Scout Life

Special Delivery! Please join me in congratulating Don Juan Pedro Ladino de Philmonte, known to you as Pedro the Mailburro, on his retirement from Scout Life magazine and the Boy Scouts of America effective Jan. 1, 2022. In 75 years at the helm of th

Jan. 17 is Kid Inventors’ Day. Jan. 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day. Get your giggles going on page 47! February is Black History Month. Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. Flip to page 6 to get the scoop on Punxsutawney Phil. Feb. 18-21 is the Great Backyard Bird

Bees beat their wings 200 times per second. It’s so fast that it causes the air to vibrate, which creates a buzzing sound. NOT ALL HONEYBEES ARE THE SAME. Researchers say some honeybees are adventurous, while others prefer to play it safe. HONEYBEES

Age: 11 Hometown: Cameron, Louisiana Scout Rank: Webelos Scout (Lone Scout, Calcasieu Area Council) Made Headlines: For being the all-around national champion in his division at the 2021 National Gymnastics Association Nationals Competition. The Scoo

Age: 18 Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia Scout Rank: Eagle Scout (Troop 501 and Crew 501, Woodbridge) Made Headlines: As co-captain of a high school team that competed at the 2021 Live Remote VEX Robotics World Championship. The Scoop: After winning st

TAKING CARE OF PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL Q: Where does Phil live? A: Phil has a burrow at the corner of the town library. It has big glass windows that you can look into and watch him do stuff he would do in the wild. Q: Does Phil ever travel? A: Phil travel

The February 2014 issue of this magazine called Red a “13-year-old snowboarding phenom.” Looks like we got it right. In 2018, Gerard won a gold medal at age 17, becoming the youngest American man to win a winter gold medal since 1928. After failing t

Whether you want to scale the walls at your local climbing gym, go bouldering or rope up outside, you’ll want to know the basic and best gear you’ll need. Talk with a qualified instructor who can help you decide what equipment is appropriate for your

You might not be able to hike, climb, swim, ski, camp, pedal and paddle all in the next 12 months, but by resolving to give all of these activities your best shot — either this year or down the road — you’ll be making the most of your time in Scoutin

In the beginning, there was Shaun White. In the early 2000s, the sport of snowboarding was steadily rising in popularity. Leading the way was White, with his long red hair and his multiple X Games gold medals. A few years later, at age 19, White won

BESIDES A CHALK BAG, THE FIRST AND MOST BASIC GEAR FOR CLIMBING ARE SHOES. If you’re just getting into this sport, you’ll want all-around climbing shoes like BLACK DIAMOND MOMENTUM CLIMBING SHOES ($100). With a comfortable, flat-shape, sticky but dur

Climbing sport routes by clipping onto bolts demands additional safety gear. Your qualified instructor should supply what you need. IF YOU WANT TO GET A BELAYRAPPEL DEVICE, those come in a variety of designs. The BLACK DIAMOND ATC-XP BELAY/RAPPEL DEV

CHALK BAG: Climbing chalk helps your hands get a better grip by keeping them dry. The bag holding this chalk can be attached around your waist. CLIMBING SHOES: You can climb in sneakers, but you can gain much more control wearing climbing shoes. BELA

FILL IN THE MISSING NUMBERS! MAKE THIS SUPER-COOL DECODER WHEEL, AND WRITE AND DECIPHER YOUR OWN SECRET MESSAGES! ■

It is always observed on the THIRD MONDAY OF FEBRUARY. The holiday’s official name still is “WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY.” Q: WHY DID GEORGE WASHINGTON HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING? A: BECAUSE HE COULD NOT LIE. PRESIDENTS DAY became a national holiday in 1885. JO

MIKE ADAIR; STEPHEN GILPIN; SCOTT NICKEL (3); JOEY ELLIS ■

WHITTLING OR CARVING 29 % READING 26 % CARD GAMES 16 % NAPPING 12 % DRAWING OR PAINTING 9 % CHESS OR CHECKERS 8 % We asked. You answered. Here are the results of one of our online reader polls. Let us know your favorites at go.scoutlife.org/polls ■

Joseph Diener and Dominic Viet, both 15, were riding their bikes through their neighborhood after a heavy rainstorm when they came across a terrified woman clinging to the pole of a basketball net in the middle of a flooded outdoor court. The woman w

Lillith Moakler, 8, was swimming with her brother and another boy in the pool at their home in Riverside, Rhode Island, when the boy hit his head on the pool’s deck, knocking himself unconscious as he fell into the water. Lillith dove under, brought

Face it: Sometimes you’ll lose. Learn to do it gracefully and with a good attitude. Also win gracefully. It’s not cool to rub it in another player’s face. Congratulate the winner. Even if you don’t feel like it, say “Good game” with a smile. (Say it

EARN THE ENGINEERING MERIT BADGE Your Rube Goldberg machine could help you earn the Engineering merit badge, for which you’ll use common materials to create levers and inclined planes Find more fun projects at go.scoutlife.org/howto IDENTIFY THE SIMP

Marissa: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? Bobby: What? Marissa: Frostbite! — Marissa R., New York, New York BEN: What did the toast say to the butter on Valentine’s Day? CHRIS: I’m stumped. BEN: “You’re my butter half!” Ben G.

Visit go.scoutlife.org/derby to get ready for the big race: • Scientifically proven tips to make your car go fast!• Hundreds of Pinewood Derby car photos. Upload yours!• Free design templates and ideas!• Racing jokes, games and quizzes!• And more! Tr