Program Planning for October 2025
Things to Remember This Month:
- Train New and Incoming and Returning Unit Leaders
- Cub Advancement Resources Help Parents Lead and Succeed
- Follow-Up on BeAScout Leads!
- New guidance for ‘Using Digital Tools to Strengthen the Merit Badge Experience'
October Council Events
Cub Haunted
October 17-19
Join us for a fun filled weekend at Camp McGee which includes: Dr. Frankenstein's STEM Lab, Cub Carnival, Haunted Trail, BB Guns, Archery & Wrist Rockets and so much more!! The tombs are rumbling—our mummies can’t believe it’s already time for Cub Haunted!
REGISTERCub Scout Position Specific Leadership Training
October 2
Join us for position specific training for Den Leader, Committee Member, Cub Master and Committee Chair training.
REGISTERNuclear Sciences Merit Badge Day @ River Bend
October 4
The Nuclear Science merit badge lets Scouts learn about this exciting field at the cutting edge of science, and to learn about America's largest baseload electricity source that does not contribute to global warming.
CLASS FULLNorthshore District Roundtable
October 9
Monthly program offered by Northshore District that gives leaders hands-on experience and provides a forum for leaders to offer and receive help from their fellow Scouters.
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Capital Service Area Roundtable (Central, Southern, and Western Districts)
October 16
Monthly program offered by Central, Southern and Western Districts that gives leaders hands-on experience and provides a forum for leaders to offer and receive help from their fellow Scouters.
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Council Program Committee Meeting
October 23
Join us to discuss and decide/plan program initiatives for the entire Council.
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LSU PARKING FUNDRAISER - LSU VS SOUTH CAROLINA
October 11
This fundraising opportunity is open to all Scouts BSA, Venturers, Explorers, Scout Leaders and parents.
LEARN MORELSU PARKING FUNDRAISER - LSU VS TEXAS A&M
October 25
This fundraising opportunity is open to all Scouts BSA, Venturers, Explorers, Scout Leaders and parents.
LEARN MOREOver The Edge
October 29
Do you or your organization want to be a supporter of Over The Edge with the Istrouma Area Council, Boy Scouts of America? Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind event that takes fundraising to new heights!
REGISTEROctober Planning Items
Other Notable Activities
- St. Tammany Parish Fair - October 1-5
- Tangipahoa Parish Fair - October 1-5
- Livingston Parish Fair - October 4-12
- Washington Parish Fair - October 15-19
- Greater Baton Rouge Parish Fair - October 23-November 2
- Halloween! - October 31
New guidance for ‘Using Digital Tools to Strengthen the Merit Badge Experience'
As new digital resources become available, it’s exciting and challenging to adapt and integrate their use in the merit badge program. Our technology is changing and evolving, and Scouting should work to embrace these new ideas and technologies while keeping what makes Scouting meaningful — the personal connections, character-building, and the power of adult mentorship and interactions in a young person’s life. For information, click this LINK.
Follow-Up on BeAScout Leads!
The Fall Media Campaign has driven traffic to BeAScout.org up more than 33.3% over 2023. That means more and more people are visiting the site, which makes it more important than ever for units to follow-up on their BeAScout leads. Flyers, yard signs, social media content and many other marketing tactics are driving potential Scouting families to beascout.org. Many of those people reach out to get questions answered and/or apply to become members.
The system, though, is not automatic. Each unit must respond to those "leads" and accept those new members. The more often a unit checks the system for those leads, the better the experience will be for those potential Scouting families. Let's help families connect with Scouting! For information on how to manage BeAScout leads, visit this site: https://www.scouting.org/resources/online-registration/.
Advancement Resources for Leaders and Parents
By now, you’re really into Handbook Advancement and Adventures. The Cub Scout Advance link from the Atlanta Area Council will take you to resource pages for Adventures, and give you – and the parents in your Den – helpful information to be great leaders of your Scouts. Each Adventure resource page has the Den Leader Guide Plan, simpler “streamlined” plans for most “required” adventures, and similar simple “family led” plans for every Adventure. Plus all of the native content from “Scouting on Demand”, and even more videos (like BSA videos en español) and resource links to keep you smarter than your Scout.