National Youth Leadership Training Awards

National Youth Leadership Training

Lincoln Heritage Council Awards

This is dedicated to every youth and adult who continues to spend uncounted hours in dedication to improving our world through teaching leadership in those that will determine our future.

This is free to use as it’s my hope that one day this may become a national recognition of NYLT participants and staff.

David Huff

Contents

Ceremonies

Ceremony for NYLT Participants

Ceremony for NYLT Staff

Construction

Construction details for acorns.

Contact information

Ceremony for NYLT Participants

SPL or Scoutmaster

Each of you have spent a week within your patrol learning about leadership. We have completed a whole month of troop meetings complete with planning and performing an outdoor activity. Throughout this week you have learned about listening, speaking, stages of team development, and your actions to both teach and lead with Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable (EDGE).

You also learned about vision, mission, and objectives. In the words of Joel Barker:

“Vision without action is merely a dream

Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with Action can change the world.”

You learned about this through the NYLT saying “Be, Know, Do”.

Traditionally, we have presented an acorn on a leather thong as a token for completion of the NYLT course. An acorn was chosen because of the symbolic relationship to “Be, Know, Do”.

An acorn is an acorn. It does not strive to be a bird, frog, deer, or horse. It’s an acorn and it’s happy to be an acorn. It does have a vision. Its vision is to grow big and strong so that it may provide shade for those who rest beneath it or provide wood for a house or church to protect those who reside inside. An anonymous poem titled "Little by Little" says it best.

Little By Little

Anonymous

“Little by little,” an acorn said,

As it slowly sank in its mossy bed,

“I am improving every day,

Hidden deep in the earth away.”

Little by little, each day it grew;

Little by little, it sipped the dew;

Downward it sent out a thread-like root;

Up in the air sprung a tiny shoot.

Day after day, and year after year,

Little by little the leaves appear;

And the slender branches spread far and wide,

Till the mighty oak is the forest’s pride.

Far down in the depths of the dark blue sea,

An insect train work ceaselessly.

Grain by grain, they are building well,

Each one alone in its little cell.

Moment by moment, and day by day,

Never stopping to rest or to play,

Rocks upon rocks, they are rearing high,

Till the top looks out on the sunny sky.

The gentle wind and the balmy air,

Little by little, bring verdure there;

Till the summer sunbeams gayly smile

On the buds and the flowers of the coral isle.

“Little by little,” said a thoughtful boy,

“Moment by moment, I’ll well employ,

Learning a little every day,

And not spending all my time in play.

And still this rule in my mind shall dwell,

Whatever I do, I will do it well.

“Little by little, I’ll learn to know

The treasured wisdom of long ago;

And one of these days, perhaps, we’ll see

That the world will be the better for me”;

And do you not think that this simple plan

Made him a wise and useful man?

We, the NYLT staff, have provided you with knowledge of the Boy Scouts of America National Youth Leadership Training. We have provided you with opportunities to think about your vision, to practice leadership, and to make new friends. Just as an acorn takes water, earth, and sun to nourish it and provide for its growth; we hope that we have been a part of the nourishment you have received from your parents, guardians, grandparents, church, scout leaders, and others along your way. So “Be” yourself, “Know” what you’ve learned this week, and finally in the words of Joel Barker that I mentioned in the beginning, it’s nothing unless you “Do”. May this acorn that I present to each one of you remind you of “Be”, “Know”, “Do” that you might demonstrate your leadership abilities to make Scouting and this world a better place.

Ceremony for NYLT Staff Members

Scoutmaster

Each of you have agreed to be on NYLT staff. You did this knowing and understanding the hours of preparation it takes to put on an excellent course. Through your dedication and hard work you demonstrate the essence of NYLT in “Be”, “Know”, “Do”.

You understand that for an acorn to become a might oak it has to have help. It has to have water, earth, and sun. Just as an acorn must have help, so do the youth in our council, to become future leaders in Scouting and our communities. By delivering this course to our participants you are providing this nourishment.

Traditionally we have presented a single acorn on a leather thong to participants as a token for completion of the NYLT course. An acorn was chosen because of the symbolic relationship to “Be, Know, Do”.

As a first year staff member you are presented with two acorns on a leather thong. The first acorn symbolizes your completion as a participant of the NYLT course. The second symbolizes all the participants’ acorns that you have now planted as a result of your service throughout this course. It will remind you that through “Doing” the staff work, you are making a difference in so many more scouts in our council.

(Present to 1^st year staff members)

Second year staff members receive two acorns with the top of one painted red. The two acorns again represent the knowledge learned as a participant and the service provided. The red represents the additional responsibility to provide leadership to new staff members while continuing to demonstrate each part of the program in your daily activities.

(Present to 2^nd year staff members)

Third year staff members receive two acorns with the top of both painted red. The two acorns again represent the knowledge learned as a participant and the service provided. The red represents the additional responsibility to provide leadership to new staff members and returning staff that have new responsibilities. Being a part of staff for three years is a huge accomplishment and deserves special recognition for your key role in making this course exceptional for participants.

(Present to 3^rd year staff members)

Only a few youth have ever served on a course for a fourth or fifth year. It truly takes an exceptional individual who is dedicated to serving others and embellishes the values of Scouting and the lessons of NYLT to serve for this many years. Fourth year staff members receive two acorns with the top of one painted red and the top of the other painted blue. (Only use if you have 5^th year staff - Fifth year staff members receive two acorns with the top of both painted blue.) The two acorns again represent the knowledge learned as a participant and the service provided. The red represents the additional responsibility to provide leadership to all staff members. This (These) staff member(s) has (have) impacted so many participants through their leadership over the years that the blue represents the night sky through which stars emerge, just as this individual as undoubtedly created many new leadership stars in the participants which have passed through the courses they have helped lead.

(Present to 4^th and 5^th year staff members)

You, the NYLT staff have provided the Boys Scouts of America National Program on Youth Leadership. You have demonstrated your commitment to the values of Scouting and the lessons of NYLT Program. Just as an acorn takes water, earth, and sun to nourish it and provide for its growth, you have provided nourishment to the youth who have passed through our course. To end, I’ll share something from Baden-Powell that is used on adult leader training courses called Wood Badge:

The leadership of Scouting has passed through a number of generations of dedicated Scouters, and now that responsibility has passed on to you. It is your turn to provide opportunities for young people to grow in body and mind and spirit. It is your turn to give shape to the possibilities of the Scouting movement. It is your turn to build your own legacy of service and leadership.

“The real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you find it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate, you have not wasted your time, but done your best!’

As staff of NYLT you are leaving a legacy in other youth. You are showing them what is possible, what they can do, what they can achieve. Congratulations on an excellent course and Thank You. Good Night.

Construction:

Materials:

1-1/32” Diameter x 1-3/8” Tall Wood Acorns

Tandy Black Leather Lace 1/8” cut pieces:

9” leather thong per single acorn

13” leather thong per double acorn

Cabot Golden Oak Gloss Finish Water-Borne Polystain

Delta Ceramic Barn Red Opaque Water Based Paint

Folk Art 443 Night Sky Acrylic Paint

Wood acorns are purchased from Casey’s Wood Products. The link is below, however, a Google search for wood acorns will deliver many links and you can purchase from anyone.

http://www.caseyswood.com/shoppingcart/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=202_203&products_id=48&gclid=CJC-w_S77qECFRMhDQodHBIGLA

The table below will help you determine how many acorns you will need depending upon the number of participants and staff members.

	Plain Acorns	Red Top Acorns	Blue Top Acorns
Participants	# of Participants
1^st Year Staff	2 x # of 1^st Year Staff
2^nd Year Staff	# of 2^nd Year Staff	# of 2^nd Year Staff
3^rd Year Staff		2 x # of 2^nd Year Staff
4^TH Year Staff		# of 4^th Year Staff	# of 4^th Year Staff
5^th Year Staff			2 x # of 5^th Year Staff

Once you receive the wood acorns you need to drill a hole through them with a 5/32” bit. I drilled a ¾ inch hole into scrap piece of 2x4 to hold the acorn (The base of the acorn will fit nicely in the ¾ inch hole and hold it securely while you drill it). Do not drill out the stem but drill the 5/32 inch hole on a slight angle which is easy to do with the 2x4 holder.

Next, you can either thread the leather thong, tie them, and then stain or stain and then thread and tie the leather thong.

To stain the acorns simply put them on a wire hook or use the leather thong and dip them in the polystain and then hang to dry.

The leather thong is threaded through the acorn and tied in an overhand know at the bottom of the acorn. The top is doubled and then tied in an overhand know to make a loop suitable for hanging from a button.

For appropriate level of staff paint the acorn caps according to the chart in either red or blue.
For help or information contact me at dhuff@otherside.com

57 reads