In our ward we decided that every young man should have the opportunity to have the same great program offered to them and the ability to achieve the
Duty to God and Eagle Scout awards regardless of who their leader is. To achieve this requires
creating a two year plan that gets handed from leader to leader. The requirements for these two
awards do not change very frequently so it becomes very easy to accomplish them with minimal effort at home if you make a game plan.
We also found that many of our leaders were driving home from work fretting
about what activity they were going to do that night, the parents had no idea
what the boys were doing and the boys had no idea either. We made a
plan in December, combined it and revised it once the Stake calendar came out
and then presented it to the parents and the boys to let them know what we would
be doing the whole next year. It is now August and we have had very few
changes to the plan thus far. If both YM and YW do this, then BYC meeting
is a lot more targeted and productive toward meeting needs of individuals.
Our basic outline is this for any given month:
Week 1: Combined YM/YW Activity
Week 2: Duty To God Activity
Week 3: Scouting Activity
Week 4: Optional (Fun/Service/Boy's Choice) for Older Boys or Scouting Activity for Younger Boys
Week 5: Service Project (as directed by Bishopric, may be either done on a class by class basis or a combined effort for larger projects)
Taking this approach you can get nearly all of the non-family activities for Duty to God accomplished over a 2 year period.
Throw in a scout camp every year and it is tough to not achieve the Eagle award.
All the boys have to do is attend and participate.
Here is our sample calendar for 2009 in our ward:
| Date |
Deacons/Scouts |
Teachers/Varsity |
Priests/Venture |
| Wed - Jan 7 |
Combined Activity - Deacons(Commercials) |
| Wed - Jan 14 |
Space Exploration MB |
Planning Meeting |
Multi-Stake Priest/Laurel Activity |
| 1/16-1/17 |
Camp - Messenger Flats |
Camp - Messenger Flats |
| Sun - Jan 18 |
Bishops Fireside -Church DVD - A Brand New Year |
| Wed - Jan 21 |
Space Exploration MB |
Space Exploration MB/Volleyball Practice |
Volleyball Practice |
| Thu - Jan 22 |
|
Stake Volleyball - 7pm |
| Wed - Jan 28 |
DTG |
DTG |
DTG - QA - 1, 4 |
| Thu - Jan 29 |
|
Stake Volleyball - 6pm |
| Tue - Feb 3 |
Stake Communications Merit Badge |
| Wed - Feb 4 |
Combined Activity - Beehives(Movie Night) |
| Thu - Feb 5 |
|
Stake Volleyball - 8pm |
| Wed - Feb 11 |
Snow Camp Prep |
Snow Camp Prep |
DTG - QA - 3; SP - 11 |
| Thu - Feb 12 |
|
Stake Volleyball - 8pm |
| 2/13-2/14 |
Snow Camping -Mt. Pinos |
Snow Camping - Mt. Pinos |
| Sat - Feb 14 |
|
Stake Dance |
| Sun - Feb 15 |
Bishops Fireside - Patriarch |
| Wed - Feb 18 |
Communications MB Follow Through |
Communications MB/Basketball Practice |
Basketball Practice |
| Thu - Feb 19 |
|
Stake Volleyball - 8pm |
| Wed - Feb 25 |
Stake Communications MB |
Stake Communications MB/ Planning Combined Act |
Basketball Practice |
| Wed - Mar 4 |
Combined Activity - Teachers(Crazy Olympics) |
| Fri - Mar 6 |
|
Varsity/Venture Basketball Tournament |
| Sat - Mar 7 |
|
Varsity/Venture Basketball Tournament |
| Wed - Mar 11 |
DTG |
DTG |
DTG - QA - 3; SP - 11 |
| Thu - Mar 12 |
First Aid MB - McBean Bldg |
First Aid MB - McBean Bldg |
|
| Fri - Mar 13 |
|
Varsity/Venture Basketball Tournament |
| Sat - Mar 14 |
|
Varsity/Venture Basketball Tournament |
| Sat - Mar 14 |
Temple Baptsims |
| Sun - Mar 15 |
Bishops Fireside - Dating |
| Wed - Mar 18 |
Court of Honor |
| Thu - Mar 19 |
First Aid MB - McBean Bldg |
First Aid MB - McBean Bldg |
|
| Sat - Mar 21 |
Trail Building - PCT - North Fork Ranger Station |
Stake Dance |
| Wed - Mar 25 |
Super Camp Prep |
Super Camp Prep/Mountain Man Training |
Mountain Man Training |
| 3/27-3/28 |
Overnight Hike |
Overnight Hike |
| Tue - Mar 31 |
Stake - Citizenship in Community MB |
|
| Wed - Apr 1 |
Combined Activity - Mia Maids(Lip Sync) |
| Wed - Apr 8 |
Super Camp |
Super Camp |
DTG - QA - 6 |
| 4/8-4/11 |
Super Camp |
Super Camp |
| Sat - Apr 11 |
|
Stake Dance |
| Tue - Apr 14 |
City Council Meeting |
City Council Mtg |
|
| Wed - Apr 15 |
No Activity |
No Activity |
Mountain Man Training |
| Apr 17-18 |
|
Mountain Man Rendezvous |
| Sun - Apr 19 |
Stake Fireside |
| Wed - Apr 22 |
Camporee Prep |
Camporee Prep |
Mormon Prom Prep |
| Sat - Apr 25 |
|
Stake Dance |
| Wed - Apr 29 |
Stake Citizenship in Community MB/Bishop Service Project - (DTG QA - 7) |
| Fri - May 1 |
Camporee - Castaic Lake |
Camporee - Castaic Lake |
LDS PROM |
| Sat - May 2 |
Camporee - Castaic Lake |
Camporee - Castaic Lake |
|
| Wed - May 6 |
Combined Activity - Priests(Car Rally/Scavenger Hunts) |
| Wed - May 13 |
Fly Fishing MB |
Fly Fishing MB |
DTG -SP-7 Invite Less-Active |
| Sun - May 17 |
|
Scripture Mastery |
| Wed - May 20 |
Fly Fishing MB |
Fly Fishing MB |
Missionary Meals |
| Wed - May 27 |
DTG |
Dodgeball |
Dodgeball |
| Wed - Jun 3 |
Combined Activity - Laurels (Swimming) |
| Wed - Jun 10 |
Photography MB |
Photography MB |
DTG - PD - 10,12 |
| Wed - Jun 17 |
Photography MB |
No Activity -Youth Conference |
| 6/18 - 6/20 |
Youth Conference |
| Wed - Jun 24 |
Photography MB |
Photography MB |
Prep for Adventure Race |
| Wed - Jul 1 |
Combined Activity - Deacons(Ice Melt) |
| Wed - Jul 8 |
Mt. Whitney Prep |
Mt. Whitney Prep |
Prep for Adventure Race |
| 7/10 - 7/11 |
|
Varsity/Venture Adventure Race |
| 7/13 - 7/18 |
Super Hike - Mount Whitney |
| Wed - Jul 15 |
Mount Whitney |
Mount Whitney |
DTG - PD - 8,9 |
| Sun - Jul 19 |
Bishops Fireside - Recently Returned Missionary |
| Wed - Jul 22 |
Emerald Bay Prep |
Emerald Bay Prep |
Basketball Practice |
| 7/26 - 8/1 |
Boy Scout Camp -Emerald Bay |
| Wed - Jul 29 |
Bishop Service Project - DTG(SP - 9 (Benefit non members) C&S - 12) |
| Wed - Aug 5 |
Combined Activity - Beehives(Swim Party) |
| Thu - Aug 6 |
|
Stake Basketball |
| Wed - Aug 12 |
Space Exploration MB |
Space Exploration MB |
DTG - PD - 1 |
| Thu - Aug 13 |
|
Stake Basketball |
| Wed - Aug 19 |
Court of Honor |
| Thu - Aug 20 |
|
Stake Basketball |
| 8/21-8/22 |
Rocket Launch Camp |
Rocket Launch Camp |
|
| Sun - Aug 23 |
Bishops Fireside -Recently Returned Missionary |
| Wed - Aug 26 |
DTG |
Dodgeball |
| Thu - Aug 27 |
|
Stake Basketball |
| Sat - Aug 29 |
Stake Swimming Party |
| Wed - Sep 2 |
Combined Activity - Teachers(Wakeboard Saturday) |
| Thu - Sep 3 |
|
Stake Basketball |
| Tue - Sep 8 |
Stake First Aid Merit Badge |
| Wed - Sep 9 |
Graphic Arts MB |
Graphic Arts MB |
DTG - PD - 5 |
| Sat - Sep 12 |
|
Stake Dance |
| Wed - Sep 16 |
Graphic Arts MB |
Graphic Arts MB/Triathlon Training |
Triathlon Training |
| Sat - Sep 19 |
Trail Building - PCT - North Fork Ranger Station |
Trail Building - PCT - North Fork Ranger Station |
| Sun - Sep 20 |
Stake Fireside |
| Wed - Sep 23 |
DTG |
Triathlon Training |
Triathlon Training |
| Sat - Sep 26 |
|
Varsity/Venture Triathlon |
| Wed - Sep 30 |
Stake First Aid MB/Bishop Service Project - SP - 3 (Hospital or Care Center) |
| Tue - Oct 6 |
Stake Citizenship in the Nation MB |
|
| Wed - Oct 7 |
Combined Activity - Mia Maids(Black light sock wars) |
| Thu - Oct 8 |
Citizenship in the World MB - McBean Bldg |
| Wed - Oct 14 |
Shotgun MB |
Shotgun MB |
DTG - E - 1 |
| 8/16-8/17 |
Overnight Hike |
Overnight Hike |
|
| Sun - Oct 18 |
Bishops Fireside -Recently Returned Missionary |
| Wed - Oct 21 |
Shotgun MB |
Shotgun MB |
Career Night |
| Sat - Oct 24 |
|
Halloween Dance |
| Wed - Oct 28 |
Stake Citizenship in the Nation MB |
Blogging |
| Sat - Oct 31 |
Shooting Range |
Shooting Range |
| Wed - Nov 4 |
Combined Activity - Priests(Senior Dinner/Ent) |
| Sat - Nov 7 |
Best of EFY |
| Wed - Nov 11 |
Citizenship in the World Follow Through |
Citizenship in the World Follow Through |
DTG - E - 3 |
| Thu - Nov 12 |
Citizenship in the World MB - McBean Bldg |
| Sat - Nov 15 |
Bishops Fireside -Music/Planning |
| Wed - Nov 18 |
Fingerprinting MB |
Fingerprinting MB |
Car Buying Tips |
| Sat - Nov 21 |
Beehive/Deacon Day |
| Wed - Nov 25 |
No Activity - Thanksgiving |
| Wed - Dec 2 |
Combined Activity - Laurels(Caroling @ SR. Center) |
| Wed - Dec 9 |
Backpacking MB |
Backpacking MB |
DTG - E - 7 |
| 12/11-12/12 |
Overnight Hike |
Overnight Hike |
|
| Wed - Dec 16 |
Video Game Night |
| Wed - Dec 23 |
No Activity - Christmas Holiday |
| Wed - Dec 30 |
No Activity - New Years Holiday |
| Thu - Dec 31 |
|
Stake New Years Dance |