Troop 109 - PARENT GUIDE
www.troop109.org
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All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind are convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.
--Aristotle
Chartered Organization (Sponsor)
Patrol Leadership Council (PLC)
Advancement Through First Class
Advancement from First Class to Eagle
Welcome to the Boy Scouts of America! By becoming a parent of a Boy Scout, you are setting your son out on the grand adventure of Scouting. This is a tremendously important and rewarding endeavor that you will be able to share with him.
What is it all about? What will you be expected to do? What does it cost? We have prepared this booklet to answer these questions.
The following pages describe the organization of a Troop and the advancement pattern that each boy will follow. Reading this will help you understand how your boy can progress through the ranks with your help. It will help you understand how you can help and what the various adult volunteers are doing to help the Troop.
There are three aims to scouting:
· Aim I -- To build character
· Aim II -- To foster citizenship
· Aim III -- To develop fitness
These three aims are the bedrock of the American Scouting movement they represent the long term outcomes we want for every boy.
It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people, and in other ways to prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential.
The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Boy Scout Oath and Law.
SCOUT OATH
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
SCOUT LAW
A Scout is:
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent
Since 1910, these principles have been taught in an atmosphere of recreation and fun which allows young people to develop self confidence, leadership and moral character. More and more men, trained as Scouts, are taking their places in today's world as responsible adult leaders. Men who earned badges as Scouts, sit on the Supreme Court and in the chambers of Congress. Others hold important offices in our government, business and industry. Most of the members of congress were Scouts, as well as most of the astronauts who have walked on the moon. The long list of famous scouts includes:
President John F. Kennedy: Boy Scout
Neil A. Armstrong, First person to set foot on the Moon: Eagle Scout
President Gerald Ford: Eagle Scout
Steven Spielberg: Eagle Scout
Willard Marriott, Jr. President of Marriott Corporation: Eagle Scout
William C. Devries, M.D.; Transplanted First Artificial Heart: Eagle Scout
Sam M. Walton Chairman/CEO, Wal-Mart: Eagle Scout
Barber B. Conable, Jr. President, World Bank: Eagle Scout
The Boy Scouts of America is the largest youth oriented organization in the United States. More than 4 million boys and leaders are currently registered in the Boy Scouts of America.
Unlike Cub Scouting, which many of you are familiar with, Boy Scouting is a youth-lead organization. The boys learn how to organize and lead the Troop. After training, and with supervision from the adult leaders, the boys run the show.
The boys in the Troop will be working towards their 1st class and then Eagle ranks. As they travel on their trail to Eagle they will not only learn how to lead a team to a goal, but they will actually lead teams of scouts in a number of situations. Many Eagle Scouts put their accomplishments on their résumés and find they are often considered in obtaining acceptance into college or the work force.
Boy Scouting also provides for growth of moral strength and character, teaches citizenship, and enhances the development of physical, mental and emotional fitness. This is all done in the spirit of fun and adventure.
Please take a few minutes to read Chapter 1 of your son's Boy Scout Handbook.
Troop 109 is a participating member of the Black Mountain District of the San Diego Imperial Council (www.sdicbsa.org), Boy Scouts of America. The Troop's organization consists of a Chartered Organization, a Troop Committee, the Troop, and the Troop's Parents.
Every Troop belongs to an organization. The Chartered Organization for Troop 109 is the Community Church of Poway. The Chartered Organization shares our objectives for the boys and insures that there is adequate, trained leadership. A Chartered Organization Representative acts a liaison between us and the Community Church.
Troop Committee
The Troop Committee Functions as an administration and support organization for the Troop. The Troop Committee takes care of the non-program issues surrounding the Troop, such as: Troop funds, fund raising activities, membership drives, outing coordination, community service, activity permits and coordination, advancement records, procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment. The committee will publish monthly meeting minutes and calendar of troop activities on the troop website, www.troop109.org.
The Committee meets monthly usually on the third Monday of the month. The meetings are open and attendance is encouraged by all parents and other interested adults.
Troop Meetings currently are held on the 1st (Scoutcraft night), 2nd, and 4th Monday, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Poway Community Church on Community Road. Changes to the meeting schedule will be announced as early as possible to allow for proper planning.
Two registered adult leaders, or one adult leader and a Scout parent, both of who must be at least 21 years of age, are required for all Troop 109 meetings, trips or outings.
The Troop is a group made up of several patrols. Each Patrol usually consists of a Patrol Leader and no less than five Scouts. The boys in a patrol elect their patrol leader and assistant patrol leader. The Senior Patrol Leader is the leader of the troop, and is an elected position. The Patrol Leaders, with the Senior Patrol Leader as their head, form the Patrol Leaders’ Council, which plans the activities and runs the Troop meetings.
Elections are held in September and March of each year.
The patrol leaders’ council plans the annual program, then the weekly meetings leading up to the monthly outdoor outing. They address the needs of each patrol and the general problems that involve the patrols and the troop. The senior patrol leader, with the advice of the Scoutmaster leads the PLC and chairs its meetings, usually once each month.
Troop 109’s Patrol Leaders Council consists of the following members:
· Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) Chair
· Asst. Senior Patrol Leader(s)
· Scribe
· Quartermaster
· Patrol Leaders
· Instructors
· Historian
· Librarian
Note: If a Patrol Leader must miss a meeting then the Asst. Patrol Leader for that patrol is to attend.
Monthly PLC Meeting times are determined by the PLC with the advice of the Scoutmaster
The role of parents within Troop 109 is to be supportive of the Troop's efforts and to provide the atmosphere Scouts need to learn and excel. Parents should try to:
1. Read their Scout's handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting. Parents should attend an informal Boy Scout Fast Start at a the Troop Parent Committee meeting on the 3rd Monday of the month.
2. Actively follow their Scout's progress (or lack thereof) and offer encouragement and a push when needed. Many activities for rank advancement and merit badges are completed at patrol and troop meetings, but some requirements must be done at home as well. Rank advancement is truly accomplished by the Scout - by just showing up to the meetings and outings, the Scout will
not advance, the Scout must put in some extra work.
3. Show support to both the individual Scout and the Troop by attending all Troop Courts of Honor.
4. Assist, as requested, in all Troop fund-raisers and other such activities. All such assistance lowers the cost of the program we offer to the Scouts and, therefore, lowers each family's cash outlay for their Scout(s).
5. Be aware of the Troop program and annual calendar.
6. Share your talents by volunteering to help with Scout activities, serving on the Committee or Scoutmaster Team, being a merit badge counselor, etc. Please talk with the Scoutmaster about opportunities. Excellent training is available from the District and Council and advice is always available from experienced adults in the troop.
There are many definitions of advancement, but the Scouting definition might well be, simply, "the art of meeting a challenge." For that is exactly what the Boy Scout advancement program asks the boys to do. The Boy Scout advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at his own pace. As he acquires these skills he moves up through a series of ranks, for which he is awarded badges. The ranks of Boy Scouting are Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. The higher the boy climbs the more challenging his tasks -- and the more rewarding.
Achievements include:
· Learning skills that qualify for Scouting’s more rugged and exciting outdoor challenges.
· Developing body and mind, growing self-confidence, and helping younger Scouts climb the advancement ladder.
· Discovering how it feels to go further -- in so many ways -- than he ever though he could.
We don’t look at advancement as a goal, but as a natural outcome of a planned, quality Troop program.
There are four steps of advancement:
• The Boy Scout Learns.
• The Boy Scout is Tested.
• The Boy Scout is Reviewed.
• The Boy Scout is Recognized.
From the time the Scout enters the Troop through the time he earns advancement to First Class, he is learning basic scouting skills to enable him to camp, hike, swim, cook, tie knots, administer first aid, and perform other tasks in the outdoors and to work as a member of a team. With those first steps the scout begins to build himself physically, mentally, and morally. He will start to live with the Scout Oath and Law. Soon he will learn the symbolism inherent in the Scout badge; he will learn that there are three points of the trefoil which stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: Duty to God and country, duty to other people, and duty to yourself. The goal of this Troop, is for the Scout to achieve the rank of First Class within his first year in the Troop. This is a sign that the scout has mastered the fundamentals of scouting and can begin to start the long process of learning to lead others, refining the learned skills and learning additional skills. Some of these activites are completed at the troop meetings, but the scout also needs to work at home with parent support to ensure that he advances in rank.
From the achievement of First Class through Eagle, the Scout will be demonstrating leadership, performing service projects, earning merit badges and using the skills learned while achieving the rank of First Class. The next ranks he will earn are Star and Life. These ranks are harder to obtain than the earlier ranks, but are also more interesting for the older scouts. Upon completion of all the requirements for Star and Life the Scout will be eligible to work for Eagle. The original principals, the Scout Oath and Law now have fuller meaning for the Scout and their understanding of them is much greater. The final steps towards Eagle are filled with leadership experiences.
Details for advancement are contained in the Boy Scout Handbook, which every Scout should obtain as soon as possible after joining the Troop. Take a look at Chapter 1. This short chapter has an advancement summary through First Class.
You will notice that participation in a Scoutmaster conference is a requirement for every rank. The purpose of the conference is to ensure that the Scout is ready for his board of review and for the scoutmaster and scout to become better acquainted. It is an informal meeting that takes approximately 10-15 minutes. Any concerns, problems, complaints, etc. can also be brought up. The conference is also an opportunity for the Scoutmaster to review the Scout’s personal growth and set goals for further advancement. The scout is to make an appointment with the scoutmaster after all the requirements for that rank are complete (except for the board of review). The formal (class A) uniform is to be worn for the scoutmaster’s conference.
When a Scout has completed all the requirements for a rank, he appears before a board of review composed of members of the Troop committee. The purpose of the review is not an examination. Rather it is to determine the Scout's attitude and acceptance of Scouting's ideals; to ensure that the requirements have been met for advancement, to discuss the Scout's experiences in the Troop and the Troop's program, and to encourage him to keep working towards advancement. A Board of Review may also be held to counsel a boy about his lack of progress toward advancement. The scout is to call the Advancement Chairperson to schedule the Board of Review. The formal (class A) uniform is to be worn for the board of review. Parents from the Troop and Adult Scout Leaders sit on a Board of Review.
The goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout's areas of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults in a chosen subject. Merit badges are earned by a Scout working with a registered merit badge counselor. The scoutmaster and the merit badge coordinator has a list of the registered merit badge counselors. Some merit badges will be earned as a patrol or at troop meetings/outings; however a scout must earn them individually or with a friend to reach the rank of eagle. Prior to meeting with the counselor, the Scout is to get a "blue merit badge" card from the Scoutmaster or the merit badge coordinator. The Scout is required to contact the counselor to arrange for times and places to meet with the counselor. When the Scout completes the work on the merit badge the counselor will complete the merit badge card and then the Scout is to turn the card into the Scoutmaster. Merit Badges earned will be presented to the Scout during the Troop's quarterly Court of Honor.
Troop 109 will conduct a Court of Honor 2-3 times a year. The Court of Honor recognizes all Scout appointments, elections, awards, and advancements since the last Court of Honor. It is the responsibility of the Troop's Patrol Leaders’ Council to plan and conduct the Troop Courts of Honor.
The Court of Honor is a public ceremony, and is a chance for the Scouts to be publicly recognized for their achievements. Parents and all other interested individuals are be encouraged to attend.
Rechartering and Fees (Under Review)
The process of rechartering is the annual collection of registration fees for the Scouts and Leaders. The Troop also makes a formal visit to the chartering organization to renew their commitment for the coming year. The process of rechartering the Troop must be completed by the end of February of each calendar year.
The annual fee for each Scout in Troop 109 is $51.00 plus $12.00 (if you want Boys Life), which is broken down as follows:
· 14.00 for national BSA membership
· $1.00 for insurance
· $45.00 for Troop Membership (Pays for badges, awards, and other expenses incurred by the Troop as a whole).
· $12.00 for Boys Life magazine (optional, but really enjoyable, and gives the Scouts ideas for activities and outings).
Individual activities may have fees associated with them. If so, the parents will be notified.
Additional funds are raised by the boys through various fundraising activities. The Troop plans to do one to two major fundraising projects a year. Details on this year's fund-raisers will be available at future Troop meetings.
Each year, the Council operates its Friends of Scouting (F.O.S.) campaign to raise money for the Council operations. The Council is responsible for maintaining the Council Camps the Council Scout-O-Rama, the Council Camporees, as well as other Council activities, Local BSA administration and local advertising. Contributions are voluntary. As years go by, F.O.S. is becoming a critical source of BSA funding.
UNIFORM
The Scout uniform helps to achieve the objectives of Scouting. The uniform by itself can not make a good Scout or a good Troop, but its use has been proven to improve both the Scout and the Troop because it is a visible symbol of Scouting and unity. Each scout is required to have and wear, within a reasonable amount of time after joining the Troop, the following uniform items:
· Tan scout shirt with appropriate insignia and patches (Desert Pacific Council strip, red shoulder loops, and patrol emblem.)
· Troop 109 neckerchief (obtained from Troop upon reaching Tenderfoot). The red and black BSA neckerchief is worn until the scout reaches Tenderfoot.
· Neckerchief slide (can be purchased or made by Scout).
· Olive Scout pants or shorts. (Encouraged)
· Boy Scout Socks . (Encouraged)
· Scout web belt and buckle. . (Encouraged)
· Tennis shoes or hiking boots. Socks are required.
Uniform (worn, as instructed by Troop leadership, when activities may cause damage to the field uniform).
· Troop 109 T-Shirt (obtain from Troop 109 quartermaster, cost $10.00).
· Tennis shoes or hiking boots. Socks are required.
· Scout pants or shorts, regular jean pants or shorts
The usual uniform for regular troop meetings is the tan scout shirt with jeans or denim shorts. The shirt must be tucked in and the shorts or jeans may not "sag". The troop t-shirt may be worn during the summer months. We wear the troop t-shirt for outings and the class A uniform for Board of Reviews, Courts of Honor or other formal activites.
Uniforms and insignia are worn a certain way. The Troop Leaders and staff at the Scout Shops will be able to answer any questions you might have on where to put what badge. Inside the cover of the Handbook there are guides for badge placement.
Located down at the BSA Head Quarters, the Scout Shop is where you’ll purchase your scout’s uniform and other optional scouting items:
San Diego Scout Shop
1207 Upas Street
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 298-6121
Hours: Mon thru Fri 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
It is suggested that the Boy Scout create a Scouting notebook and bring it to all meetings. This will help organize the Scout and help him to be prepared. Also from time to time resource information is handed out about camping, cooking, backpacking, etc., which is very useful when preparing for various outings.
It is recommended that the notebook be a
three ring binder and should contain three holed notebook paper and a pouch with pens, pencils, paper clips, safety pins, and a small tablet of Post-its. Items to be filed in the notebook include:
· a record of badges earned
· calendar of troop events
· troop newsletters
· record of nights of camping
· equipment information
· outings-notes for upcoming outings
· patrol-notes for patrol meetings and projects
· roster-list of troop members and phone numbers
· service-record of service hours
Note: The Boy Scout Handbook should be brought to ALL Scouting events. Note: A cover with a velcro closure is available at the Scout Shop and helps the book last through the years of scouting!
You are joining a great organization that includes tens of thousands of adult leaders, interested parents, and the BSA professional staff. Scouting is much more than enjoying the outdoors. The Troop teaches leadership skills and community skills. Scouting also shows the boys how they can keep themselves strong and healthy and make the most of school. With hard work and dedication, your son will be able to serve as a leader in the Troop and advance in rank along the trail to Eagle.
Above and beyond anything else said in this package, the boys and us "big kids" are in Scouts to have fun!
For more information, contact:
Brian Frank, Scoutmaster
Email:
abdfrank@aol.com