About Boy Scouts
Requirements for joining
1. Meet age Requirements.
Be a boy who has completed the fifth grade or is 11 years
old, or has earned the Arrow of Light Award but is under 18
years old.
2. Complete a Boy Scout Joining Application and Health
History signed by your parent or guardian.
3. Find a Scout Troop Near your Home.
4. Repeat the Pledge of Allegiance
5. Demonstrate the Scout sign, salute, and handshake.
6. Demonstrate tying the square knot
7. Understand and agree to live by the Scout Oath or
Promise, Law, Motto, and Slogan, and the Outdoor Code.
8. Describe the Scout Badge.
9. Complete the Pamphlet Exercises.
With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the
pamphlet How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A
Parent’s Guide. (Inside the front cover of the Boy Scout
Hand Book)
10. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
Turn in your Boy Scout Application and heath history form
signed by your parent or guardian, and then participate in a
scoutmaster conference.
When you have done these things, the Scoutmaster will give
you a certificate of membership, and you can proudly wear
the badge and uniform that shows you are a member of the Boy
Scouts of America.
The Joining requirements were taken out of the Boy Scout
Handbook 11th edition.
Finding a Scout Troop near your home
If you don’t know of a troop in your area, look for the Boy
Scouts of America in your telephone directory, or contact
the national office at the following address and telephone
number:
Boy Scout Division
Boy Scouts of America
1325 West Walnut Hill Lane
P.O. Box 153079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
972-580-2000
You can also use the Internet to find your Boy Scouts of
America (BSA) local council. The web site of the BSA
national office is as follows:
http://www.scouting.org
If you live in a remote area where there is no troop, you
can still take part in the Scouting program by becoming a
Lone Scout. For more information on the Lone Scouting
Program, contact the national office at the address listed
above.
The joining requirements were taken out of the Boy Scout
handbook 10th and 11th editions.
Purpose of the BSA
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated to provide a
program for community organizations that offers effective
character, citizenship, and personal fitness training for
youth.
Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American citizens
who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit; have a
high degree of self-reliance as evidenced in such qualities
as initiative, courage, and resourcefulness; have personal
values based on religious concepts; have the desire and
skills to help others; understand the principles of the
American social, economic, and governmental systems; are
knowledgeable about and take pride in their American
heritage and understand our nation's role in the world; have
a keen respect for the basic rights of all people; and are
prepared to participate in and give leadership to American
society.
Boy Scout Program Membership
Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of
the BSA, is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of
Light Award or have completed the fifth grade, or who are 11
through 17 years old . The program achieves the BSA's
objectives of developing character, citizenship, and
personal fitness qualities among youth by focusing on a
vigorous program of outdoor activities.
Boy Scout program membership, as of December 31, 2001, is
1,005,592 Boy Scouts/Varsity Scouts
537,685 adult volunteers
52,425 troops/teams
Volunteer Scouters
Thousands of volunteer leaders, both men and women, are
involved in the Boy Scouting program. They serve in a
variety of jobs—everything from unit leaders to chairmen of
troop committees, committee members, merit badge counselors,
and chartered organization representatives.
Like other phases of the program, Boy Scouting is made
available to community organizations having similar
interests and goals. Chartered organizations include
professional organizations; governmental bodies; and
religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, labor,
and citizens' groups. Each organization appoints one of its
members as the chartered organization representative. The
organization is responsible for leadership, the meeting
place, and support for troop activities.
Who Pays for It?
Several groups are responsible for supporting Boy Scouting:
the boy and his parents, the troop, the chartered
organization, and the community. Boys are encouraged to earn
money whenever possible to pay their own expenses, and they
also contribute dues to their troop treasuries to pay for
budgeted items. Troops obtain additional income by working
on approved money-earning projects. The community, including
parents, supports Scouting through the United Way, Friends
of Scouting campaigns, bequests, and special contributions
to the BSA local council. This income provides leadership
training, outdoor programs, council service centers and
other facilities, and professional service for units.
Aims and Methods of the Scouting Program
The Scouting program has three specific objectives, commonly
referred to as the "Aims of Scouting." They are character
development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.
The methods by which the aims are achieved are listed below
in random order to emphasize the equal importance of each.
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 members 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. In the outdoors the skills
and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with
purpose. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an
appreciation for the beauty of the world around us. The
outdoors is the laboratory in which Boy Scouts 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.
Associations With Adults
Boys learn a great deal by watching how adults conduct
themselves. Scout leaders can be positive role models for
the members of the troop. In many cases a Scoutmaster who is
willing to listen to boys, encourage them, and take a
sincere interest in them can make a profound difference in
their lives.
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
as 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.
