Dear Volcano Scouting Community,
We have some important news to share with you. After much deliberation, we have decided to discontinue in-person programming and shift our focus exclusively to providing asynchronous curricula and resources for troop outings to Mount St. Helens. While we will miss the energy and excitement of our in-person events, we believe that this new direction will allow us to better serve our community, reach a wider audience, and have a more sustainable impact.
We understand that this news may come as a surprise to some of you. Unfortunately, due to staffing shortages, increasing costs, and limited council support, this shift in focus includes the cancellation of our 2023 Merit Badge Weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and want to assure you that we made this decision with the safety and enjoyment of our participants, staff, and volunteers in mind. Rest assured, all registrants will receive full refunds (including processing fees) credited to their original form of payment in the next 30 days.
The Merit Badge Weekend was set to be a unique experiential learning experience for scouts where they would conduct real-world scientific inquiry, hear from outdoor professionals, and engage in ecological restoration at the Mount St. Helens Science and Learning Center. We know that many scouts and troop leaders were looking forward to this event, and we are disappointed that we had to cancel it. However, we believe that our new focus on asynchronous curricula and resources will allow us to continue providing valuable educational opportunities to scouts while also meeting our organizational needs.
So what exactly does our new focus entail? Our new approach will allow us to provide free educational resources that can be used by scouts and leaders at any time and from anywhere. We will be developing interactive, multimedia curricula that cover a range of topics related to Mount St. Helens, including geology, ecology, history, and more. This curricula will be designed to engage scouts in learning, inquiry, and exploration, and will be aligned with the requirements for several merit badges. Unlike our previous virtual programming, we anticipate most of this new curricula will be self-service (i.e. not including virtual merit badge counseling) and will now be free for all scouts.
In addition to curricula, we will be developing a range of resources that can be used by troops during outings to Mount St. Helens. These resources will include activity guides, maps, and other tools that will help scouts and leaders navigate the area and explore the natural wonders of the volcano. We will also curate information to support troops in adequately planning these outings to Mount St. Helens, including information about overnight accommodations, volunteer opportunities, and suggested activities.
Our goal is to make it easier for troops to plan and execute successful outings to Mount St. Helens, while also providing them with the tools they need to deepen their understanding of the area and its significance. We believe that this new direction will allow us to continue to provide high-quality educational experiences to scouts, while also meeting our organizational needs and ensuring the sustainability of our programs.
We are excited about this new direction for Volcano Scouting and look forward to continuing to serve our community in new and innovative ways. We want to thank you for your continued support and engagement with our organization. We are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences to scouts and troop leaders, and we believe that our new focus on asynchronous curricula and resources will allow us to do just that.
If you have any questions or concerns about our new direction, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Quentin Comus
Founder and President
Volcano Scouting