PARSIPPANY — Parsippany’s Boy Scout Troop 72 provided four staff members/instructors and four participants for the latest Wood Badge course. Pictured clockwise from back left, Kevin Wall(P), Chris Kennett(P), Keith Hawkins(S), Adam Sonzogni(S), Trish Sonzogni(S), Tristan Vidreiro(S), Ron Knowle(P), Rich Kaiser(P).
Wood Badge is the pinnacle of adult leader training for all scouting programs. Starting in England in 1919 by Robert Baden-Powell, Wood Badge has grown to be a worldwide training program.
The BSA started official Wood Badge courses in 1948, and the training has grown and adapted with the times. Current training takes cues from corporate team building and management courses, while still utilizing the scouting Patrol and Troop structure. The first three-day weekend consists of the “classroom” portion, with most of the instruction taking place indoors. The second 3-day weekend is the “mountaintop experience” with most of the weekend spent outdoors. This portion of Wood Badge is called the “practical phase”. Scouters then develop a “ticket” of five goals that will improve scouting in their local unit, district, or council. This is the “application phase”.
They then set off to accomplish these goals, and have 18 months to complete them.
To take Wood Badge, a scouter must first complete the basic training for the leadership position they hold. The level of commitment given by these scouters shows their deep dedication to the scouting program, and the youth we serve.
Once a scouter completes both phases, they are awarded with the Wood Badge training award consisting of a special neckerchief, woggle (neckerchief slide), certificate, and 2 wooden beads on a leather strap. It is these beads that the course derives its name.
Wood Badge staff members are hand-picked by the course director, and must have completed both phases of Wood Badge before being eligible.
Troop 72 now has eight leaders that have completed Wood Badge, with four that have staffed multiple courses. With these 4 new participants, more than half our adult leaders will be Wood Badge trained.
Troop 72 has been serving the youth of the Parsippany area since 1954. We invite all boys between the ages of 11 and 17 to come out and learn more about scouting and all that way do. Which includes, but is not limited to, camping, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, and lots of service to our community.
For more information or to join Troop 72 email info@boyscoutsofparsippany.org or click here.
Troop 72 is doing its annual popcorn fundraiser. If you live in the Parsippany area and would like to support scouting, email us at popcorn@boyscoutsofparsippany.org
