ParentGuide

Boy Scout Troop 792 Parent Guide

Quicksilver District, Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council

"All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind are convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth." --Aristotle

INTRODUCTION

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.

Scouting is a program that we parents put on for our sons with our sons. In Cub Scouts, the parents do most of the "work" (planning, etc.). In Boy Scouts, the boys are responsible for their program, and the parents guide them.

What is it all about? What will you be expected to do? What does it cost? We have prepared this website page 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.

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

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 lifetimes in achieving their full potential.

The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Boy Scout Oath and Law.

SCOUT LAW: A Scout is:

• Trustworthy
• Loyal
• Helpful
• Friendly
• Courteous
• Kind
• Obedient
• Cheerful
• Thrifty
• Brave
• Clean
• Reverent

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.

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 Congressmen were Scouts, as well as most of the astronauts who have walked on the moon.

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, with which many of you are familiar, 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.

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.

ORGANIZATION

Troop 792 is a participating member of the Quicksilver District of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, Boy Scouts of America. The Troop's organization consists of a Chartered Organization, a Troop Committee, the Troop, and the Troop Parents.

Chartered Organization (sponsor)

Every Troop belongs to an organization. The Chartered Organization for Troop 792 is the San Martin Lions Club. The Chartered Organization shares our objectives for the boys and ensures that there is adequate, trained leadership. A Chartered Organization Representative acts a liaison between the Troop and the Chartered Organization.

Troop Committee

The Troop Committee functions as an administration and support organization for the Troop. The Committee takes care of the non-program issues surrounding the Troop. For example: newsletters, Troop funds, fund-raising activities, membership drives and coordination with our associated Pack, activity permits and coordination, advancement records, and procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment.

The Committee meets as needed, usually quarterly. The meetings are open and attendance is encouraged by all parents and other interested adults.

Troop 792

Troop meetings are held weekly, with at least one week off per month (moreso in December). Meetings are currently held on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to about 7:30 p.m. Changes to the meeting schedule will be announced as early as possible to allow for proper planning. Troop 792 generally does not have meetings during holiday periods.

Adult leadership: Two registered adult leaders, or one adult leader and a Scout parent, both of whom must be at least 21 years of age, are required for all Troop meetings, trips, or outings.

Patrols and patrol leaders: The Troop is a group made up of several patrols. Each Patrol usually consists of a Patrol leader and no less than four Scouts and usually no more than eight Scouts. The boys in each patrol elect their patrol leader, who in turn appoints the assistant patrol leader. Patrols are re-organized once or twice a year upon Committee approval.

The Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leaders are elected positions. The Senior Patrol Leader appoints his Assistant Senior Patrol Leader(s). The Patrol Leaders, with the Senior Patrol Leader as their head, form the Patrol Leaders' Council (Green Bar), which plans the activities and runs the Troop meetings. Elections are held twice as year, usually in May and November.

Troop Parents

The role of parents within Troop 792 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 by the Troop Committee.

2. Actively follow their Scout's progress (or lack thereof) and offer encouragement and a push when needed.

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 its Scout(s).

5. Be aware of the Troop program and annual calendar.

Every family has an equal voice in Troop matters.

ADVANCEMENT

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: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. The higher he climbs, the more challenging his tasks, and the more rewarding.

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 resumes and find they are often considered in obtaining acceptance into college or the work force.

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.

Advancement from Scout rank through First Class

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 the Scout Oath and Law. Soon he will learn the symbolism inherent in the Scout badge. He will learn that the three points of the trefoil stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: Duty to God, duty to other people, and duty to self. One goal of this Troop is that the Scout achieves 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.

Advancement from First Class to Eagle

From the achievement of First Class through Eagle, the Scout will be demonstrating leadership, performing service projects, learned while 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 his 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.

Merit badges

The goal of the merit badge program is to expand the 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 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 inform the Scoutmaster that the Scout has completed the requirements for that badge. Merit Badges earned will be presented to the Scout during the Troop's quarterly Court of Honor.

All parents of Troop 792 Scouts are encouraged to become Merit Badge Counselors. Please print and fill in the attached Troop Resource Survey and return to a Troop Leader.

Boards of review

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 the ideals of Scouting, to ensure that the requirements have been met for advancement, to discuss the Scout's experiences in the Troop and the Troop 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.

Courts of Honor

Troop 792 conducts a Court of Honor approximately twice a year, usually following elections. The Court of Honor recognizes all Scout appointments, elections, awards, and advancements since the last Court of Honor. Adult recognition may be presented prior to the opening of the Troop Court of Honor. It is the responsibility of the Patrol Leaders' Council to plan and conduct the Troop Courts of Honor. The Troop Committee will support the Courts of Honor as requested.

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 encouraged to attend.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Re-chartering and fees

The process of re-chartering 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 re-chartering the Troop must be completed by the end of November (we usually complete by Oct. 31) of each calendar year.

Annual registration fees (dues)

How much does Boy Scouting cost? As little as possible, but nothing worthwhile is free. The annual fee for each Scout in Troop 792 is:

$72.00

• $24.00 for national BSA membership
• $1.00 insurance
• $35.00 for Troop membership (badges, awards, and other expenses incurred by the Troop as a whole, such as adult registrations and background checks)
• $12.00 for Boys' Life (magazine)

This is pro-rated annually; for example, if the boys joins in May, then the dues for that calendar year are $48.00.

Joining fees

When joining, the following are purchased from the Troop in addition to the annual registration fees:

• unit patch (792) $6.00
• Troop neckerchief $5.00

When filling out the [application], read it through, but we only need the Council copy; we keep paperless files so filling it out in multiple copies is not necessary.

The boy will also need uniform, insignia, cap, and the Handbook. The latest costs for these are on [this link].

When crossing over from a Cub Scout pack, at least one Troop member will come to the Pack bridging ceremony and present the following to the boy:

• green shoulder tabs
• handbook
• Troop neckerchief
• unit patch

If the boy already has these, he needs not pay for them, but he needs to bring them to the Pack meeting for presentation. He should also bring a Boy Scout cap if he already has one. (There are two sizes.)

The costs for these are on another web page.

These are one-time "joining expenses." If transferring from a Cub Scout pack, $11 (for registration and insurance) is subtracted from the annual fees. $12 is also subtracted if he is transferring with a Boys' Life subscription (or $10 is subtracted if Boys' Life is already received in his home (such as by a younger brother).

Fees for outings and activities: Individual activities may have fees associated with them. If so, the parents will be notified.

Fundraising: Additional funds are raised by the boys through various fundraising activities. The Troop plans to do two to three major fundraising projects a year. Details on this year's fundraisers will be available at future Troop meetings.

Friends of Scouting

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 (Hi-Sierra and Chesebrough), the Scout-O-Rama, the Camporees, 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. Click [here] for uniform details.

AND FINALLY

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:

• Troop792@yahoo.com