Unit Elections

The unit elections committee is growing – we have three new youth members

Andrew S. – chapter 23

Ben S. – chapter 19

Sam D. – chapter 4

The committee needs youth representatives from the remaining chapters.

 

The unit election period will be here before you know it. The recommended unit election period is October through February 15th. The goal is to have at least 85% of the Scouts BSA units to hold elections if they have eligible youth.

 

Unit Award of Excellence

Every unit should strive to earn the OA Unit Award of Excellence.

The Order of the Arrow Unit of Excellence Award seeks to identify those units, and the leaders within them, who excel at incorporating the OA into their annual planning.

The OA Unit of Excellence Award criteria recognize units that invite the lodge to  conduct quality unit elections, participate in lodge events and meetings, and operate a complete OA Troop/Team Representative program.

 

Order of the Arrow Unit of Excellence Award Requirements:

 

1. Leadership: Implement the Troop/Team OA Representative and Troop/Team OA Representative Adviser (Assistant Scoutmaster or Assistant Coach Designee) programs in your unit.

       A.Every six months, ensure that the senior patrol leader (Troop) or Team Captain (Team) appoints or reappoints one Scout or Team Member to serve as Troop/Team OA Representative and the Scoutmaster/Coach appoints one adult to serve as Troop/Team OA Representative Adviser.

       B.Feature an annual presentation at a Court of Honor by the Troop/Team OA Representative on the Order of the Arrow with a focus on the accomplishments of unit members.

2. Participation: Promote lodge events and provide transportation to all Arrowmen wishing to participate.  At least 50% of unit OA members attend at least one lodge event in addition to their Ordeal.

3. Elections: Schedule a unit election with the chapter election team annually.  Hold an election and have 70% of elected Scouts or Team Members complete their Ordeal.

4. Planning: Maintain an active planning process that prevents overlap between Lodge and chapter events with unit events.  Review the local OA calendar with the Patrol Leader’s Council or Team Leadership during annual troop/team program planning and schedule unit events so that 100% of troop/team programs do not overlap with any full lodge events.

5. Conversion: Demonstrate the depth of your unit’s OA program through Brotherhood conversion.  At least 30% of eligible troop/team members seal their membership in the Order by converting to Brotherhood.

More information about the Unit Award of Excellence can be found at:

https://oa-bsa.org/uploads/resources/forms/unitexcellenceaward-2015.pdf

 

Scouts BSA, Venturers and Seas Scouts

Beginning February1st 2019 Scouts BSA will welcome girls into all girl troops. Female Leaders have been eligible for OA election since 1988.These Scouts BSA girl troops will be eligible for OA elections when they meet the same criteria that currently exists. In addition, both Venturers and Sea Scouts will be eligible for OA election upon meeting the following requirements:

◾Have experienced 15 nights of camping while registered with a troop, crew or ship within the two years immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the BSA. Only five nights of the long-term camp may be credited toward the 15-night camping requirement; the balance of the camping (10 nights) must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps of, at most, three nights each. Ship nights may be counted as camping for Sea Scouts.

◾At the time of their election, youth must be under the age of 21, hold the Scouts BSA First Class rank, the Venturing Discovery Award, or the Sea Scout Ordinary rank or higher, and following approval by the Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor or Sea Scout Skipper, be elected by the youth members of their unit.

◾Adults (age 21 or older) who meet the camping requirements may be selected following nomination to and approval by the lodge adult selection committee

 

Fall Fellowship

At Fall Fellowship each chapter will have an opportunity to practice their unit election ceremony as it is planned to have a unit election presentation by each chapter. This will be your chapter’s opportunity to improve through positive feedback -more on this later.

 

John Hunnicutt

Achgeketum Gochpiwi

Vigil Honor

Unit Elections Advisor