Scouting 101

What is Scouts BSA?

We developed this section to answer some common questions...

What is scouts about?

Will scouts help my child grow?

Why should I sign my son up?

How is Boy Scouts organized?

What can I expect from scouts?

What is expected of me?

We included videos below to give you a feel for what scouting has meant to others and how it touched them and their family...

Building Leaders

Scouting helps meet six 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.


The Scout Motto

Be Prepared.


The Scout Slogan

Do a Good Turn Daily.

A Parent's 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.

To get involved, take time to help the current leaders or just offer ideas at an upcoming meeting. You'll discover talents that you can share with the Troop. Don't worry about training as there is online training to get you up to speed with most of the roles that can be fit in around your busy schedule.

Any leader or volunteer in the Pack can tell you how you can help the group. If you help by doing something you are good at, you will find it rewarding and may lead you to becoming a volunteer.

Getting Started

When is a good time to get started?


Like most Troops, we go year-round. You can become a scout at anytime. Just contact our Scoutmaster or just show up at one of our meetings.


If you have an interest in learning more about our Troop, if you have questions, or if you are ready to get started, please click here and fill out our website form. It only takes a minute and we will contact you shortly.


When do we meet?


Troop meetings are normally held each Monday and all of our scouts (6th-12th grade) get together in the same place. The meeting is led by our Senior Patrol Leader and other older scouts. Keep an eye on the calendar for the date. You are welcome to stop by if you are considering joining the Troop.


To verify meeting times, you can check the calendar here.




What is the Cost of Joining?


First - don't let the cost scare you off. It's not that expensive and our Troop is able to assist if you need help. The person to see about assistance is the Committee Chair. This will be kept between you and them but you can tend to that later.


Second - The annual fee is approximately $200.00 per calendar year. A new uniform runs around $30.00 (depends) but the shirt is good for several years, so uniform costs do go down as you move through the ranks.


We are not worried about the fees being paid up front. We can work with you. Scouting is actually quite reasonable considering all that your son will be doing throughout the year. Don't let the cost get in the way of your decision.


In Closing

We hope you enjoyed the tour


You are invited to contact any of our leaders by emailing our leaders via this link. If you are interested in signing up or have questions or comments you can also take one minute to fill out our online form. Either way, we are readily available to help answer any questions.


On behalf of our Troop -and the leaders - we wish you and your family the very best. We also hope you will become the next scouting family in our Troop.