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What is Scouting! |
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The Boy Scouts of On my honor I
will do my best to do my duty to God and my country. The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated to provide a
program for community organizations that offers effective character,
citizenship, and personal fitness training youth. Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American
citizens who:
How Does It Work? Ideals. The ideals of Boy Scouting are spelled out in the Scout
Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout motto, and the Scout slogan. The Boy
Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to
improve. The goals are high, and, as he reaches for them, he has some
control over what and who he becomes. Patrols. The patrol method gives Boy Scouts an experience in group
living and participating citizenship. It places responsibility on young
shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows
Scouts to interact in small groups where they can easily relate to each
other. These small groups determine troop activities through elected
representatives. Outdoor Programs. Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It
is in the outdoor setting that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to
live with one another. It is here that the skills and activities
practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being close to
nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for God's handiwork and
humankind's place in it. The outdoors is the laboratory for Boy Scouts
to learn ecology and practice conservation of nature's resources. Advancement. Boy Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles
and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy
Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each
challenge. The Boy Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps
him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a
Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others. Personal Growth. As Boy Scouts plan their activities and progress toward
their goals, they experience personal growth. The Good Turn concept is
a major part of the personal growth method of Boy Scouting. Boys grow
as they participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for
others. Probably no device is so successful in developing a basis for
personal growth as the daily Good Turn. The religious emblems program
also is a large part of the personal growth method. Frequent personal
conferences with his Scoutmaster help each Boy Scout to determine his growth
toward Scouting's aims. Leadership Development. The Boy Scout program encourages boys to learn and
practice leadership skills. Every Boy Scout has the opportunity to
participate in both shared and total leadership situations.
Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership
role of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting. Uniform. The uniform makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force
for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy
Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that
shows each Boy Scout's commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting.
The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who
believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Boy
Scout activities and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges that
show what they have accomplished. It's easy to join. Just contact one of these people
for more information.
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