We call it doing a good turn daily.

But what exactly are you allowed to do? You can’t, for example, use a log splitter or wood chipper until you turn 18. You can, however, use a rake, hoe, shovel or hand clippers.

For a comprehensive list of what you can and can’t do, click here.

For help planning your next service project, click here.

For the Scouting Safely Guidelines and Policies page, click here.

If you’ve attended a past jamboree, you already have some memories. The BSA would like for you to share.

The Fireside Story Project is a fascinating collection of stories from past jamborees. Whether the last jamboree you attended was three years ago or 30 years ago, these guys would like to hear it.

It’s simple: All you have to do is call a number and record your story. Or you can record your story yourself at home and upload it here.

For more on how the project works, click here.

Either way, here’s what you need to know:

The 2013 Jamboree will be at the Summit, the BSA’s new national high-adventure base in West Virginia. The Summit is located near the New River Gorge National River, one of the best spots for outdoor adventure in this country.

The Summit is not yet open for business, but it will be 100 percent ready to go by next summer. Follow its progress on this blog.

Wondering if you qualify for the Jamboree?

Click here for Boy Scout qualifications.

Click here for Venturing qualifications.

How much does it cost? Click here for participant fees.

Click here for a few more rules and regulations about which you should know.

Want to work at the Jamboree? Click here for info on becoming a staffer.

But wait … what exactly is there to do at the Jamboree?

When you’re ready to sign up, go here.

Eriq Thompson, 15, and Corey Clemetsen, 14, both from Troop 99 in Albany, Ore., know Taps so well that they’ll be traveling to Arlington National Cemetery next month to perform as part of Arlington Taps 150, the 150th anniversary of the song.

The Scouts are among the youngest of the musicians invited to participate in the event.

Check out their performance of Taps — on trumpet — below.

That means more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees are totally free for this week.

Don’t worry: There are other fee-free dates in 2012. Check out the list here.

Click here to find a park near you.

Before you build your own backyard balloon and go flying, make sure you know the important requirements.

• Tethered hot-air balloons use at least three lines connected to the ground to keep the balloons from moving horizontally. The balloons can not go higher than 70 feet. The balloon must be registered with the FAA.

• Slacklines should never be more than three feet off the ground. Acrobatics (any time your head is lower than your torso) are prohibited.

Click here for more on the BSA’s hot-air balloon rules.

Click here for more on the BSA’s slacklining rules.

The award — presented to Spencer by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation — recognizes youth who demonstrate extraordinary skill, professionalism and a spirit of excellence in a challenging situation.

Spencer was honored in part for the triathlon in which he competed with his friend Dayton Haward, who has cerebral palsy. Dayton, who has trouble speaking and moving, was pulled, pushed and carried by Spencer through a 500-meter swim, a 3.2-mile run and a 12-mile bike ride.

“I’m honored to receive the American Spirit Award, but the credit goes to Dayton,” says Spencer. “Despite the challenges he faces, he has great spirit. Throughout the training and race, I was just his legs. I believe there’s no reason why Dayton shouldn’t have the opportunity to do what everyone else does.”

They were in Costa Rica with their father when, at 3 a.m., their dad suffered a heart attack. Thanks at least in part to the stories they’d read in Boys’ Life, the boys knew what to do.

Bryant immediately grabbed some blankets and treated their dad for shock. With no working phone in the house, Bryce ran outside and asked for help from a security guard.

It took two hours for an ambulance to arrive, and once it did, it arrived only with a driver — there was no one to attend to the Nueverts’ father. So the boys stayed with their dad, caring for him until they arrived a local care center.

But the ordeal wasn’t over. The first doctor they saw misdiagnosed the father and told him to go back home. It wasn’t until the next day that a cardiologist’s tests revealed the heart attack.

Their father made a full recovery, and both boys received a BSA Heroism Award for their actions.

Click here to read more about Bryce and Bryant and how they credit Boys’ Life for giving them the skills to help their dad.

Now there’s another reason to earn your badge this month. The American Welding Society is donating 50 student memberships to Boy Scouts who earn their Welding badge in April 2012.

AWS student members get monthly issues of the online magazine Welding Journal, discounts on American Welder gear and much, much more.

To enter the AWS membership giveaway, first you must earn your Welding merit badge before the end of this month. Next, fill out the AWS application and either mail it in, or scan it and email it to merit.badge@scouting.org, or fax it to 972-580-2174. Include your Welding merit badge blue card signed and dated within April 1-30, 2012.

Winners will be randomly selected on May 1, 2012.

Registered Boy Scouts up to age 17 at the time of their entry are eligible.

To get started on your Welding merit badge, click here.

Click here for the AWS membership application.

We get things like video games, snacks, DVDs, movie passes, and books. Lots and lots of books.

So where do all of those books end up when we’re done with them? It’d be a shame to throw them all in the recycling bin, so instead we donate them to schools and libraries, where they can be enjoyed by kids, teachers, students, parents, Scouts … and just about anybody.

The photos below were sent to us by Frank Rogers, the media specialist at Wynbrooke Elementary School in Stone Mountain, Ga., who was there when students opened up a package from Boys’ Life.

Don’t tell those odds to six Scouts from the Pine Island District, South Florida Council, where six — count ‘em, six — kids, each of whom joined Scouting together as Tiger Cubs, have all earned their Eagle rank.

The Scouts — Tyler Drake, Brad Harris, Nicholas Bauer, Bret McAlpin, Derek Duncan and Ryan Bessemer — from Troop 406 in Davie, Fla., say they all agreed at a young age that they would go for their Eagles. Amazingly, each one of them made it.

That’s why we need to know what you think about your Scouting experience, the Scouting program in general and anything else that might be of interest to Scouts across the country.

Trust us: The BSA wants you to be happy, and the only way to know if you’re happy is if you tell us.

If you’re 14 or older, grab your BSA membership card and sign up to join the Scouting Research Panels by clicking here.

Your identity will be kept confidential, but your opinion will go along way to shaping what the Boys Scouts are all about.

Under supervision of experts from the MCC Business & Technology school and the American Welding Society, the Scouts learned about welding safety and got to try some gas medal arc welding for themselves.

The Scouts were required to weld their initials into metal plates and connect two plates of metal using shielded arc metal welding.

Click here for more pictures from the event.

That’s why the EPA has declared March 12-18 Fix-A-Leak Week. If you’re up for a service project, this is an easy one to handle.

While some leaks require a professional plumber to fix, others area easy and cheap to do yourself. Simply passing out flyers encouraging the members of your community to check their own leaks could be a huge help.

If you or any trusted adult you know are skilled do-it-yourselfers, consider providing inspections for your neighbors.

The EPA has provided lots of information online. Check it out for yourself here.

For more water-saving tips, check out Save Water Today.

The report highlights to BSA’s key achievements in the last year, such as the launch of the Robotics merit badge, the ScoutStrong physical fitness program and the SummitCorps service project.

Check out the video below:

At the BSA’s Report to the Nation, an event at which representatives traveled to Washington, D.C., to report on the BSA’s greatest highlights of 2011, the youth told members of Congress how increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity are creating health problems for America’s young people.

Boy Scouts are trying to turn the tide with the ScoutStrong program, which focuses on three areas: activity, awareness and nutrition.

Scouts can earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award by achieving a certain level of physical fitness.

STEM, the new BSA program that emphasizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics, kicked off in 2011 thanks to a multi-year grant from ExxonMobil. The program is designed to bring a Scouting focus to skills that are relevant and needed in our competitive world.

The STEM program also features the NOVA Awards program presented for understanding the basics of STEM. There are separate NOVA awards for different ages of Scouts.

Some of the most influential Eagle Scouts in the country will gather today in Washington, D.C., as part of the BSA’s Report to the Nation, an event at which representatives from the BSA meet with Congress to highlight the BSA’s achievements for previous year.

In 2011, 51,473 Scouts earned their Eagle through the completion of 21 life skills merit badges and an extensive self-directed service project. The average number of hours spent on Eagle Scout projects is 130. That means that, in 2011, Eagle Scout projects represented around 6.7 million hours of community service.

Their job is to communicate to Congress the BSA’s top achievements from 2011. Among other things, they’ll discuss the BSA’s new national theme, Prepared For Life, and how it defines the BSA’s path under the pillars of learning, service, leadership and adventure.

Scouts across the country give more than 25 million hours of volunteer time annually while also learning the value of physical health, thanks to ScoutStrong, the BSA’s new initiative that challenges everyone to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit.

The Report to the Nation delegation is:

Venturing president Dan Carriveau from Little Chute, Wisc.; Boy Scout Jordan Evans from Colorado Springs, Colo.; Cub Scout Daniel Green from Silver Lake, Ohio; National Sea Scout boatswain Eva Hogan from Houston, Texas; Boy Scout Kauhikoa “Koa” Kalamau from Kapolei, Hawaii; Boy Scout Nicholas Kulick from Catharpin, Va.; Boy Scout R.J. McCullen III from El Paso, Texas; Boy Scout Jack Pape from Omaha, Neb.; and Order of the Arrow National Chief John Rehm from Turbotville, Pa.

Why welding? You might ask? Watch the video below for your answers.

NAYLE is for older Scouts and is held at Rocky Mountain Scout Camp, about two miles from Philmont’s base camp. To participate in NAYLE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Successful completion of Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops or Crews (ILST or ILSC) and National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT)

• Be in top physical condition; a BSA Annual Health & Medical Record Form is required

• Be 14 years of age by the first day of your course, but not yet 21 years old

• Hold a unit leadership position

Read more about NAYLE here.

Can’t get to Philmont? Try one of NAYLE’s regional courses.

You can begin working on your Welding merit badge at the end of February or possibly in early March, but you can familiarize yourself with the requirements now. Scouts who choose to pursue the Welding badge will learn about the safety and techniques of welding. Eventually, they’ll complete their own welding project.

Welding is an important part of our country’s growth and stability. A large portion of the U.S. economy depends on welders who can do quality work.

Read the full list of requirements here.

The Cub Scouts from Pack 907 in Virginia found out just how cool when they visited the Leatherneck offices earlier this month. The boys spoke with the magazine’s editor, retired Marine colonel Walt Ford, about what it takes to produce a magazine and its accompanying website.

They even got to keep a (fake) copy of the magazine that featured themselves on the cover.

The term “leatherneck” comes from the leather collar that used to be part of the Marines’ uniform.

Click here for pictures of the Cub Scouts on their tour.

They were headed somewhere off the beaten path: McGregor Smith Scout Reservation in Inverness, Fla,. from which they could explore the surrounding rivers by airboat, and snorkel and scuba dive with exotic manatees.

The water might have made their pictures a bit fuzzy, but you can still get the idea that it was an amazing experience.

For more on McGregor Smith, go to their Facebook page.

The BSA and Edison Nation would like to hear from you.

The Boy Scouts of America Innovation Challenge will take one such idea and spend up to $1 million to see that the product is eventually available on store shelves. And as the inventor, you’ll get paid, too.

Get more details here.

So awesome, in fact, that you have to plan your trip really, really early. The Florida high-adventure base is now accepting entires for the 2013 season. In other words, not this summer, but next summer.

While reservations for 2012 are still accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, you might have more luck planning in advance for 2013.

The Capital Area Council has posted some useful Sea Base tips on its website.

To access the Sea Base registration system, click here.

The inventions that have changed our lives in the last 20 years will look vastly different in the next 20.

That’s what the ExploraVision contest is all about. Team up with 1-3 of your buddies, do some research on current technology (using the Internet, of course!), and think about how that technology could change in the next 20 years.

You could win money to put toward a college education and a trip to Washington, D.C., for an awards weekend.

Go to the ExploraVision website for more information.

At the Great Lakes Council‘s Fort Pontiac in Lake Orion, Mich., Scouts can spend their camp time doing pioneer skills training, including blacksmithing, woodworking with only hand tools, bead working and clothes making. In other words, you’re learning skills that settlers from the 1700s needed to survive.

The fort features a kitchen, dining shelter and three craft buildings. Scouts can earn the Fort Pontiac Challenge Patch by meeting requirements in four pioneer skills: blacksmithing, woodworking, cooking and life skills.

For more information, go to the Fort Pontiac home page, or the Fort Pontiac Facebook page.

They also performed an important service project with the National Park Service.

The troop’s mission was to identify and eradicate the Japanese Black Pine, an invasive tree species that has grown so aggressively in the area that it’s competing with the native American Pitch Pine for space along the ocean dunes.

The Scouts cut down invasive trees, removed all of the pinecones from the branches and hauled the trees to the beach. There, the branches were disposed of and the pine combs incinerated to prevent the species from spreading.

The Scouts also found time for some fun. They backpacked more than 2 miles along the Atlantic Ocean and camped on the sandy beach.

For years, residents of a village called Romankneh have walked a half-mile to a pond several times a day to get water. The pond, which provided water for things like drinking, bathing, washing, brushing teeth and cooking, was contaminated and unhealthy.

So Ryan Collins and Cody Bosarge traveled to Africa with other volunteers to build a well that provides the village’s 250 residents with fresh water.

Watch the video below to see how they did it.

Asper, an Eagle Scout from Idaho Falls, Idaho, used the Heimlich maneuver to save a man who was choking at a restaurant. Asper, who is 6-foot-7 and weighs 325 pounds, noticed that an older man at a table near him was choking, and another man was trying unsuccessfully to help him.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, I do, because I’m an Eagle Scout,” Asper said to the would-be rescuer before moving in to save the day. ”The first heave was a test heave, because the guy seemed a little old, and I didn’t want to break his ribs or anything. So test heave, then it seemed like he could handle the full force, so I popped it out.”

The man was not injured, but Asper did accidentally break the victim’s sunglasses.

Staff members must be 16 by the first day of the Jamboree, which is July 15, 2013. That means if you’re 15 right now, you can apply. And if you turned 14 before July 15 of this year, you can apply.

The Jamboree needs staff members to help other Scouts experience all of the high adventure that this Jamboree will offer.

If you’re interested in working at the Jamboree but you don’t want to miss out on the experience of attending the Jamboree, you can work for half of the event, then pay half-price to attend the rest.

Find out more by clicking here.

Sounds like what they need is a Scout in Action.

If you know anyone who saved someone from drowning in the past year or worked hard to decrease the possibility of future incidents, go to the NDPA’s Facebook page, click the “Lifesaver of the Year” contest tab and upload a photo and essay about the nominee.

Or, you can just click here.

Earlier this month, a Boy Scout in Minnesota saved a toddler from drowning, and a Scout in rescued his own father.

Spread the word, and you could earn yourself a patch.

Go to the official Boy Scouts of America — It Can Wait Facebook page by clicking here. Click on the “Take The Pledge” link, share it with 10 of your friends, and if they each take the pledge themselves, you’ll get your patch.

Regardless of whether or not you take the pledge, please don’t text while driving. A recent study shows that you’re 23 times more likely to get in an accident if you text while behind the wheel.

You can read about where the BSA got all of the lumber to build the base here.

For some really cool pictures of the Summit being built, click here.

For two big reasons why you should register for the 2013 National Jamboree at the Summit, click here.

One of them could be you.

If you’re a musician, visit the band’s website for more information. Band members will be part of the National Jamboree Staff, so you must first apply to be on staff at the National Jamboree, with “Jamboree Band” as your requested assignment.

You’ll also need a recommendation from your local band director or music teacher. Click here for the recommendation form.

For information on past Jambo bands, click here.

Personal watercraft and all-terrain vehicles are now authorized Scouting activities. While your troop still can’t go out on its own and operate ATVs or personal watercraft, you can participate in a council-sponsored event that features these fun machines.

It might take a while before your local council is up to speed on the BSA’s safety rules for these two activities. We’d think next spring would be a good time to contact them about how your troop can participate in an activity with personal watercraft or ATVs.

Welding will become the 128th merit badge when it is officially launched this winter.

While the official requirements have yet to be announced, no doubt Scouts will learn how welders join together metal pieces or parts by heating their surfaces to the point of melting using tools that create all kinds of neat-looking sparks.

Read more about the merit badge by clicking here.

Watch a certain celebrity talk-show host talk about the merits of welding in the video below.

SummitCorps 2011 was a massive OA project, and this fall, the finished product — nearly 13 miles of trail — finally opened to the public.

Read more about the opening here.

The sight will host the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. Register for the Jambo now by clicking here.

That might be part of the reason why the troop produced 15 Eagle Scouts who graduated high school in the same year.

The Eagle Scouts, who are now in their first year of college at schools such as Purdue, Indiana University, Hanover College and Indiana Tech, got together a few weeks ago for one last group picture. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

2012 is the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Eagle Scout, a young man named Arthur Eldred who earned his Eagle in 1912. So, if you earn your Eagle during the 100th anniversary year, you’ll get a patch that no Eagle before or after you will ever earn.

The special-edition patch will be available at Scout shops after the first of the year.

Remember: Planning and executing an Eagle project takes time. Start working on yours now!

That’s because text messages don’t require the same amount of data that a phone call does.

So, if you’re in the remote wilderness and you find yourself in an emergency situation, it makes sense that it might actually be easier to send a text message for help, instead of trying to call 911.

Nick Entin, an Eagle Scout from Troop 128 in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., has created an iPhone app that — with just a few clicks — will send a text message to a number of recipients with your GPS coordinates and a message stating that you need immediate help.

Instead of fighting your way through a 911 call with a limited signal, you can send a more reliable message with just a few clicks. That frees you up to concentrate of staying safe until help arrives.

Click here for more info on the app.

Click here to purchase it through iTunes.

(Read our earlier stories about their quest here, here, here, here and here.)

Last month, Charlie Timberlake and Randy Wright achieved their goal, reaching the summit of Mt. Katahdin, the northernmost point on the Appalachian Trail.

You can more about their trip at their website here.

View a photo gallery from their trip here.

And, finally, check the amazing video below that documents their journey.

JOTA requires only that you travel to a nearby amateur radio “ham shack.” Amateur radio operators are often called “hams.”

Contact your local Scout council and see what may already be planned in your area. You can also find a local ham radio operator or a local amateur radio club by clicking here.

If you’re already a ham radio operator, click here to register your station for JOTA.

Click here for more information.

The duo is trying to raise awareness of the advantages of traveling using only human power. They will carry everything they need on their bikes; they won’t even have a support vehicle going with them.

Some of the highest points are accessible only by foot, so they’ll ditch their bikes on those treks, but otherwise it’ll be all pedal power, all the time.

The troop began their journey on Sept. 11. You can follow along with them at their blog here and at their homepage here.

The BSA is doing all it can to eliminative the expensive part.

Thanks to the BSA’s partnership with the eKnowledge Corporation, Boy Scouts across the country can get cheap — really cheap — software that will help them prepare for both of the exams that play a large role in getting into college.

The eKnowledge software normally costs around $200. Scouts can get it for $13.84.

Learn how to get your software by clicking here.

Read more about the BSA’s partnership with eKnowledge here.

Saturday, Sept. 24, is National Public Lands Day, when the National Park Service will waive all entrance fees and host special events for volunteers and visitors.

National Public Lands Day is a nation-wide effort to spruce up America’s National Parks.

Click here for a list of national parks that will be free this Saturday.

One thing you can’t do this Saturday? Watch Nickelodeon. The popular TV and website will shut down from noon until 3 p.m. Eastern/Pacific in a effort to encourage fans to go outdoors.

Across the United States, Scouts participated in Scout Surge 9.11, a series of service projects in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001.

Click here to send us your own photos.

Click here to see more patriotic photos from Scouts across the country.

The Chess Merit Badge is now officially live. The requirements allow you to learn the game’s scoring system and explain the rules to someone else, and play three games with your counselor, play in a tournament yourself or organize your own chess tournament.

The BSA is celebrating its newest merit badge by playing a chess tournament using live Scouts as the pieces. Tune in here for the next live broadcast.

Click here to learn the basics of chess.

Read more about the merit badge launch here.

It’s not too late to do your part.

Read about what other troops have done at the official Scout Surge Facebook page, or, if you’re troop has already done its part, add your story.

Nate Stafford is a 13-year-old Boy Scout who raised $10,000 for Nothing But Nets.

“Some people said I couldn’t raise $10,000,” Nate said when he was honored for his achievement at the National Scouting Museum. “But you know what? I did. And I hope this will inspire others to put their own ideas into action.”

Malaria is a deadly disease that is no longer much of a threat in the United States. It is transmitted by mosquitoes, and in regions like Africa and Asia, the disease causes 200 million illnesses per year and is one of the leading causes of death for children.

The use of bed nets can greatly reduce the spread of the disease.

You can read more about how Nate raised the money here, here, here and here.

Click here to learn how you and your troop can help Nothing But Nets.

Check out the video below to hear Nate speak about the importance of fighting malaria.

There are many robotics platforms that have lots of Black Boxes but are very easy to program and design with, LEGO Mindstorms and VEX for example. In the case of LEGO, a Scout would not need to know electronics.

Depending on the direction they take with their robot, Scouts could complete many of the requirements for the electronics merit badge and could do them both at the same time.

Charlie Timberlake and Randy Wright, a pair of Eagle Scouts who are now nearing the end of a monster trek up the Appalachian Trail, recently faced one of their biggest challenges: Hurricane Irene.

When they heard about the approaching storm, the duo put together back-to-back 17-mile days in order to reach a shelter before the storm arrived. A raging river, swollen to impassable proportions due to heavy rains, changed all that.

Read about how they adapted by clicking here.

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that he’s an Eagle Scout.

Pat Gillick, who worked as a general manager for four different teams spanning 27 seasons, was inducted into the Hall of Fame last month. He earned his Eagle with Troop 30 in Van Nuys, Calif., in 1951.

Gillick went on to be a member of the Order of the Arrow before playing five years of minor league baseball as a pitcher.

As a baseball executive, he won three World Series championships: 1992 and 1993 with the Blue Jays, and 2008 with the Phillies.

He becomes the first Eagle Scout to enter the Hall of Fame.

Here’s your chance to earn some rewards along the way.

The SCOUTStrong Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge awards Scouts who spend 60 minutes a day for five days a week for a total of six weeks engaged in some kind of physical activity.

The physical activity can be almost anything. In addition to obvious activities such as exercising, jogging and biking, you can also count chores like mowing the lawn and gardening, sports such as basketball and football, and Scout activities like backpacking and canoeing.

You’ll need to log your activities either online or on paper, then you’ll be eligible for a certificate and patch.

Click here for more information.

You know you’ll get the question: “How did you spend your summer vacation?”

Now’s your chance. Tell them about your most recent hiking, camping, backpacking or high-adventure trip. Tell them what you did, how it felt and what you learned.

Then direct them to BeAScout.org. It’s the site designed by the BSA to make it easy for Scouts and Venturers to get their friends to sign up.

BeAScout.org features pictures, video and lots of information for guys who are interested in joining Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts or a Venturing crew. Go there now — maybe you’ll learn something, too.

This jamboree, scheduled for July 15-24, 2013, looks to be the most action-packed ever. There will be whitewater, rock climbing, mountain biking, target shooting, zip lines and more.

The event is open to Venturers, Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts.

View application instructions here.

Get a complete list of qualifications here.

Apply to attend the Jamboree by creating a Summit login or a myscouting.org login and entering your information here.

The National Parks Foundation, a partner of the BSA, has launched the Share The Experience photo contest. Anybody who’s 13 years or older can submit a picture taken on lands owned by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation or U.S. Forest Service.

The grand prize is a trip for four people to a national park. Other prizes include a GPS device, a retail gift card and $500 in spending money.

Get a complete list or rules here.

For a complete list of prizes, click here.

Begin the process of submitting your photos by entering your email address here.

The Corps of Discovery, also known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition, used bateaus like this one to explore the Missouri River. The Scouts recreated the expedition by sailing their bateau, along with a handful of canoes, down the Missouri for three days.

Read more about their trip here.

Well, after starting in Georgia, working their way northward, and on the way discovering that their appetites on such a long, excruciating hike seem to know no bounds, the duo has crossed through New York City and into Connecticut.

Even the shortest of treks can have their lows and their highs, and a monster trek like this one is sure to have many.

Charlie Timberlake posted a great note on his blog about something that kept him motivated along the way. It’s a must-read for anybody who’s ever felt tired and grouchy on a hike.

It’s called Scouting for Adventure, and it airs three times a week on the Outdoor Channel.

Each episodes features action-packed footage of Scouts doing awesomely awesome outdoor things, like climbing, rappelling, rafting, camping, hiking, swimming, boating, and on and on and on. It’s like a typically great outing story in Boys’ Life magazine, only with more moving pictures!

Season 4 is airing now.

Seasons 1-3 are available on DVD.

To stay in the loop on all things related to the show, you can “like” the Facebook page.

But we’re not the only ones celebrating. You should be celebrating, too.

Tell us how your unit, district or council has celebrated the 100th anniversary of Boys’ Life and you’ll earn a BL 100th Anniversary Patch.

Click here to let us know about your celebration. For some ideas on how you can celebrate, click here.

In their first few days of works, Scouts built 7,000 feet of trail through New River Gorge National Park, near what will soon be a new BSA National Council high-adventure base. It will also be the site of the 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

The project began last Sunday. Each week this month, several hundred OA Scouts will arrive in the area to blaze new trails.

Partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation, the BSA undertook a nationwide tree-planting campaign last year as part of its 100th anniversary celebration. The campaign included the planting of 100,000 trees in the Centennial Forest, which lies within the Flathead National Forest, an area that was damaged by massive wildfires in 2003 and 2007.

Montana Boy Scouts planted 30 ceremonial trees last week to officially conclude the massive service project.

The trees will provide habitat for wildlife and help to filter the rivers and lakes that drain into Flathead Lake, one of the cleanest freshwater lakes in the world.

The videos are not only about topics specifically related to Philmont — Winter Camping at Philmont, Working at Philmont and Philmont’s Autumn Adventure Program — but they also deal with issues with which all Scouts need to concern themselves: Backcountry Water Treatment, Dressing in Layers and Choosing the Right Hiking Boots.

Check out the PhilCast YouTube channel here.

The event is open to Venturers, Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts.

Click here for a complete list of qualifications.

Click here to apply.

In San Diego, Scouts gathered at Fort Rosencrans National Cemetery, where they placed a flag on each of the 66,000 graves within the cemetery walls.

The event was sponsored by the San Diego-Imperial Council and gave the Scouts the opportunity to express gratitude and respect for those who have served our country.

The video’s subjects used more than 12,000 badges with double-sided tape to create a picture of a Scout that ended up being 19 feet high by 13 feet wide. The council’s message:

“… Souting is not about collecting badges. It’s about collecting the lessons, experiences and relationships that shape your life. Behind each small, round patch is a story with infinite endings. One by one, these stories come together to form the person who writes them — confident, courageous and prepared to make a difference in the world.”

You can create your own merit badge mosaic with a Facebook app that is linked to at the bottom of this page.

Check out this recent food order from an Eagle Scout who’s just starting an AT through-hike:

- Double Angus Burger all the way (nearly a pound of Angus meat, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes (two extra tomato slices since Terminator did not want his), mayo and mustard)
- Highlander Fries. Hold on tight for this one: Hand cut french fries in a basket topped with shredded BBQ pork, melted cheese and highlander BBQ sauce.
- A regular fountain drink (7 refills? Yes please!)

And to top of the grand feast:

Two scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone (cookie dough and butterscotch)

Eagle Scouts Charlie Timberlake and Randy Wright are hiking the Appalachian Trail in honor of a fellow Eagle Scout who died of cancer, and to raise funds for CURE Childhood Cancer and the National Eagle Scout Association scholarships.

Designed to give U.S. Scouts some insight into the World Jamboree, International Scouting Day, set for May 28, will be hosted by the National Capital Area Council and the Embassy of Sweden to the United States.

For just $5, the event will feature knot-tying displays and classes that will give Scouts an overview of the Swedish culture.

Click here to register.

The guys are blogging their journey and recently shared their top seven pieces of advice for hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Among the bits of advice: Bring plenty of warm clothes, take your time to stop and look around, and bring plenty of toilet paper.

Read the rest of their tips here. Follow their trip in its entirety here.

The Calling All Cub Scouts program at the Mentor Public Library gives Cub Scouts a cool and convenient opportunity to earn their favorite loops and pins. Last month, it was all about marbles.

“I was surprised at how many players could play marbles at the same time,” said Webelos Scout Joey O’Brien of Mentor Pack 388. “I like the bowling technique the best because it is easier to get marbles that way.”

About 50 Cub Scouts participated in a marbles tournament at the library. When your parents were young, they probably played marbles. Watch the video below for a taste of this fun game.

Crew members must have a current BSA membership with a Venturing crew and must have graduated the 8th grade or be at least 14 years of age by the first day of the jamboree but have not reached their 21st birthday by the last day of the jamboree.

For the complete list of Venturing participant qualifications, click here.

Registration for the jamboree will begin later this spring. For more youth participant information, click here.

Cam Street was an Eagle Scout from the same troop as Charlie and Randy who died of cancer when he was 15. Charlie and Randy are taking pledges and donations for their hike that will go to CURE Childhood Cancer and the National Eagle Scout Association Scholarship Fund.

Follow their progress right here on this blog, or read more about it at the Hike For Cam website.

You can also follow them on YouTube here.

The zip line tour will allow Scouts to spend a couple of hours exploring an area adjacent to the New River Gorge National River without ever touching the ground. Instead of hiking, biking or driving, they’ll zip from treetop to treetop, mixed in with an occasional suspension-bridge walk to get to the next line.

The Summit is still under construction, but it will open in time to host The 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

Joshua, 11, passed out 100 emergency preparedness kits to families who live at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island near Oak Harbor, Wash. The $50 kits, produced by American Preparedness, include a flashlight, body warmers, a poncho, an emergency blanket, a safety whistle, food, water and other emergency equipment.

After Joshua raised enough to funds to pay for the first batch of kits, he decided to keep the project going. Read all about how he’s doing it here.

Click here to learn what you should put in your own emergency preparedness kit.

Test your emergency preparedness skills with the fun quiz here.

Visit the Boys’ Life robotics page for just about everything you need to know, including videos and photos of robots, information on purchasing a robotics kit and ideas for starting a robot team within your troop.

The Robotics launch coincides with National Robotics Week, which began on Saturday.

When developing a robot design, it is wise to follow an engineering design process. Essentially, the engineering design process consists of the following steps:

Identify the Need

Most VEX robots are built for education or competition where a clear objective of solving a problem or scoring points is presented to the designer. With any project, you need to thoroughly understand the scope and implications of the project that must be addressed. Cost, complexity, and technology demands can quickly mire down any well- intentioned project.

Many times, thinkers, designers, and engineers do not dream up an idea on their own, but are bombarded by the problems of a customer, society, or the environment that “need” to be solved to achieve a basic “need.” Without a clear definition of this need, the engineering design process cannot begin. Much time and many careers have been wasted in the pursuit of an ill-defined need.

Define the Problem

The problem is the main issue preventing the need from being fulfilled. The problem must be accurately and realistically defined in order to go about the process of solving it. If not, time and money will be wasted and the original problem may still exist with no solution.

1. Get a clear picture of the parameters of the problem or competition.

2. Make a list of the objectives and rank them in order of importance.

3. Many times a robot cannot do everything that a problem presents. It is not often that a robot can do everything well.

4. It is important to prioritize and design a machine that can do the most things and do a few things very well.

Conduct Research

Research can be an independent, lonely endeavor or a dynamic group activity. Research must be focused and incorporate new ideas and a thorough exploration of old similar ideas. Sometimes the old ideas are the best. Ever heard the saying, “Don’t reinvent the wheel?” Old ideas that failed are sometimes great research gold mines; that idea may have failed due to a lack of new technology that may exist now.

1. Explore other solutions to the same and similar problems.

2. Look carefully at the environment in which the machine has to operate.

3. Analyze the constraints of your project or competition carefully.

4. Pay particular attention to specifically mentioned dimensions and measurements.

Brainstorm

No ideas are bad ideas. It is important to consider all approaches to a problem. One that did not seem feasible or make sense in the beginning might be the way to go in the end. Not too many projects go through development on the first try or on the best idea at the time. The final project usually consists of a collection of ideas; some that were considered too risky, costly, or just plain crazy. Think back to famous inventors like Edison, Benjamin Franklin, the Wright Brothers, or Leonardo da Vinci. Can you imagine them using this process? How many tries did they make before they succeeded?

Solutions must be separated according to their pros and cons. This activity is better accomplished in a group setting. Brainstorming encourages a maximum amount of input from different levels of experience and different approaches to the problem. Alternative solutions can be analyzed and cataloged according to merit and possible use. After these ideas have been distilled to a manageable number, the numbers must be crunched to evaluate the probability and cost of a successful outcome, using the individual solutions. Larger factors come into play here, such as common sense and instinct. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.

1. Come up with at least three design solutions and evaluate each of them.

2. Look at the number of parts that are being committed to the design. Are there enough? Can it be simplified?

Design, Test, and Evaluate the Best Solution

The design phase of a product is perhaps the most challenging of the entire process. Once the idea has been fleshed out, it is time to sit down and figure out how to make it happen. Good designers are willing to be flexible when making tough decisions and willing to make trade-offs and omissions to make the design practical and possible.

The first step is to start sketching to get the ideas on paper. Sketching and drawing by hand enables you to tap your creative side. It is important to have accurate and complete sketches in order to translate the idea into hand or CAD drawings and models. This phase also allows for virtual prototyping or testing of the product in the computer. You can find potential, and sometimes costly, flaws in a design before the real world mock-up is constructed.

Mock-ups are representations of the product to test and evaluate. This process is still valuable even though computers can accomplish the same results. The only thing they cannot do is provide a real product to evaluate. After the mock-up is evaluated, the project can go to the prototyping stage.

Build a Prototype

The best way to know if a design will work in real-world conditions is to build a prototype. The prototype is an accurate working model of the final design. The prototype is evaluated for cost, aesthetics, durability, ease of construction, and meeting the design criteria.

Refine or Redesign

If an initial design and prototype does not fully solve the problem or specifications, meet the design parameters, or stay within an acceptable cost, a designer may go “back to the drawing board” (or computer). The engineering design process has a loop to go back to the design and refine or redesign. The biggest hurdle in this refinement/redesign is money. Sometimes it is easier and less costly to settle for a slightly inferior design than spend the money to redevelop a nearly finished product.

Build

The build process is a lengthy complex process. The build process must take into consideration materials, processes, construction limitations, and cost. Companies make substantial investments in factories and the infrastructure to build their designs so the more efficiently a design has been handled, the better off the build will be. Once the build process has begun, the company can begin to hopefully make a return on its investments in the entire design process by marketing and selling the product.

One of the best places to find the latest on various robotics competitions is http://robotevents.com, the website of the Robotics Education and Competitions Foundation. The foundation exists to connect students, mentors, and schools in every community, and its site can connect you to competitive events, workshops, camps, conferences and more.

ONLINE COURSES

Adults and Youth alike can learn how to program LEGO and VEX robots. Check out this site to get free resources to earn or teach the Robotics Merit Badge. A 60 day free software download is available and free courses to help get you ready for this merit badge. To sign up, register at the Computer Science Student Network: http://www.cs2n.org/partners/boy-scouts/.

UNIVERSITIES AND MUSEUMS

Check your local universities and museums. Many provide the public and Scouts with workshops and special opportunities to learn about robotics. In addition, organizations and groups such as the 4-H, city recreational groups, Mad Science and ID-Tech Camps can also provide workshops and camps in areas like robotics.

Here are a few examples:

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Science and Engineering Education Center at the University of Texas at Dallas (SEEC)
Dallas, Tex.

National Center for Robotics Engineering and Technology Education (NCRETE)
California University of Pennsylvania

Robotics Outreach at Lincoln Laboratory (ROLL)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

ARTICLES, BOOKS AND LINKS

There is a wealth of information to assist you on the topic of robotics. The first reference is your Robotic merit badge pamphlet, which provides a good overview and list of additional resources. The Robotics merit badge pamphlet is available at your local Scout shop or online at http://www.scoutstuff.org.

In addition to the links above, here are some other websites that might be helpful. All helped the Boy Scouts of America in creating the Robotics merit badge:

• National Robotics Week
• NASA
• Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy
• Computer Science Social Network Boy Scouts page
• Science and Engineering Education Center at University of Texas at Dallas (SEEC)
• National Center for Robotics Engineering and Technology Education (NCRETE)
• VEX Robotics
• FIRST
• AUVSI
• BEST
• LEGO Education
• Boe-Bot robot kit tutorials and resources

Some “robot” kits are no more than puzzles; they create a predetermined robot that completes a predetermined task. There is no room for original design or programming in these robots, and they will not meet the Robotics merit badge requirements.

ROBOT KITS AVAILABLE FROM THE BSA

The robotics kits featured here offer all the programming and assembling skills needed to meet the related requirements for this merit badge. Each kit is a great way for individuals or groups to research, design, build and test actual robots they create. No previous robotics, electronics, or programming experience is necessary.

Ollo Bug Robot Kit: This reconfigurable robot construction kit is the perfect choice for beginners of all ages! Using an easy-to-build plates-and-rivets system, you can create four different types of robotic bugs that can trace lines, detect objects, or be controlled via wireless remote. Comes with detailed, illustrated instructions. (Scoutstuff.org, #612752, $99)

Parallax Boe-Bot Robot Kit: Starting with basic movement and proceeding to sensor-based projects, Scouts quickly learn how the Boe-Bot is expandable for many different robot projects. Kit and text includes 41 activities for the Boe-Bot robot, with structured PBASIC 2.5 source code support and bonus challenges with solutions in each chapter. (Scoutstuff.org, #612753, $159.99)

VEX ROBOTICS AND LEGO MINDSTORMS KITS

If you already have access to VEX Robotics or LEGO® MINDSTORMS® kits, they will work great for the Robotics merit badge.

VEX BSA Robotics Merit Badge Bundle: This bundle contains everything needed to build a fully functional, autonomous-only robot that meets all of the requirements for the Robotics Merit Badge. The included VEX Protobot Robot Kit contains over 300 parts and pieces and instructions which can be used to build the VEX Protobot, the VEX Tumbler, or your own creation.

Information about the VEX BSA Robotics Merit Badge Bundle is available at http://www.vexrobotics.com/bsa.

LEGO ® MINDSTORM® Education NXT Base Set and 21 Software: This is the core building set which includes 437 elements and programming software to serve as the base for endless NXT robotic creations.

Councils can order the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT kit by calling 1-800-362-4308.

RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Your local Scout council, school, robot club or robot competitive group may be able to help with resources or support. Science museums often have expertise, workshops or camps on robotics. Many universities have robotics clubs that may be a good source for mentors and support.

Use these links to find teams and clubs in your area:

• FIRST Team Locator
• VEX Team and Competition Locator

Visit the Robotics merit badge resource page for additional information.

ROBOT-THEMED GAMES ON BOYSLIFE.ORG

Ollie’s Outboard Adventure
Ollie the ricocheting robot has to bounce and bump his way through 32 levels to recover all of his missing parts. Test your skill by going for one of four medals available at each level.

Robots vs. Aliens Chess
Can you beat the computer? It’s a battle for checkmate in this online chess game.

Nano Factory
Enter the Nano robot fabrication plant and help guide the mold used to create the nano creatures to its destination. Avoid obstacles along the way and earn a gold status by using the fewest number of moves possible in this puzzler. For more levels, visit HexBug’s Hand & Stars website.

GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FROM AROUND THE WEB

Planet H99
Explore Planet H99 using your programming skills and virtual robots! In this virtual world developed by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy, your job is to program the robots to perform the many tasks necessary to sustain a colony. Requires download.

NASA Kids’ Club
Fun space and robot-themed games, coloring pages, pictures and more.

BSA Troop 77, located in Iwakuni, Japan, is made up mostly of the sons of American Marines based on an Air Station close to Hiroshima, Japan. While they weren’t directly affected by the disaster, they rushed into action to do what they could do help the Japanese citizens.

The Scouts set up donation bins and collected clothing and other supplies and loaded them into trucks so that they could be delivered to the people who needed them.

Laugh at some of the robot jokes below, and then send us some of your own. If we use your joke, we’ll send you a free Robotics merit badge launch patch. Only 5,000 of these patches will be made, and they’ll only be given away during launch events in April and May, so they’re sure to be popular collectibles.

Send us your favorite robot joke

A book never written: “Artificial Intelligence” by Anne Droid.
Submitted by David F.

Jack: Why was the robot angry?
Ben: Beats me.
Jack: Because someone kept pushing his buttons!
Submitted by Jack D.

Ron: What is a robot’s favorite type of music?
John: I really don’t know.
Ron: Heavy metal!
Submitted by Edward C.

Ben: How many robots does it take to screw in a light bulb?
John: I haven’ t a clue.
Ben: Three — one to hold the bulb, and two to turn the ladder!
Submitted by Ben B.

Griffin: Why did the robot go back to robot school?
Brent: Tell me.
Griffin: Because his skills were getting a little rusty!
Submitted by Griffin B.

Lance: What do you get when you cross a robot and a tractor?
Luke: Dunno. What?
Lance: A trans-farmer!

A book never written: “All About Robots” by Cy Borg.

Billy: What did the man say to his dead robot?
Bob: What?
Billy: “Rust in peace.”

You may also wish to check out the online resources available at http://www.robotevents.com or http://boyslife.org/robotics.

Finally, if you attend a competition while working on the Robotics merit badge, ask the team members at the event what resources might be available for you to get a team started.

Most robot-related fields are highly technical, however you will also need to study other things that may surprise you. You will need good English skills so you will be able to communicate your ideas to others and an understanding of social studies is important so you will be able to understand how robots fit into society and how humans react to them.

In short, your best bet is to be as well rounded as possible in your studies.

Please use the form below to submit your question.

National Robotics Week
April 9-17

VEX World Championship
April 14-16, Orlando, Fla.

VEX Merit Badge Workshop
April 15, Orlando, Fla.

Best National Championship
April 14-16, Orlando, Fla.

Robot Block Party
April 16, Museum of Science, Boston, Mass.

Merit Badge Workshop
April 15-16, Museum of Science, Boston, Mass.

Merit Badge Workshop
April 16-17, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Space Shuttle launch
100 Robotics merit badges carried into space, April 29, Florida

FIRST World Championship
April 27-30, St. Louis, Mo.

Merit Badge Workshop
National Electronics Museum, April 16 and 30, Baltimore, Md.

Duke Energy Merit Badge Camp
May 6-7, McGuire Nuclear Station at the Energy Explorium, Huntersville, N.C.

You’ve got a little more than one week to submit your application. Patrol Z Scouts will be outfitted with the best digital tools and training so they can tell stories about Scouting to other kids through blogs, photos and videos.

Click here for more information.

This brochure gives you a good idea of the opportunities offered at Northern Tier. To sum up, there are options for adventure out of three different bases: Charles L. Sommers Wilderness Canoe Base, Don Rogert Canoe Base and Northern Expeditions Canoe Base.

There are still a few openings for 2011. Click here to explore those. Or, go here to register for 2012.

Read more about the triplets here.

Read more about Ship 8 here.

Read more about the Sea Scouts here.