Northern Trail News: April 12, 2026
Northern Trail Roundtable Meeting
Come meet other Unit leaders, ask questions, network and learn from the topic of the month. We welcome all Adult volunteers. How do you know if you do not ask? Whether a new volunteer or lots of years in the saddle, it will be of value to you, to your unit and to our youth – it’s fun to network.
📍 Roundtable is the 2nd Thursday of every month.
First United Methodist Church Richardson, Rm. 230 @ 7:00 pm
Upcoming Roundtable Topics:
NT May Roundtable Special Event Meet the Troops Night |
| CALLING ALL CURRENT WEBELOS AND BEARS, BOYS AND GIRLS |
Come Meet the Troops of Northern Trail (Richardson ISD) Get to know the troops in your area as your Cub Scouts consider their options after earning the Arrow of Light. May 14, 2026 · 7:00–8:00 PM FUMCR — 503 N Central Expressway Packs and Troops please RSVP: |
📌 Action Items
- 📝 Cub Scout Crossover Reminder: Please ensure all Cub Scout advancement is recorded before a youth is registered with a troop. Many Scouts crossing over have already paid their national dues at the end of 2025; those dues should not be collected again by the troop. ➡ Need arrows for your crossover? Contact Arapaho chapter advisor Kristine Schowope Kschwope@hotmail.com or 214-734-2281.
- Northern Trail District Committee meetings - Have a Voice in Your District!
- Northern Trail Roundtable - Are you making it to your district roundtable meetings?
- Post photos on the District and Council Facebook pages.
- Share this newsletter – Make sure new members are in the know - Forward to others in your unit. Sign up here.
- New Merit Badge Counselor Contact Jayde Hawkins. Send the merit badge form along with a multiple application and a copy of your ypt/sy. Training is available at Merit Badge Counselor Position Specific Training
📣 Recruitment & Promotion
🎓 Training & Leadership
- Health and Safety – Safety is a value that must be taught and reinforced at every opportunity.
- Check out all the new training classes added to On the Calendar!
- Share Your Skills – Mentor new leaders; contact bramfranklin@gmail.com.
🍿 Fundraising & Volunteering
- TBD
📰 Newsletter & Content
- Have Content? – Send items for the newsletter to news@ntrail.org.
📅On the Calendar 
- 📆District Calendar
Northern Trail District Commissioner Meeting May 7 at 6:00pm, FUMC Richardson, Room 226B.
Northern Trail District Committee Meeting May 7 at 7:00pm, FUMC Richardson, Room 230.
Northern Trail Roundtable - May 14 at FUMC, room 230 7:00 pm.
2026 BALOO Training #3- Hosted by Northern Trail - April 18 - 19, 2026 at Camp Wisdom. - This training is an overnight training event that introduces parents and leaders to the skills needed to plan and conduct Pack outdoor activities, particularly Pack camping. The training includes campsite selection, outdoor event planning, parent involvement, health & safety, equipment, cooking, and an introduction to camping skills.
- The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Training is a 16-hour, hands-on course to give adult leaders the experience needed to handle illness and injury when medical care is more than an hour away. Most of the BSA high-adventure bases (HAB) require at least one person per trek to be current in WFA.
- Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) is a day-only training event that teaches Scouts with leadership positions about their new roles and how to most effectively reach success in that role. It is intended to help Scouts in leadership positions within their troop understand their responsibilities and to equip them with organizational and leadership skills to fulfill those responsibilities.
This course is full.
2026 ILST Training #2 (WIS)- April 18, 2026 at Camp WisdomWood Badge 149 - Philmont Scout Ranch: Wood Badge is Scouting America's ultimate leadership training designed to meet the advanced leadership needs of Scouters. August 2-8, 2026
2026 UNIVERSITY OF SCOUTING Save The Date October 10, 2026
Wood Badge 150 - Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp: October 23-25, 2026 and November 7-8, 2026
| 🏕️ Have a Voice in Your District |
Northern Trail Scouters, are you satisfied with the district activities? Do you want a voice in deciding future events? If so, you are encouraged to attend our next District Committee Meeting on Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 PM in room 230 at the First United Methodist Church of Richardson. All Scouters are welcome, and your unit’s Charter Organization Representative is especially encouraged to attend as a full member of the district committee. |
| Local News and Notes |
📚 Upcoming Training
| New Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) |
|---|
| Youth Protection Training Update: If you’ve already completed Youth Protection Training (YPT) and it expires prior to May 31, 2026, your certification remains valid until that date. However, volunteers with YPT expirations after May 31, 2026 will be required to complete the new Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) by May 31, 2026. All adult volunteers must complete the updated training within the next 12 months. SYT is available now on my.Scouting.org. |
| 🏕️ Build Stronger Leaders – Training Opportunities |
Great units are built on trained leaders — both youth and adult. These upcoming courses provide the skills, confidence, and experience to strengthen your program from the inside out. 📍 All courses will be held at Camp Wisdom Spots are filling quickly! Register now to ensure your unit is ready for the year ahead. BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation) IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills) ILST (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops) Every strong troop has trained youth leaders — ILST is where that journey begins. Whether you're training adult leaders or developing youth leadership, these courses are essential to delivering the Scouting program at its best. |
| Upcoming District and Council Events |
Arapaho Chapter News
The Arapaho Chapter invites you to join us for our April meeting on April 14th at FUMCR, Room 230 at 7:30 PM.
Election season is drawing to a close, and the time for callouts is near. Be sure to attend Camporee, March 27–29 to take part in this important tradition.
If you have an elected candidate who may benefit from a sensory-sensitive callout experience, please contact Advisor Kristine Schwope at 214-734-2281 .
The Order of the Arrow is an honor camper service organization. Each district has a chapter and members are chosen by their peers.
Contact arapaho@miki.org with questions.
It's not too late to renew your OA membership go to: miki.org/event-registration/ and pay your dues.
Other Important Information
Hazardous Weather Training: 28 Minutes That Could Save a Life
In Scouting, adventure often places us outdoors—on campouts, hikes, service projects, and activities where weather can change quickly and without warning. Hazardous weather remains one of the most common and dangerous risks we face as leaders.
Hazardous Weather Training helps adult leaders recognize dangerous conditions early, make informed decisions, and take action before a situation becomes an emergency. The training prepares leaders to safely manage risks such as:
- ⛈️ Lightning and severe storms
- 🌪️ High winds and severe weather systems
- 🌊 Flash flooding and heavy rainfall
- 🔥 Extreme heat and dehydration
- ❄️ Cold weather exposure and hypothermia
The training takes just 28 minutes to complete online, but those 28 minutes could truly save a life. Understanding when to delay activities, seek shelter, or change plans entirely can prevent injuries and emergencies before they occur.
Hazardous Weather Training is available through My.Scouting.org and is strongly encouraged for all registered adult leaders. It’s a small investment of time that reinforces the Scouting values of preparedness, responsibility, and caring for others.
Be prepared. Be informed. Be ready—before the weather turns.
Cub Scout Camping
Cub Scout Camping is fun and only allowed at approved camps. Make your reservations in advance for your whole pack to enjoy the outdoors. Click on Circle Ten Camps for information on the 4 Circle 10 camps and all the other approved Cub Scout Camping locations at the bottom of the page for your Cub Scout Pack to have an adventure.
Northern Trail has an active commissioner staff with deep scouting knowledge. Get to know your commissioner. Your commissioner can help you and your unit resolve problems and pass along some ideas to make your program even better. Our District Commissioner is Bram Franklin, who may be reached at: bramfranklin@gmail.com.
If you are having trouble reaching your commissioner, contact Bram and he will assist you.
Looking for a way to give back to scouting? New unit leaders need mentors who can help them navigate the trail. As you know it can be a little overwhelming. Training is available! Contact our district commissioner Bram Franklin bramfranklin@gmail.com for more information.
Help Shape Scouting — Become a Unit Commissioner
Many of us have Scouts who have aged out but still want to contribute to the values and ethics Scouting instills in our youth. We are looking for two new commissioners for Northern Trail. If you have Scouting experience and want to help beyond your Pack, Troop, Crew, Ship, or Post, please consider becoming a unit commissioner.
If you have questions or would like to suggest someone for this role, please contact:
Bram Franklin
214-609-9089
BramFranklin@gmail.com
Website and Newsletter
Our newsletter and website reach a very large audience in Northern Trail. If there is something scouting related which needs to be on the website or the newsletter, please do not keep it to yourself, let us know. news@ntrail.org
If we need to fix a broken link or have incorrect information, please take a moment, and let us know. news@ntrail.org
Do not keep the newsletter to yourself! Everyone in your unit should be receiving the newsletter and be aware of the website. sign up is easy, just send them to: Newsletter sign up . Do not forget to sign up on Circle Ten to receive updates from the council.
Looking for something in a recent newsletter? Several years of past newsletters may be found here.
Yours in Scouting,
Tammy Pitt
Northern Trail Communications Committee
