The National Eagle Scout Association established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams national Eagle Scout service project of the year award (ESSPY) to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by an Eagle Scout candidate to a religious institution, a school, community or other entity through completion of an Eagle Scout project.

Examples of projects that have been selected for the ESSPY include projects that have benefited underprivileged children, recognized veterans, been international in nature, and have required significant time and resources.

The selection of recipients begins at the local level and is conducted through the council NESA committee (which may utilize a NESA awards sub-committee). The council NESA committee selects a recipient for their respective council from the list of submitted nominations and then forwards a worthy candidate to the National Eagle Scout Association for regional consideration.

Mayflower Council NESA committee will present a $250.00 scholarship.  The winner will then be placed in the regional level.

Please submit the form below to NESA@Mayflowerbsa.org for consideration.

Regional ESSPY recipients are selected by each council’s regional NESA scholarship committee. Regional recipients will receive $500, to be available for their future educational purposes or to attend a national or international Scouting event or facility. (Local council will also receive a $500 award.)

The recipient of the national award is then selected among regional recipients by a special selection committee of the National Eagle Scout Association. National recipients will receive $2,500, to be available for their future educational purposes or to attend a national or international Scouting event or facility. (Local council will also receive a $2,500 award.)

All nominations are due annually by January 31.

Now available! Updates have been made to the national registration system that allows us to accept adult applications online. Now your unit can skip the paper and use a much more efficient and secure method to register adults.

In compliance with Massachusetts law, our council’s policy is to ensure that adult volunteers have the required Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) before registering with the BSA and working with youth. This process is separate from the online registration system and should be completed before registering, just like submitting hard-copy adult applications.

The unit (chartered org. rep. or assigned delegate) approves online adult applications. Please watch the video below for review. If a volunteer is approved by the unit but doesn’t have the required CORI completed, we will suspend registration until the CORI has been verified. The applicant and unit key-3 will be notified if registration is suspended.

With this in mind, online adult applications are live and effective January 1, 2023: adult applications are to be completed and submitted using the BSA Online Registration System.

Please be aware that online registration is not currently available for youth-to-adult transfers. Paper applications are still needed for this function, but you can email the electronic version of the adult application to membership@mayflowerbsa.org.

We know that some will recognize this as another significant change to their routines. However, we all know that a Scout is Brave (and Cheerful).

Please contact the Membership & Unit Service Team if you have any questions or join us during any of our upcoming Live Office Hours, where we can answer all your questions.

Earlier this summer, the Venturing Crew 29 and BSA Troop 64 Scout earned the accolade during the American Legion Camporee at Gardner’s Camp Collier.

Recently, the Mayflower Council was thrilled to learn that Dante D. received the American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year Award at the America Legion Camporee, held June 17-19, 2022, at Camp Collier in Gardner, Mass.

“My Eagle Scout Project was to re-side the tool shed at my middle school, Mullein Hill Christian Academy, and to clean up the surrounding area,” explained Dante in the write-up of his project, which garnered the attention of the American Legion. 

“Before I could start any work on the shed, I had to take measurements to see how much siding I would need to cover the shed,” added the Scout. “Then I had to research and see which siding would be the best based on durability, longevity, appearance, and cost.”

No Eagle Scout Project is easy. But Dante’s was especially detailed. Author’s note: Dante’s dedication while completing the task is evidenced by the no less than six Scouters who wrote in this summer to mention it and his American Legion award.

“I contacted a local contractor to ask him if he could donate any materials for the project,” explained Dante in his documentation. “He helped me come up with a list of needed materials, such as corner pieces, flashing, and other smaller items that would be required to finish the project. 

“Once I had a list of the needed supplies and a budget, I contacted local businesses to get donations not just for materials for the project but also for other items such as food and water for the volunteers.”

Working in a short amount of time, Dante made the most of his materials and volunteers.

“The work happened over two days,” continued the Scout. “On the first day, we removed any protruding objects and replaced any of the rotting wood found at the base of the shed.

“On the second day, we finished siding the shed,” he wrote. “Then we had to wrap the shed in Tyvek wrap to prevent future water damage to the shed or siding. We then began to side the shed, having two groups of people, one cutting the siding and the other placing it onto the building. 

“We also placed down a rock bed around the perimeter of the shed and pulling weeds. Once this was all done, we put up some signage and did some touch-up painting around the roof and door of the shed,” wrote Dante.

The results speak for themselves. The work performed by Dante and Co. will have a significant impact.

With the shed re-sided and no longer exposed to the elements, the school’s equipment — the bulk of it being landscaping equipment and machinery — would not be damaged. The new siding also extended the shed’s longevity, helping the school save money on buying and repairing damaged gear.

As a result of Dante’s hard work, the Massachusetts American Legion later recognized him as their Eagle Scout of the Year.

Click here to learn more about Eagle Scout Projects (and the Mayflower Council).

Help your old LEGO bricks find a new purpose!

The Mayflower Council is looking at giving your unused LEGO collection a second life; assisting with new youth recruiting. We will be launching a LEGO Pinewood Derby activity as part of our new member recruiting efforts at community fairs, farmer’s and artisan markets, and other community events so that a whole new generation of youth and can experience the thrill of a Pinewood Derby and the the joy of building with LEGO while finding out about Scouting’s life-long values.

To make a donation, simply round up any loose LEGO pieces and place them into a cardboard box or zipper top bag. We are accepting loose LEGO bricks and Minifigures. They do not need to be full sets. We are unable to accept donations of DUPLO and Technic elements.

Donations can be dropped of at one of the following locations:

• Council Service Center, 83 Cedar Street, Milford, Massachusetts.
• Adventure Day Camp, 129 Hudson Road, Bolton, Massachusetts. (while camp is in session)
• Camp Resolute, 75 Hudson Road, Bolton, Massachusetts (while camp is in session)
• Camp Squanto, 200 Cuttersfield Road, Plymouth, Massachusetts. (while camp is in session)

If you have unwanted LEGO bricks lying around (and hurting your feet) we’ll take them!

Have questions regarding donating LEGO bricks to this worthwhile initiative contact Jack Colamaria or Rick Riopelle.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has worked to keep the membership fee as low as possible. As you know, costs continue to rise, and the annual fee must be increased to address the fiscal realities we face to deliver a safe and quality Scouting program.

To ensure we have the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting, the following national membership fee structure will take effect August 1, 2022.

• $75 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants
• $45 for Exploring participants
• $45 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)
• $100 for a unit charter/affiliation fee
• $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts (Not pro-rated)
• $15 for Scout Life magazine; this is the first price increase since 2005

The Mayflower Council Activity Fee will remain at $36 per youth member.

The national membership fee helps cover the cost of essential services, including program resources, liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, criminal background checks, youth protection, and the development of intellectual property for national, council, and unit programs. As we move forward, we will continue to look at the membership fee structure and how we deliver the Scouting program for future generations.

Online registration remains the preferred method of transferring youth and will become the way to register new youth beginning August 1.

Thank you for your understanding, together we will continue to provide a great Scouting program for our families.

Mayflower Council has been accepted into the Boy Scouts of America National Family Den Pilot Program.

Eric H. of Troop 28 Cohasset Earns Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award

Eagle Scout created “first responder sensory kits” to help first responders 

Wrentham, Mass. — The National Eagle Scout Association established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by a Scout to a religious institution, a school, community, or other entity. 

The award recognizes a Scout for their Eagle Scout leadership service project, which is part of the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout Award. Each year, local councils select a council-level winner, and each region selects a region-level winner from that pool. A national winner is then chosen from the four regional finalists.

On June 13, 2022, The Mayflower Council, BSA proudly presented the 2021 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Award of the Year to:

Eric H.
Troop 28 Cohasset
Sensory Kits for First Responders

Eric’s project raised awareness of autism while providing first responders with the resources and tools they need when they assist people with special needs. His project included: providing 80 sensory kits to multiple towns in the surrounding South Shore towns of Cohasset, Hanover,

Hingham, Hull, Norwell, Scituate.

Eric saw this need for sensory kits after experiences with his older brother, who has autism, where first responders were not equipped to respond to his brother’s needs. To address this need, Eric spoke with a family friend who was a former EMT and Eric’s brother’s teacher at the Amego School in Franklin, Mass., to form his idea of creating a “first responder sensory kit” go bag. 

The kits contain items to help first responders communicate with the person in need as well as bring them comfort.

Following the presentation of the Adams Award, Eric also received a citation and a medallion from Brigadier General (Ret.) Emery Maddocks of the Military Order of the World Wars.

“We have a really outstanding project to recognize,” said Gen. Maddocks of Eric’s Sensory Kits. “For dedication to the principles of the Boy Scouts of America as evidenced by not only by his achievement of the highest achievement in Scouting – the Boy Scout Eagle Award –but further by [earning] the 2021 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award.”

Just before Memorial Day, one Mayflower Council Scout collects clothes for veterans…

Beyond trips to the beach, hot dogs, and lawn mowing, Memorial Day retains one true purpose: Remember.

And while some Scouts will carefully place flags beside the graves of those who served, and many others will proudly march in parades, one Eagle candidate sought to remember and honor those veterans who still walk among us.

Carlie B. of Newton’s Troop 209G explained her project on its GoFundMe page.

“My name is Carlie,” she posted. “I’m a 13 yr old Life Scout in troop 209 located in Newton, MA. I’ve partnered with the… New England Center and Home for Veterans as part of my Eagle Scout Project.”

That partnership – noticed by WHDH – garnered Carlie and the project some well-deserved attention at this important time of the year.

“I think that joining scouting teaches you plenty of great lessons in life,” said Carlie. “it really helps you out.”

And in turn, Carlie – who raised almost $17,00 – helped out many veterans; 250 or so were gifted clothing, toiletries, and shoes.

Speaking of the good turn, Carlie implied she simply followed the example of another Scout.

“My dad, he’s an Eagle Scout,” she told WHDH’s camera. ”And so, when I receive Eagle in the next few months, I will become an Eagle Scout just like him.”

 Here at the Mayflower Council, we think her fellow Scouts should follow Carlie’s example, too.

Troop 209G Scoutmaster and her Scouts garnered national attention from Bryan on Scouting…

Scoutmaster Sangeet Srikanth is a trained educator. But she insists that some of the most important lessons are taught outside the classroom.

“None of the experiences in Scouting can be measured in terms of letter grades, GPA, test scores,” she told Bryan on Scouting. “But you can witness and experience it every day in your son and daughter’s life.”

It was a chance exposure to Scouting that changed the lives of Sangeet, her son Arnav, and her daughter Anishka.

Bryan Wendell of ScoutingMagazine.org explained that Srikanth “first learned about the BSA in 2010 on a family trip to Boston when they happened upon an event celebrating the BSA’s 100th birthday. Her son, Arnav, wanted to sign up right away. Her daughter did, too, but this was before the BSA had opened all its programs to young women.”

Enter Troop 355 of Newton. Or, make that, Arnav entered the venerable unit. Then, fast forward to 2017, and an Eagle Scout court of honor.

“Every rank advancement was a clear sign of leadership building,” explained Sangeet. “Every merit badge was a new life skill.”

Two years later, it was Anishka’s turn to join Scouts BSA.

“Every day, my admiration for her increases as she excels in her maturity and ability to deal with the challenges of life,” Srikanth said.

However, it’s not like Arnav or Anishka were alone on their journey. Their mother was there – unofficially – every step of the way. 

Later, after a two-year stint as an assistant Scoutmaster, Sangeet was named Scoutmaster of Troop of 209G.

It’s a commitment, but Srikanth indicated it’s more than worth it.

“It’s about five to six years from start to finish — weekly meetings, camping trips, outdoor trips, and finally the long-awaited Eagle project,” she says. “Some families find it hard to commit with their own busy careers.”

That said, the end rewards, particularly for Eagle-earners, are worth it. 

Meanwhile, Sangeet hopes that other families, particularly those in the Indian community, see Scouting as a viable adjunct to traditional education.

“Scouting structures their lives and gives them the most valuable experience that even the best classroom education may not fully provide,” she said.

Planet Fitness is helping parents to get their teens out of the house and stay active this summer by offering a one-of-a-kind benefit: a free membership for the entire summer. Perfect for our Scouts BSA and Venture crew members to stay physically strong all summer long!

The High School Summer Pass initiative offers a solution to teens’ struggles. Planet Fitness conducted a study that 93% of teens actually want to stay healthy, but only about 15% actually partake in 60-minutes of physical activity. Planet Fitness is determined to motivate teens and help them accomplish their fitness goals.

This offer is available at all Planet Fitness locations throughout the US and Canada. This is a part of the movement to improve teens’ mental and physical health. Originally, this program was called the “Teen Summer Challenge” which launched in 2019. They had almost a million teen signups who completed over 5 million workouts!

According to the Centers for Disease Control, fewer than 15% of teens were meeting the daily physical activity recommendation during the pandemic. Planet Fitness wants teens to feel safe and have a welcoming space when they arrive at any of their locations to get their sweat on in a healthy way.

All teens who sign up for the membership are automatically entered into a drawing for a scholarship, which will reward one student in each state with a $500 scholarship and one grand prize of $5,000 in scholarship money.

To enroll, students must be between the age of 14 and 19 years old. Teenagers under 18 years old must sign up with a parent or guardian either online or in-person at one of their clubs.

High school students can work out for free from May 16 to Aug. 13 at the nearest Planet Fitness location.

Teenagers looking to enroll in the program can register on the Planet Fitness website.

To uncover how high schoolers view health and fitness today, Planet Fitness commissioned a national study in partnership with Material to shed light on mental and physical health from both teens’ and parents’ perspectives.  Although negatively impacted by the pandemic, teens are ready to make a commitment to getting healthy, both physically and mentally.

Key findings include:

• Physical Fitness for the Win. Despite three in five teens (60 percent) reporting their usual health and fitness routines were severely disrupted over the last two years, nearly all (89 percent) of their parents credit regular exercise and physical activity as helping their teens cope with the challenges of the pandemic. And nearly all (92 percent) teens agree that when they are regularly physically active, they feel much better mentally.
  • Although many teens make exercise and fitness a priority in their life (65 percent), there are significant barriers to doing so. In fact, 78 percent of teens note that just having access to a place to work out and being able to do so with friends (72 percent) would benefit their health and fitness journeys.
  • A majority of teens who exercise also agree that physical fitness makes them feel healthier (61 percent), stronger (57 percent) and happier (50 percent). It also provides the meaningful health benefits of more energy (69 percent), increased strength (64 percent) and stress relief (61 percent).
  • And 84 percent of teens agree that there has never been a better time than now to focus on their health.
• Mental Health Takes Center Stage. Almost half (48 percent) of teens admit that they struggled with mental health for the first time during the pandemic. And more than half (51 percent) explain they currently struggle with anxiety.
  • Parents are overwhelmingly concerned about how the past two years have impacted their teens’ mental health (71 percent), overall health (66 percent) and physical fitness (60 percent). And 71 percent are equally concerned for their high schooler’s academic progress and preparedness for college.
  • That said, more than four in five teens report they are feeling hopeful about what’s to come in the future (85 percent) and that the pandemic showed them how strong they really are (82 percent).
• Let’s Get Talking. Parents have overwhelmingly spoken more regularly to their teens over the past two years about topics like self-esteem and confidence (92 percent), exercise and working out (88 percent) and mental health (82 percent). The majority of teens today also say they are now more open and communicative about their feelings (79 percent).
• Screen Time, More Time. A majority of parents (55 percent) also report the time their teens spends on social media has increased since the start of the pandemic. In fact, many parents feel their teens are spending more time being sedentary than active – 54 percent noted their teens text more today, 52 percent saw an uptick in playing video games and 50 percent of parents say their teen is spending more time watching TV.
• And more teens agree they spend too much time in front of screens than they did right before the pandemic (61 percent in 2022 versus 52 percent in 2020).