest window for a new beginning. MEXICO: Walk around the block with a suitcase to lock in happy travels. SPAIN: Eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Each one represents a month of the year. UNITED STATES: Eat black-eyed peas, greens and cornbread for a windfall of coins, dollars and gold. DID YOU KNOW? The Times Square Ball was first dropped in 1907 after…

Bundled up in his warm sleeping bag, Ewan Knight tried not thinking about how he was surrounded by ice. “I just ignore the fact that I’m inside an igloo, and that’s the easiest way to get to sleep,” the 12-year-old Tenderfoot Scout from Troop 254 in Seattle, Washington, says. “It wasn’t the best sleep, but it was OK.” Working for hours on the frozen dome and aiding his fellow Scouts with their igloos also probably helped him catch some z’s. The igloo campout is one of the most challenging — and fun — outings the troop does every year. BE PREPARED Weeks before the campout, the Scouts started preparing by reviewing the gear they would need. Even if they’d gone on this outing before, everyone studied their packing lists because…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • Cotton fabric (an old T-shirt or troop shirt could work)• Pen or marker• Ruler or measuring tape• Scissors• Sewing needle• Spoon• Thread• Uncooked rice SAFETY FIRST: Ask an adult to help with tools you haven’t used before. WHAT YOU’LL DO: STEP 1. MEASURE AND CUT A PIECE OF COTTON FABRIC about 6 inches by 6 inches. Fold it in half horizontally (top to bottom) to form a 6-by-3-inch rectangle. Note: Sizes will vary depending on what fits your hand comfortably. Increase the width if you want it to be wider. STEP 2. DOUBLE-THREAD YOUR NEEDLE with an arm’s length of thread. (See how at go.scoutlife.org/doublethread) Tie a knot at the end. Starting at one of the short open sides, sew the edge using small, even running stitches.…