Northern Star Council Annual Report 2015

NORTHERN STAR COUNCIL - BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
2015 ANNUAL REPORT

www.NorthernStarBSA.org
Central Switchboard: 763-231-7201
East Office: 393 Marshall Avenue / Saint Paul, MN 55102
West Office: 5300 Glenwood Avenue / Golden Valley, MN 55422
A United Way Member Agency for 100 years
We would like to recognize the many Friends of Scouting who helped make this annual report possible.
Special thanks to Clarity Coverdale Fury for donating the time and resources for this report’s conception,
development and prepress work as well as to Jostens for the paper and printing. These contributions
reflect the generosity and support that has made Scouting a positive community influence for more than a
century. Their pro-bono services have eliminated nearly all of the costs for production of this report.
©2016 Northern Star Council, Boy Scouts of America. All rights reserved. No portion of this book
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical,
electronic, photocopying or otherwise, without permission of the Northern Star Council.

“The Promise”
SCOUTING promises you the great outdoors. As a Scout, you can learn how to camp
and hike without leaving a trace and how to take care of the land. You’ll study wildlife up
close and learn about nature all around you. There are plenty of skills for you to master,
and you can teach others what you have learned. Everyone helping everyone else-that’s
part of Scouting, too.
SCOUTING promises you friendship. Members of the troop you join might be boys you
already know, and you will meet many other Scouts along the way. Some could become
lifelong friends.
SCOUTING promises you opportunities to work toward the Eagle Scout rank. You will
set positive goals for yourself and then follow clear routes to achieve them.
SCOUTING promises you tools to help you make the most of your family, your
community, and your Nation. The good deeds you perform every day will improve the
lives of those around you. You will be prepared to help others in time of need.
SCOUTING promises you experiences and responsibilities that will help you mature
into a strong, wise adult. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law can guide you while you
are a Scout and throughout your life.
Adventure, learning, challenge, responsibility – the promise of Scouting
is all this and more.

HELPING KIDS FIND THEIR
OWN TRUE NORTH.
Navigating life is not easy. That’s one reason
why the Boy Scouts of America exists: to help
point kids in the right direction for a lifetime.
This year more than 55,000 kids from all
walks of life participated in a range of Scouting
programs as members or guests – teaching
them how to pursue their passions, earn
confidence, discover self-reliance and forge
their own futures.

Direction isn’t always
about the way
you’re facing.
There’s a beauty to wandering.
Discovering. Taking the time
to explore and ask questions.
Learning to appreciate the
world around us is one of the
cornerstones that Scouting
provides curious minds.
Whether building a pinewood
derby car or conquering the
ropes at Base Camp, every
experience leads towards a
lifelong love of continuous
education and wonder.

The journey to
environmental
stewardship
begins here.
From day one in the Scouts,
we put kids on a path towards
exploring and (more importantly)
protecting the great outdoors. It
gives them true direction forward
when it comes to becoming a
new generation of environmental
stewards for the community. This
is just one way Scouting can help
make the planet a more vibrant
place to live. Literally.

Charting the course
towards character
and courage.
Facing fear and risk is a huge part of
developing character. How are kids
supposed to find what they’re capable
of if they don’t push themselves to the
limit? This year, 923 kids did exactly
that. With our certified week-long
high adventure programs that include
whitewater kayaking, rock climbing and
scuba activities – it’s not just character
building. It’s character emboldening.

Never lost.
Never Alone.
Self-reliance. It’s at the foundation
of every single Scouting experience.
From Cub Scouts onward, we’re
equipping our kids with an arsenal
of tools, confidence and life skills
that will stay by their sides long into
adulthood. Because when you’ve
found your true north, it doesn’t
matter where you end up in life.
You’ll never be lost.

DEAR FRIENDS
OF YOUNG PEOPLE
What a year! From reaching our 100,000th youth participant at Base Camp, to attaining
a record 227,740 community service hours logged by our Scouting units, to achieving the
National BSA’s Gold Council Award for continuous improvement – 2015 was another strong
Scouting year for Northern Star Council.
On the following pages you will read about these and many other highlights. They are
indicators of the positive youth development taking place within our communities every
day – all thanks to more than 15,500 volunteers who help young people find direction, gain
confidence and hone life skills.
2015 was also our 10th anniversary as the Northern Star Council, a measurably stronger
organization which was built upon our two legacy councils. Our name and logo are reflected
in the theme of this annual report – “Helping kids find true north” – with our golden star and
the blue compass ring that surrounds it pointing the way forward.
Whether real or symbolic, compasses are important Scouting tools for teaching, learning and
navigation. These tools, combined with Scouting’s programs and principles, help our members
find their way towards becoming the type of adults our families, communities and Nation
need. We can’t thank you enough for helping to make this possible.
Yours in Scouting,
Alan Bernick
Council
President
Brian Bullock
Council
Commissioner
John Andrews
Scout
Executive

MISSION
To prepare young people to be leaders and
individuals of strong character by helping them
discover the principles of Scouting.
Vision
Northern Star Council is a positive influence
in the lives of 100% of the young people in the
communities we serve.

PREPARED.
FOR LIFE.
“Be Prepared” — Prepared. For Life.
In Scouting, preparedness is more than a motto. That’s the idea behind the “Prepared. For Life.”
theme adopted by the BSA and all councils, including Northern Star. It provides a succinct way for
stating what Scouting is all about.
To further explain Scouting’s role in helping young people on their journey to adulthood, the
campaign emphasizes four distinct areas of preparation:
PREPARED FOR ADVENTURE.
Scouting encourages youth to pursue an active,
healthy lifestyle and to enjoy the great outdoors.
PREPARED FOR LEADERSHIP.
Scouting gives young people the skills to take
responsibility and to lead by example.
PREPARED FOR LEARNING.
Scouting teaches youth to set goals and work
to achieve them one step at a time.
PREPARED FOR SERVICE.
Scouting motivates young people to build their
communities by serving others.
Through Scouting, young people are prepared for life — making families, communities, our Nation
and the world a better place for all of us.

STRATEGIC PLAN
We adopted a new Strategic Plan in 2015. It provides direction to keep Scouting vital by
meeting the needs of young people and their families in this day and age. Demographic
and societal trend data were combined with input from leaders, members and parents to
select three imperatives that will drive programming through 2017:
• Meet the needs and expectations of today's families by expanding and diversifying
Northern Star Council (NSC) programs, partnering with the current generation of
parents and engaging our increasingly diverse community.
• Make the NSC volunteer experience more rewarding, accessible and well-supported.
• Enhance NSC's role as a key player and critical partner in youth development within
our communities, specifically focusing on leadership and life skills.
Each imperative has several strategic initiatives to be carried out through specific,
measurable objectives for each year of the plan.
These yearly objectives are developed, championed and implemented by council and
district committees, special task forces, and NSC staff. Progress is monitored and shared
at our board and president's cabinet meetings throughout the year. Modifications and
enhancements are made during the bi-annual council coordinated committee meetings,
which bring all committees together.

DEVELOPMENT
The Friends of Scouting campaign remained
the most significant source of annual support.
Community members and Scouting families
raised $2,805,373 in support of Scouting youth
and programs.
For the fifth year in a row, we reached our goal
of raising $1,000,000 through our Million
Dollar Day for Scouting efforts. Nearly 900
people gathered for inspirational Scouting
stories and uplifting recognitions.
The Community Builder Celebration raised over
$89,000 in support of the Exploring program
while recognizing six community leaders as
role models for youth. Dan Bernardy, John
Marshall, Tom Farnham, Eric Neetenbeek
and Kris Taylor received the Spurgeon Award,
and Joe Nayquonabe was recognized with the
Community Builder Award.
The Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner
honored Greg Page, Executive Chairman of the
Board at Cargill, and raised over $544,000 to
support Scouting’s urban outreach programs.
The event was chaired by Marianne Short,
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal
Officer of UnitedHealth Group.
The Popcorn Sale benefited our units by infusing
over $1,000,000 into unit treasuries. We are
currently the second largest popcorn sale in the
country.
Bear Path Country Club was the site of the 33rd
annual Bill Hickey, Jr. / Golf Classic benefiting
Scouting programs. Golfers from all over the
area teamed up to raise over $125,000 for
Northern Star Council.
Community members accepted the challenge of
the “Double Dog Dare” to rappel 321 feet down
from the top of the U.S. Bank Plaza building
in Minneapolis and raised nearly $61,000 for
Scouting! Participants raised at least $1,000 in
pledges to take part, and ranged from a 13 year
old Scout to one individual over the age of 70.
Like Scouting, the Double Dog Dare introduced
fun and adventure as it gave people a lifeenhancing
experience and the chance to grow
and challenge themselves.
The $15 million Leaders. For Life. capital
campaign reached 100% of its goal, and we
broke ground on the $1.6 million Tonkawa Lodge
at Camp Stearns.

2015 MEMBERSHIP
It was a tough membership year, yet we
reached nearly one in seven eligible young
people including non-Scout programs.
Combined with Exploring and Learning for
Life membership, 37,002 boys and girls
ages 5 to 21 were registered in Northern
Star programs, and nearly 20,000 more
were participants at Base Camp. Registered
members represent a market share of 10.4%
across all programs, with 12.8% of all youth
in Cub Scouts and 16.8% registered in Boy
Scouts. These youth members were supported
by more than 15,500 adult volunteers.
Membership includes youth and adults from
all racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic
backgrounds, physical and mental abilities,
and educational experiences. We served,
within .5 percentage points, equal percentages
of youth across four major ethnic groups.
37,002
Boys and girls registered in
Northern Star Programs
12.8%
Percentage of available boys
who participated in Cub Scouts
In our 25-county council area, 759
educational, community, religious, civic and
labor groups partnered with us by chartering
1,142 Scouting units: 451 Cub Scout Packs,
410 Boy Scout Troops, five Varsity Teams,
160 Venture Crews, one Ship, 114 Explorer
and Special Needs Posts and one Learning for
Life Group.
Our Juvenile Diversion program – serving
first-time, non-violent youth offenders – had
1,026 youth referred by its program partners
(16 police departments). 84% of participants
completed the program, which is an 11% jump
from the previous year!
Membership of youth and adults with
developmental and physical challenges in Polaris
District reached 2,644, a 5.3% increase.
1,142
Scouting units chartered by more
759 educational, community,
religious, civic and labor groups
16.8%
Percentage of available boys who
participated in Boy Scouts
18,596
Lions, Tigers,
Cub Scouts
& Webelos
11,739
Boy Scouts
& Varsity
3,399
Venturers
3,118
Explorers
150
Learning
for Life
37,002
Members
Served
18,147 Participants at Base Camp 55,149 Total Youth Served

PROGRAMS
Scouting prepares young people for life – helping them to become healthy, contributing
citizens in communities, families and the world. A range of age-specific programs for boys
ages 5 to 21, and girls ages 14 to 21, feature a learning-by-doing approach.
Members build leadership, teamwork, physical/mental fitness and a spirit of service, helping
them grow into caring adults of good character. Members start at any level with no prior
experience required.
Traditional
Cub Scouts | Boys grades K - 5
Members experience a wide range of social
activities and award requirements that develop
their responsibility, confidence and a spirit
of service. Neighborhood-based and familycentered,
Cub Scouts meet weekly or biweekly
in small groups (dens) in homes or other
community locations led by volunteer den
Boy Scouts | Boys grades 5 - 12
Increased responsibility, leadership experiences,
camping, outdoor activities, service projects
and a challenging advancement program
mentored by adult volunteers are all key
elements of the Boy Scout program. Weekly
meetings are led and run by the Scouts with
Venturing | Girls and boys ages 13 to 21
Over 120 activities, ranging from rock climbing
to scuba diving, as well as high-tech programs
like GPS orienteering, provide young adults
with opportunities to experience personal
growth. Venture crew members share a sense
of belonging in a group where they explore
leaders, and monthly in pack meetings with
families and all other dens. They work on award
requirements (advancements) at meetings
and with their families, plus take part in pack/
den field trips and special Cub Camps. Boys in
kindergarten and first grade join with an
adult partner.
adult guidance. Members are introduced to
over 140 hobby and career choices through
merit badges and goal setting/achievement in
an awards program that can culminate in the
rank of Eagle Scout.
interests and learn more about teamwork,
leadership, respect and responsibility through
bimonthly meetings and high-adventure
activities. Crews specialize in a variety of
avocation or hobby interests.

PROGRAMS
Specialty
Learning for Life | Boys and girls grades K - 12
Learning for Life is an in-school educational
program that wraps values into weekly
curricula used by teachers. Learning for
Life helps young people develop respect
for differences and learn positive decisionmaking
skills. It also teaches character and
improves classroom behavior.
Exploring | Boys and girls ages 14 to 21
A Learning for Life hands-on program
that takes members outside the classroom
into the business and vocational world.
Young people form clubs (posts) and learn
directly from businesspeople what it takes
to become a productive member of today’s
workforce. Posts are youth-led, supported
by adult advisors, and meet several times
each month to strengthen members’
organizational and leadership skills, offer
opportunities for service, social interaction,
team building and career guidance.
Scoutreach | Boys grades K through age 21 and girls ages 14 to 21
Scouting ensures all young people have
an opportunity to gain the benefits of
Scouting. Part-time council employees
serve as leaders of Scout packs, troops,
crews and posts to reach disadvantaged
or underserved youth populations in
neighborhoods of St. Paul and Minneapolis,
as well as in Kandiyohi and Rice counties.
Through these efforts and the emphasis
provided by the volunteers and staff of
culturally based districts, Scoutreach offers
a great way to break down barriers and
share cultural differences while expanding
inclusion of all communities.

Special Needs Scouting | Boys, girls, men and women of all ages and abilities
Serving both physically and developmentallychallenged
individuals, the Polaris District
provides Scouting education and experiential
learning programs to give participants
lifetime skills. Membership can be based on
cognitive age, rather than just chronological
age. Training, guidance and support are
provided to leaders to better serve the special
needs of individual members of all Scouting
units, as well as self-contained special-needs
Scouting groups.
Scouting after School Program | Huron District
Huron serves youth from kindergarten to
eighth grade in the metro area at schools and
community education sites, offering a 30
week after-school Scouting program module
modified to fit the needs of youth in low
income and disadvantaged communities. This
program is led weekly by part-time program
assistants and is supported by the community
education department with transportation
and facilities.
Juvenile diversion | Girls and boys ages 10 to 17
This innovative program gives first-time
juvenile offenders a positive alternative to
the court system. Teens are referred by local
law enforcement to a three-month course
that teaches proper decision-making skills,
communication techniques and community
service. Those who successfully complete
the program and do not re-offend maintain
a clean record. For offenders ages 10 to 13,
a separate program is offered that requires
parent participation with a strong element
of community service. Juvenile Diversion
gives young people a second chance, as it
teaches them to take responsibility for their
actions while giving back to the community
they have harmed or offended. 80% of those
who complete the program do not commit
another offense for at least two years
after completion.

BOARD OF directors
OFFICERS
Alan Bernick,
President
Brian Bullock,
Commissioner
William E. Brown, Jr.,
Treasurer
Douglas J. Parish,
Assistant Treasurer
Gregory R. Page,
Immediate Past President
John R. Andrews,
Scout Executive/
Executive Secretary
VICE PRESIDENTS
John G. Patterson,
Camping/Properties
Lynn Swon,
Community Engagement
Skip Krawczyk,
Development
David K. Misemer,
District Operations
Michael S. Goldstein,
Exploring & Special Programs
Nancy Dana,
Innovation
Tom Jollie,
Marketing
Dan Segersin,
Membership
J. Scott Woolery,
Program
Raymond A. Wood,
Scoutreach
BOARD MEMBERS –
INCLUDING OFFICERS
Alt, Thomas H.,
MD, Retired Physician
Andrews, John R.,
Scout Executive/CEO,
Northern Star Council, BSA
Bernick, Alan,
Sr. Vice President &
Chief Legal Officer,
Andersen Corporation
Bjorhus, Kari,
VP Global Communication,
Ecolab
Bradshaw, James H.,
Pres/CEO, Bradshaw Funeral &
Cremation Services
Brody, Bill,
Attorney, Fredrikson & Byron, PA
Brown, Bill,
Group Vice President,
Commercial & Irrigation,
The Toro Company
Bullock, Brian,
President/CEO,
Burchfield Group, Inc.
Coleman, Jeff,
Attorney, Coleman Law Firm LLC
Corrigan, Fritz,
Ret. CEO, The Mosaic Company
Cousins, David D.,
Managing Director,
BETA Partners, LLC
Dana, Nancy Randall,
Executive Director,
St. Paul City School
Devine, Thomas W.,
Executive Vice President,
The David Agency
Fredericks, Kay L.,
CEO, TREND enterprises, Inc.
Garry, Daniel,
MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine,
U of M
Goldstein, Michael S.,
Director of Public Safety,
City of Plymouth
Greiner, Jeffrey P.,
Managing Partner,
Northern Pacific Group
Guthmann, John H.,
District Court Judge,
Ramsey County
Hackworthy, C.R.,
President,
Anchor Real Estate Group
Halverson, Richard P.,
Ret. Partner,
Great Northern Capital
Hansen, Kyle,
Audit Senior Manager,
Grant Thornton LLP
Johnson, Phil,
COO, Colle + McVoy
Jollie, Tom,
Sr. Vice President, PadillaCRT
Kamrath, Keith,
Chiropractor, Kamrath Chiropractic
Kane, Thomas P.,
Senior Counsel, Cozen O’Connor
Knudson, Scott,
Attorney, Briggs & Morgan, PA

Knuth, Daniel J.,
Government Affairs
Knuth, Joann C.,
Retired Exec. Dir., MN Assoc. of
Secondary School Principals
Koen, Andre,
Facilitator,
AM Horizons Training Group
Krawczyk, Skip,
President,
Transport Distribution Services
Kuhn, Kevin,
Vice President IT,
UnitedHealth Group
Lammers, Jennifer,
Chief Compliance Officer,
Galliard Capital Management
Laseski, Wesley,
Retired CEO, Value Merchandise
March, John,
Retired Vice President, Cargill
Mattison, Philip,
President, Core Products Int’l, Inc.
Mezile, Harold,
Retired President/CEO,
YMCA Twin Cities
Misemer, David K.,
IT Manager Research & Dev., 3M
Myers, Jack,
Partner, KPMG LLP
Nelson, Nancy F.,
Vice President & Chief Actuary,
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
Ortega, Rafael,
Ramsey County Commissioner
Page, Gregory R.,
Executive Director, Cargill, Inc.
Parish, Douglas J.,
Sr. Vice President & Chief Audit
Executive, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Patterson, John G.,
Partner, Fredrickson & Byron PA
Pattison, Jeff,
CEO, West Central Steel & Central
MN Fabricating
Pederson, Jon,
President, Ruffridge-Johnson
Equipment Company, Inc.
Riley, W. Patrick,
Ret. Sr. VP, Andersen Corporation
Rosene, Robert W.,
Ret. VP, Bonestroo, Rosene
Anderlik & Assoc.
Scarborough, James,
Partner, Ernst & Young, LLP
Segersin, Dan,
Ret. Sr. Vice President,
Wells Fargo Funding
Shaeffer, Rick,
Financial Advisor,
Edward Jones Investments
Skipper, Mark,
Owner, MAS Office Cleaners, LLC
Stewart, Sheilah,
Vice President & Deputy General
Counsel, Land O’Lakes
Swon, Lynn,
Retired, Vice President,
Dain Rauscher
Theobald, Jon A.,
CEO & Chairman,
Mairs & Power, Inc.
Weaver, Martha,
Public Information Manager,
Anoka County
Weekes, Steven,
Retired CEO,
Weekes Forest Products, Inc.
Wettergren, David L.,
Retired School Superintendent
Wilcox, Steven J.,
President,
Resultants for Business, Inc.
Wood, Raymond A.,
Human Services Judge,
State of Minnesota
Woolery, Scott,
Director of Operations,
Wayzata Community Church
Zappa, James M.,
Exec. Vice President & General
Counsel, CHS, Inc.

Territory served
Through 25 districts and divisions, Northern Star Council serves 25 counties: four
western Wisconsin counties (Pierce, St. Croix, Polk and Burnett) and 21 counties across
central Minnesota (Anoka, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti,
Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, McLeod, Meeker, Ramsey, Renville, Rice, Scott,
Washington, Wright, Yellow Medicine, and portions of Stearns and Swift).
CAMPS
(Shown on Map) One of Scouting’s primary tools for fostering healthy youth
development continues to be the outdoors. In 2015, Northern Star Council youth
members and community partners had access to eight outstanding camps.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Davis Base Camp at Margaret Cargill Park— Fort Snelling
Fred C. Andersen — Houlton, Wis.
Kiwanis Scout Camp — Marine-on-St. Croix, Minn.
Many Point Scout Camp — Park Rapids, Minn.
Phillippo Scout Reservation — Cannon Falls, Minn.
Rum River Scout Camp — Anoka, Minn.
Stearns Scout Camp — South Haven, Minn.
Tomahawk Scout Reservation — Birchwood, Wis.

LEGEND
Camps
Cities (for reference)
District number
1 — Trailblazer
2 — Crow River
3 — Northern Lights
4 — Lake Minnetonka
5 — Dan Patch
6 — Mustang
7 — Great Rivers
8 — Eagle River
10 — Northwest
11 — Three Rivers
12 — Many Waters
13 — Kaposia
14 — Prairie Lakes
15 — Rolling Hills
16 — Chief Black Dog
19 — Metro Lakes
20 — North Star
There are also five non-geographic districts of the Northern
Star Council: Silver Maple, El Sol, Zulu, Huron and Polaris.

Camping highlights
Over 100,000 youth and adults participated
in an event or spent an overnight at one of
our council camps; and 19,225 young people
participated in a day or overnight experience
at a council summer camp.
9,960 Boy Scouts attended week-long
summer camping programs at places like
Many Point Scout Camp, Tomahawk Scout
Reservation and other sites.
3,311 Cubs and Webelos attended summer
camps for at least two nights at Akela,
Kiwanis, Stearns and Navajo camps.
923 Scouts participated in week-long high
adventure programs that included whitewater
kayaking, rock climbing, ATVs, jet skis, COPE
and SCUBA activities – all through Many
Point Scout Camp and Tomahawk
Scout Reservation.
Many Point Scout Camp and Tomahawk
Scout Reservation are keeping more kids in
our program, longer! Both experienced a 3%
increase in the number of Scouts returning to
camp for a third year or more.
1,787 Scouts (an 18% attendance increase)
successfully spent a winter night outside
in negative or near zero degree conditions
(and enjoyed it!) due to the expert training
and high-grade equipment at our Snow
Base and North Wind camps.
The Margaret A. Cargill Camping Initiative
Program reached out to a total of 670
youth who had one or more barriers to
camping, including Cub Scouts, Boy
Scouts and Venturers, as well as other
local youth groups.
Scoutreach Summer Camp was attended
by 124 disadvantaged youth members
and 33 parents. This provided them with
a positive introduction to Cub Scout
camping by piloting a family-inclusive
program.
Outreach programs participating in Cub
Scout resident camping experiences
increased by 58%. Boy Scout
long-term camping experiences
increased by 16%.

Base Camp reached its 100,000th youth
participant in October, with 25,953 youth
participants attending in 2015, a 15% increase.
5,996 were BSA youth and 600 were Girl
Scouts. Base Camp was in use on 337 days.
$520,000 was invested in camp maintenance
– including facility improvements, utility
repairs and equipment replacement at our
eight properties.
All summer and winter camping operations
received A+ ratings by the National Camping
visitation teams.
The Dog Sledding program at Snow Base
winter camp was featured on the cover of
December 2015 issue of Boys’ Life magazine.
Ground was broken on Tonkawa Lodge – a
1.6 million dollar program facility to support
summer operations at Camp Stearns.
An increased partnership with Polaris
Industries expanded the Boy Scout ATV
ridership program with 10 donated ATVs. We
now have 20+ vehicles to be used between
both Many Point Scout Camp and Tomahawk
Scout Reservation.
Many Point Scout Camp hosted a special
event for Boy Scouts of the Latter Day Saints
Church. 400+ Scouts from across Minnesota
and Canada came for a week of camping,
Scouting and service.

Training highlights
Universities of Scouting (Spring and Fall)
delivered training to 1,269 attendees,
including 183 youth participating in the Youth
Leadership College.
317 youth, including both male and female Boy
Scouts and Venturers, participated in Grey
Wolf National Youth Leader Training led by 103
youth staff and 20 adult volunteers. It’s one of
the largest programs of its kind in the country.
103 adult Scouting leaders took part in Wood
Badge, including four who attended an English/
Spanish bi-lingual course in New Jersey. Wood
Badge is the highest level of adult Scout leader
training available.
A one-day curriculum called “Emerging
Leaders” was developed for the Leadership
Center and piloted with a select group of
students. Feedback was very positive and will
be used to refine the program as the multi-day
course is being developed and will eventually be
offered to the entire community. It was based
on programs already widely used in Scouting
(like National Youth Leadership Training and
Wood Badge) and focuses on concepts such
as values, vision, communication and the
meaning of leadership.
Advancement & Awards
Northern Star Council Boy Scouts earned
30,715 merit badges. Cooking, First Aid,
Fingerprinting, Environmental Science,
Camping and Leatherwork made up the top 6
(with a combined total of 6,132 earned).
The council presented 9 of the rare National
BSA Lifesaving or Meritorious Action Awards
– including 6 National Certificates of Merit
and 3 National Medals of Merit.
797
Boy Scouts achieved the
rank of Eagle Scout.
1
Venturer earned the newly released
Venturing Summit Award – the first
earned in Northern Star Council.
1,552
Webelos earned Arrow of Light.

STUDY on character
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES SHOWN BETWEEN SCOUTS AND NON-SCOUTS
A new study out of Tufts University in 2015, the largest youth development study ever
conducted, has found that Scouting has a measurable, positive impact in the character
development of young people.
The study, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, involved nearly 1,800 Cub Scouts
and 400 non-Scouts under the age of 12, and was conducted over three years.
Participants were assessed at five intervals during the study to see if and how character
changes were taking place – measuring these six aspects of character:
TRUSTWORTHINESS, KINDNESS, CHEERFULNESS,
OBEDIENCE, HELPFULNESS AND HOPEFULNESS.
At the beginning of the study, there was no statistically significant difference in character
between those in Scouting and those who weren't – ruling out the possibility that Scouting
simply attracts people of higher character to begin with.
"After three years, Scouts reported significant increases in all six aspects," said Dr. Richard
M. Lerner, who led the study at Tufts University. "In our control group of non-Scouts,
there were no significant increases, and in some cases (e.g., religious reverence) there was
an observed decrease."
Key findings also included:
• The more time kids spend in Scouting the better the outcomes.
• Those who attend meetings regularly report higher outcomes.
• Scouts are more likely to embrace positive social values than non-Scouts.
• Scouts who are more engaged in the program report higher outcomes.
The study reinforces what those of us in the program see all the time: Scouting helps
young people build a foundation of positive character attributes that allow them to
embrace opportunity, overcome obstacles, and be better prepared for life. You can learn
more about the study at http://www.tuftscampstudy.com/.

Communications
We launched a completely redesigned council
website – NorthernStarBSA.org, which is
part of our new “Digital First” approach to
communications. The site targets prospective
members and families while providing necessary
information for current members and leaders.
Enhancements include a more conversational copy
tone, enhanced search functions and a maximized
mobile experience.
The Rocket Into Scouting campaign, in
collaboration with Risdall Public Relations,
received a Public Relations Society of America
National Silver Anvil Award as well as four MN
PSRA Classic Awards.
We received two BSA National President’s
Marketing Awards: Best Website
(RocketIntoScouting.org) and Best
Collateral (Annual Highlights Video).
Our Scouting Adventure Summit climbing/
ropes course at the Minnesota State Fair
reached nearly 5,500 participants and
was supported by 235 volunteers. All
received a thank you email and Scouting
information, along with extra follow-up for
the 525 boys who expressed interest
in joining.
Overall positive media impressions in print
and online topped 53.2 million.

Program excellence
In the BSA’s Journey to Excellence quality
assessment, 10 districts or divisions earned
Gold (up from six in 2014), 10 earned Silver
and four earned Bronze. We achieved Gold
Council status for the fifth time in six years.
881 of our units (including packs, troops,
teams, crews and posts) logged 227,740
community service hours! These service hours
were carried out by 33,989 youth and adults,
averaging over six service hours per member.
92% of our units renewed their charters – a
nearly 2% increase over last year.
We proudly honored our first troop to be
continuously chartered for 100 years:
Troop 283 in Wayzata.
We served representative populations of
youth across four major ethnic groups,
within .5 percentage points max.
$98,500 was awarded in academic
scholarships and $170,000 in camperships
to youth.
561 youth registered online this year – a
40% increase over last year’s first rollout
of our innovative web platform.
Twenty Minnesota Fire Exploring
Association posts were represented in
the Governor’s Fire Prevention Day Fire
Challenge during the State Fair, with over
350 participants.
We celebrated our first
second-generation
Hmong Eagle Scout.

2015 FINANCIALS
CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENTS OF UNRESTRICTED ACTIVITIES
Year Ended December 31, 2015
SUPPORT AND REVENUE
operating capital endowment total
direct support
Friends of Scouting *
(net of unncollectible provision)
$ 1,623,062
$ -
$ -
$ 1,623,062
Special Events
(net of direct cost)
666,228
666,228
Foundations and Trusts
733,267
733,267
Other Direct Support
45,629
66,560
177,627
289,816
indirect support
United Way Allocations and
Donor Designations
785,651
785,651
revenue
Sale of Supplies
(net of cost of goods sold)
211,474
211,474
Product Sales
(net of product cost & unit commission)
1,354,548
1,354,548
National Scout Shop Fee
161,730
161,730
Net Investment Income (Loss)
–
(41,450)
(41,450)
Investment Income fom Beneficial
Interests in Assets Held by Others
23,205
(2,251)
20,954
Camping Revenue
4,843,500
4,843,500
Activity Revenue
434,752
434,752
Other Revenue
83,740
259,605
343,345
Net Assets Released from Restrictions *
1,497,657
276,384
1,774,041
Distributions from Endowment Fund
989,884
(67,872)
922,012
Recovery of (Increase in)
Endowment Deficiency
(54,207)
(54,207)
total support and revenue
$13,454,327
$602,549
$11,847
$14,068,723
*$1,066,312 of FOS 2015 raised in late 2014 is counted in Operating Net Assets Released from Restrictions.

EXPENSES
operating capital endowment total
Program
$ 11,061,566
$ 1,257,715
$ -
$ 12,319,281
Management and General
902,105
16,879
918,984
Fund Raising
799,919
20,086
820,005
Charter and National Service Fee
76,276
76,276
total expenses
$12,839,866
$1,294,680
$ -
$14,134,546
Changes in Unrestricted Net
Assets Before Transfers
$614,461
$(692,131)
$11,847
$(65,823)
Changes After Transfers
$16,000
$(93,670)
$11,847
$(65,823)
CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
Year Ended December 31, 2015
BEGINNING NET ASSETS
$ 2,682,751
$ 30,295,014
$ 31,469,064
$ 64,446,829
Changes in Unrestricted
Net Assets Before Transfers
614,461
(692,131)
11,847
(65,823)
Transfers Between Operating,
Capital and Endowment
(598,461)
598,461
-
-
Operating Revenue
in Excess of Expenses
16,000
Change in Temporarily
Restricted Net Assets
51,970
1,984,553
(1,576,502)
460,021
Change in Permanently
Restricted Net Assets
28,102
28,102
ENDING NET ASSETS
$2,750,721
$32,185,897
$29,932,511
$64,869,129