The Scout Program

The Scouting Program is based on the principle that learning can be fun. Your son’s Scout Troop will offer him a unique learning experience. Every scouting activity, and the manner in which it is organized and conducted, has a purpose behind it – to develop Character, Fitness, Citizenship, and Leadership. We believe that the personal and social development opportunities available through Scouting are not found in school or sports; Scouting is unique.

Your son will have many opportunities to learn, to improve, and to set his own goals for personal growth. As he advances and improves himself, he will be recognized.

Since Scouting is a voluntary program, we believe that boys must find the Scouting experience fun, challenging, and personally rewarding. The Scouting Program is comprehensive and detailed. Extensive, highly professional training is available to adult leaders.

The three aims of Scouting represent the long-term Scouting outcomes we want for every boy. They form the bedrock of Scouting, and underlie everything we do. To achieve these aims, we use the eight methods of Scouting. The aims are the foundation of Scouting; the methods are the building blocks.

1. To Build Character – Developing the Scout’s personal qualities, values, and outlook: honesty, courage, integrity, self-reliance, self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-respect.
2. To Foster Citizenship – Training the Scout on his duties, obligations, privileges, and functions as a citizen and member of his community.
3. To Develop Fitness – Helping the Scout to develop physically, mentally, morally, and emotionally.

1. Ideals – The personal behavior guides and standards to which the Scout commits himself. Expressed in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout Motto, and Scout Slogan.
2. Patrols – Small groups of Scouts who work together as teams, and give boys a feeling of belonging to a special group. Patrol leaders, elected by the patrol members, work with the Scoutmaster in running the Troop. Planning, teaching, directing, supervising, controlling, etc. are delegated to the Scouts, and boys learn leadership skills. The Troop provides support, including equipment, meeting place, guidance.
3. Outdoors – Draws boys into Scouting. The objectives of Scouting are best accomplished outdoors: summer camp, regular Troop and Patrol outings, ten days and nights of camping yearly.
4. Advancement – Provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at his own pace. Achieved through learning, testing, reviewing and earning badges and rank advancements. Merit badges help Scouts to discover abilities and interests.
5. Adult Association – Gives Scouts contact with adults (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Merit Badge Counselors, Troop Committee members) of high character. Boys learn from the example set by their adult leaders.
6. Uniform – Provides a visible identity and creates a positive youth image. The uniform is practical and durable, a showcase for achievements, eliminates differences in backgrounds, and is an international identity in a World Brotherhood of Youth. The uniform demonstrates commitment, and helps to influence individual and group actions.
7. Leadership Development – Ties in with the Citizenship Aim of Scouting. Offers Scouts an opportunity for shared and total leadership. Scouts learn to understand the concept of leadership, to accept responsibility, and to accept the leadership roles of others. Scouts learn that leading is done by actions, not titles.
8. Personal Growth – Occurs as Scouts plan activities and progress together. The Good Turn concept, service projects, religious emblems program, and personal conferences with the Scoutmaster help Scouts to stretch to reach personal goals.