Scouting for Boys, Girls and Parents
Scouting for young boys and girls is more than an institution. They are the preeminent organizations that have made a difference in young people for the last century.
Boy Scouts of America is getting ready to celebrate its 100th year of developing youth and the Girl Scout organization is only 2 years younger.
I highly recommend Scouting to every young person. Remember that as children grow, and begin to explore the world, that the strongest influencers in your Childs life will be his or her friends that they grow up with.
Why not place them in a program, now 100 years mature, with other boys and girls that will help shape them into the young adults that they are capable of becoming.
The programs they both offer are broad and dynamic. They can vary from extensive outdoor activity to career development. There is always something for every age and ability.
Above all they will have fun, develop character and leadership skills all while learning new things in a great environment.
The scouting organizations are not a fixed or rigid program. They do provide a program that each individual unit can follow if they choose to.
However, they are all free to, and often will, adopt many of their own activities that fit the members or the geographical area, but still conform to the scouting ideals. You will need to speak with a local unit and inquire as to what their particular program offers.
A boy or girl can enter scouting at any age. They don't have to begin at the earliest age and work up. They will start within the program designed for the age that they are at that time.
Let's talk a little about the programs.
Cub Scouts
The BSA program begins at 7 years of age with the Tiger Cub program. These young Cubs are organized into a large Pack which is divided into smaller groups called Dens.
These are usually organized so all are approximately the same age and live within local neighborhoods. While they advance through the program together they will also involve themselves in a variety of activities throughout the entire year.
They will build small race cars for the Pinewood Derby and send them down ramps every year, go on outings and field trips, do community service and do more fun projects than can be mentioned here.
The young Cubs do not camp overnight like the boy scouts do, but they do involve themselves in all forms of outdoor activities. They hike, visit historical locations, and can engage themselves in worthwhile conservation projects.
One year our pack worked with the local Forestry Dept. and planted over 1,000 new pine trees.
As they end their time in Cubs they can advance into the regular Boy Scout program. This occurs between the ages of 10 and 11, depending on their Cub Scout advancement.
Boy Scouts
Any boy at 11 years of age can join the Boy Scout program. It continues to age 18 and provides tremendous potential for challenge, development and learning. They constantly stress Character development, citizenship and fitness.
Fitness: All Boy Scout troops are involved in outdoor activities and camping on a year around basis.
Here differences occur from unit to unit as to how much and the type.Some are very involved in Wilderness camping, backpacking and canoeing or kayaking. Others are more inclined to base camping, hiking and other outdoor skills.
As stated before, one needs to visit and review each troop, meet the adult leaders and find out about their program to decide which one fits best.
Scouting and Discovery
In 1947 by a logger named Lawrence Johnson discovered a cave at Mt. St Helens in the state of Washington. The cave was never explored until the early 1950's when a scout troop lowered a team of scouts down a 17-foot overhang to the cave floor. Leaving footprints where no one ever had been before, these explorers were able to travel through a pristine lava tube full of fragile formations.
It was named "Ape Cave" by the Scout Troop in honor of their sponsor, the St. Helens Apes. The sponsor's name, St. Helens Apes, may have come from an old term used for foresters in the area, "brush apes," or from the legend of Bigfoot.
Skills: As the boys advance through the ranks they will involve themselves in all forms of skill learning in the Merit Badge program.
There are 120 different fields of skill and knowledge available to every boy. They include sports, crafts, science, trades, business and future careers.
Of the 21 Merit Badges necessary to reach the rank of Eagle, 12 are required. These are all oriented toward both scouting skills and ideals. The other 9 are individually selected by each boy according to his personal interests.
Personal Development: I have had the pleasure of sitting on at least 50 Eagle Scout Boards of Review in my time. It always amazed me to see the maturity and direction of these boys, all less than 18 years of age.
The leadership skills that they formed in scouting will help to insure personal growth throughout their lives.
Back in my day, as the first team of Mercury Astronauts was being formed, one of them always managed to stand out. That was John Glen, the later Senator from Ohio. He became the "poster boy" and the shining "Eagle Scout" to all of America.
The National Council of Boy Scouts inquired and asked NASA how many of the other six astronauts also were Eagle Scouts. The answer came back from NASA..."All of them". In addition, of the 12 men to actually walk on the moon, 11 were involved in scouting as youths.
Venture Scouting
At the age of 14 a boy may, if he chooses, can leave the troop and enter the Venture program. This is made up of both boys and girls. Venturing provides positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.
Venturing provides the skills needed for young adults to make ethical choices, experience a fun program full of adventure and challenges. Along the way they acquire leadership skills, take advantage of opportunities to advance their skills and knowledge in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts, hobbies, religious life, and Sea Scouting.
Girl Scouting
The GSA program is markedly different from the boys. Yes, they can go camping too, but that is not the central focus of any program.
The program is designed to develop leadership through discovery, connecting and taking action. The program encourages increased skill-building and responsibility, and also promotes the development of strong leadership and decision-making skills.
All program activities are grade-appropriate and based on the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Girls can start a little early with the Daisy program at about age 5 and goes through age 17.
They will progress through Brownie (ages 6-8), Junior (8-11) and Senior (11-17). The senior girls can reach the distinction of receiving their Gold award. It compares to the BSA Eagle and it is equally challenging for a young girl to obtain.
When asks them "what do girl scouts do" the answer is "almost anything a girl would like to do". Each Girl Scout council offers activities that meet the needs and interests of girls within their jurisdictions.
Some program activities are shared by all Girl Scouts; others may only be available locally, or be restricted by age.
Most girls join a local troop or group for fun and friendship, but they also find out about building character and self-esteem and serving their communities - the core qualities of Girl Scouting.
In Girl Scouts, girls find a safe place to grow and share new experiences, learn to relate to others, develop values, and contribute to society. It too is an outstanding way to help form a young person into a strong leader and a fine person.
For the Adults
Scouting is for adults too. A scout unit, boy or girl, does not function without you, the parent or guardian, supporting all of its activities.
Every council also supports you by offering adult training for people of all experience levels. In short order, you will come to know and understand the program. Remember, they have been doing this for almost a hundred years now.
I remember adults dropping off their son and leaving, not even stopping to meet the adult leaders, like we were their local babysitter. If that's what you want, you're in the wrong place. When all parents contribute something according to their ability and time, no one works hard and the troop prospers.
A great community of adult committee members forms when everyone comes to help a little.
Both Boy and Girl Scout programs are child and parent programs. As the scouts advance in age and experience they will take over more of the planning and details of the work involved.
It is part of their training and leadership development. It is an outstanding way to watch your child grow and mature into a young adult.
Quite a few adults end up staying with scouting long after their child passes through simply because they have come to enjoy it so much themselves.
I have known men who have first come in with their sons and later seen their grandchildren grow up in scouting before they retired from the program.
I spent another 10 years after my son grew up working with my local District and Council. Yes, I enjoyed it that much. I spent much of my time training other adults in all of the skills that I had learned.
Personal Notes
I was in the sixth grade when our teacher asked all of the boys if they were interested in Boy Scouting. I raised my hand and went out to another room with the others.
Two adults said they were forming a new scout troop that was being sponsored by a school organization. They gave us information and registration forms to take back to our parents and that week BSA Troop 17 was born.
My being raised in a single parent home left many holes in my life. I will be quick to tell you that many voids were filled over the next seven years from interaction with adult male role models and challenging activities with other scouts.
Even with a child that comes from the average two parent family scouting has much to offer. My own son spent his formative years starting in Cubs and going through Boy Scouting.
My wife and I supported him at all times. He transitioned into Boy Scouts at 10 ½, having completed his Arrow of Light award. His first summer he canoed the Russian River with his troop and earned his Canoeing Merit Badge a month before he turned 11.
By the time he was 18 he experienced many adventures and learned more life skills than a lot of middle aged men. These all helped shape his life, his character and affected his future.
How to find where to go:
For information about a local unit for your child please contact the National Councils Web page. From there they can direct you to a local council.
For the boys, www.scouting.org and click on "Local Councils". Then plug in your zip code and the information for your local council will come up.
For the girls, www.girlscouts.org and click on "Find a Council" and again put in your zip code.
Give your local council office a call and they will help you find a unit close to you. Contact them, meet the adult leadership and find out what their program includes. You all will enjoy it!
See you in the wilderness somewhere!!