Troop 374

Advancement Basics

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This Presentation Will Cover

Scouting overview: mission, aims, and methods

Four steps to Advancement

Rank awards

Scoutcraft, Woodcraft, Campcraft

Merit badges

Helpful advice

Questions and Answers (hopefully)

Resources

Boy Scouts of AmericaMission Statement

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Scout Oath Scout Law

“ On my honor I will do my bestTo 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. ”

“A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent

Aims of the Scouting Program

Character developmentCitizenship trainingMental and physical fitness

Every activity in Scouting should supportone or more of these aims.

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Methods of Scouting

Scouting ideals Patrol methodAdvancementAssociation with adultsOutdoorsLeadership developmentUniformPersonal growth

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Four Stepsin Boy Scout Advancement

1. The Scout learns.2. The Scout is tested.3. The Scout is reviewed.4. The Scout is recognized.

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Scouts are directly involved in the first two stepsScoutmasters and Committee Members in all 4 steps

Rank Awards:Scouting's Trail to Eagle

Scout

Tenderfoot

Second Class

First Class

Star

Life

Eagle

Boy Scout Handbook Page 14

Scoutcraft – Preparing for Scouting’s adventures and life

Woodcraft – Understanding, appreciating, and caring for nature while you travel and live in the outdoors

Campcraft – Learning skills useful along the trail, in camp and beyond

Scoutcraft:

o Leadership

o Citizenship

o Fitness

o First Aid

o Aquatics

Boy Scout Handbook Pages 43-201

• Self-leadership

• Forming, researching, and achieving your vision

• Leading others in your troop, your family and your community

• Stages of leadership

• Making good choices

• How citizenship began

• Our nation’s history

• Your rights and duties as a citizen

• The American Flag

• Your community and you

• Serving your community

• Knowing your state, your nation, and the world

• Envisioning physical fitness

• Completing the steps to better fitness

• Tenderfoot fitness checklist

• Stretching

• Healthy eating and the food guide pyramid

• Maintaining the proper weight

• Getting enough sleep

• Taking care of and protecting your body

• Avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and drugs

• Staying mentally awake and morally straight

• The goals of first aid and why first aid is important

• Personal and group first-aid kits

• First-aid method

• Basic first-aid techniques

• First aid for hurry cases

• Moving an ill or injured person

• BSA Safe Swim Defense

• Learning to swim

• Basic strokes

• BSA swimmer test

• Floating

• Water rescues

• Aquatics opportunities

Woodcraft:

o Nature

o Leave No Trace

Boy Scout Handbook Pages 203-257

• Ecosystems

• Understanding and indentifying plants

• Identifying and obsevring wildlife

• Tracking and stalking

• Features of weather

• Stars and constellations

• Taking care of the environment

• Scouting trail to outdoor ethics

• Using Leave No Trace

• Beyond Leave No Trace

Campcraft:

o Hiking

o Camping

o Cooking

o Navigation

o Tools

Boy Scout Handbook 259-415

• The Scout Basic Essentials

• Food and water for the a hike

• Making a trip plan

• Appropriate clothing

• Leave No Trace hiking

• Pace

• Trail manners

• Cross-country hiking

• Hiking and weather safety

• Staying found

• Overnight camping

• Scout camps

• Planning a camping trip

• Choosing a backpack

• Choosing a campsite

• Choosing a tent

• Making your bed outdoors

• Keeping clean

• Protecting camp food

• Beyond campouts

• Planning your meals

• Food for the outdoors

• Menus

• Eating kits

• Cook kit

• Stoves and campfires

• Sharing kitchen duties

• Cleaning up after meals

• Meals

• Cooking aluminum foil

• Cooking without utensils

• Making meals into special events

• Keeping a cooking notebook

• Measuring

• Tools of navigation

• How to use a compass

• Using maps and compasses on hikes, bike trips, and other Scout adventures

• Global Positioning Ststem (GPS) receivers

• Finding directions using the stars, the sun, and the moon

• Compass game

• Orienteering courses

• Navigating your way forward

• Whipping and fusing rope ends

• Tying knots

• Lashings

• Using and caring for pocketknives, saws, and axes

• Building, lighting, and managing campfires

• Camp stoves

Scout, Wood and Camp craft Developing Skills For a Lifetime

Scout

Tenderfoot

Second Class

First Class

Boy Scout Handbook

Where does a Scout learn these skill?

•Troop meetings, campouts, summer camp, school, home…

How long will it take?

•12-24 months, each Scout has his their own pace…

Rank Awards:Scouting Trail to Eagle

Star – 4 months

Life – 6 months

Eagle – 6 months

Demonstrate Scout Spirit

Earn Merit Badges

Service Project

Leadership

Boy Scout Handbook

Scout Spirit – Making the Scout Oath, and Scout Law part of your life. “You prove that you have caught this spirit by the way you help in your patrol, troop, home, school, church or synagogue, and community and habits of caring for your own things and protecting the properties of others.”

Merit Badges – Earn 21

Service Projects – Support your community

Leadership - Patrol or Troop, sharing knowledge and offering guidance and encouragement to others.

Merit Badges:Their Role in Advancement

Merit badges are integral to the advancement program.

Any Scout may earn them at any time, including qualified Venturers and Sea Scouts.

Merit badges are required for Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks.

A total of 21 are required for Eagle.

Some merit badges are “elective”; some are “required.”

Twelve specific merit badges are required for Eagle, with 13 required beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

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Four Stepsin Boy Scout Advancement

1. The Scout learns.2. The Scout is tested.3. The Scout is reviewed.4. The Scout is recognized.

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Merit badge counselorsare directly involved in the first two steps.

Broad Range of Subjects

AgribusinessArts and craftsBusiness and industryCommunicationsConservationHobbiesNatural science

Personal developmentPhysical scienceProfessionsPublic serviceSportsTradesTransportation

More than 130 merit badges in 14 subject areas:

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Benefits of Merit Badges

Contribution to the aims of Scouting: citizenship, character, and fitness

Development of confidence,self-reliance, and social skills

Physical fitness and healthy lifestyles

Career and hobbies choices may result

Exposure to positive role models: You!

Guide to Advancement topic 7.0.0.1

Merit Badge OpportunitiesDuring troop meetings. 3-4 merit badges are held during the Scouting year.

Merit badge clinics. 2-3 clinics are offered annually: LDS, Raleigh MBU, NCSU…

Summer camp. This should not be the primary focus of first year Scouts. Rank programs are priority. Merit badges secondary

With a Buddy and Counselor and other adult (2 deep leadership).

Helpful AdviceRead your Scouts handbook, it has the answers.

Your Scout should develop good record keeping habits. Notebook, handbook, Advancement coordinator…

Update handbook and merit badge progress routinely with the Advancement coordinator. Troop 374 maintains electronic records using Troopmaster. Handbooks and notebooks can be lost forever, electronic records can be reproduced forever!

Questions?

Resources• Guide to Advancement, No. 33088• BSA’s Guide to Safe Scouting, No. 34416• Merit badge pamphlets• Boy Scout Requirements, No. 33216• Boy Scout Handbook, No. 34554

For More InformationOther advancement presentations available at:www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/resources.aspx