What is Scouts BSA?
Scouts BSA, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America, is a youth program for boys and girls ages 11-17. It’s a part of Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) and focuses on developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness through outdoor activities, leadership opportunities, and advancement.
Building Leaders?
Scouting helps meet essential needs of young people:
Mentoring
Scouting provides youth with good role models who can have a powerful impact on their lives. We have a process that screens, selects, and trains the leaders who can provide the attention all young people need to succeed in life.
Lifelong Learning
Scouting provides structured settings where kids can learn new skills and develop habits of continual learning that will help them succeed. Scouting offers a proven program of discovering, sharing, and applying knowledge and skills that last a lifetime.
Faith Traditions
One of the key tenets of Scouting is “duty to God.” While Scouting does not define religious belief for its members, it does encourage each young person to begin a spiritual journey through the practice of his or her faith tradition.
Serving Others
Scouting is deeply rooted in the concept of doing for others. “Do a Good Turn Daily” is a core Scouting precept. Scouting encourages young people to recognize the needs of others and take action accordingly.
Healthy Living
Young people need to be well. To get the most from life, one must be both mentally and physically fit. A commitment to physical wellness has been reflected in Scouting’s outdoor programs such as hiking, camping, swimming, climbing, and conservation. First aid, lifesaving, and safety programs are synonymous with Scouting. Our programs today include strong drug abuse awareness and prevention programs emphasizing the value of healthy living habits.
Building Character
Few will argue with the importance of teaching values and responsibility to our children – not only right from wrong, but specific, affirmative values such as fairness, courage, honor, and respect for others. Beginning with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, the Boy Scouts of America program is infused with character-building activities that allow youth to apply abstract principles to daily living situations.
Scouts BSA Foundation
What is the first thing a Scout learns?
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, and reverent.
Outdoor Code
As an American, I will do my best to –
Be clean in my outdoor manners.
Be careful with fire.
Be considerate in the outdoors.
Be conservation minded.
The Scout Motto
Be Prepared.
The Scout Slogan
Do a Good Turn Daily.
Parent Call to Action
Scouts isn’t just for the kids. The parents get a lot out of scouting as well. We all are busy, but we make time for what’s important to us.
Scouting isn’t like soccer or baseball where we’re on the sidelines cheering our kids on. Scouting is hands on. Whether you’re helping them learn how to tie knots or showing them how to use hand tools or teaching them how to cook their own breakfast, parents will definitely need to be involved.
Being involved is as simple as taking time to help the current leaders or just offering ideas at an upcoming meeting. You’ll discover talents that you can share with the Troop. Don’t worry about training as there are plenty of online and in-person resources and trainings to help get you up to speed with most of the roles that can be fit in around your busy schedule.
Any leader can help you get started.
