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For over 100 years, Scouting programs have instilled in youth the values
found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Today, these values are just as
relevant in helping youth grow to their full potential as they were in
1910. Scouting helps youth develop academic skills, self-confidence,
ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that influence their
adult lives.
The Boy Scouts of America provides youth with programs and activities that allow them to
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Try new things.
- Provide service to others.
- Build self-confidence.
- Reinforce ethical standards.
While
various activities and youth groups teach basic skills and promote
teamwork, Scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a
deeper appreciation for service to others in their community.
Scouting
provides youth with a sense that they are important as individuals. It
is communicated to them that those in the Scouting family care about
what happens to them, regardless of whether a game is won or lost.
Finally,
and perhaps most importantly, Scouting promotes activities that lead to
personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard
decisions have to be made, peer pressure can be resisted and the right
choices can be made.
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Cub
Scouting uses seven specific methods to achieve Scouting's aims of
helping boys and young adults build character, train in the
responsibilities of citizenship, and develop personal fitness. These
methods are incorporated into all aspects of the program. Through these
methods, Cub Scouting happens in the lives of boys and their families.
1. The Ideals
The
Cub Scout Promise, the Law of the Pack, the Tiger Cub motto and
Promise, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, motto, and salute all teach
good citizenship and contribute to a boy's sense of belonging.
2. The Den
Boys like to belong to a group. The den is the place where boys
learn new skills and develop interests in new things. They have fun in
den meetings, during indoor and outdoor activities, and on field trips.
As part of a small group of six to eight boys, they are able to learn
sportsmanship and good citizenship. They learn how to get along with
others. They learn how to do their best, not just for themselves but
also for the den.
3. Advancement
Recognition is important to boys. The advancement plan provides fun
for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn
badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members
work with boys on advancement projects.
4. Family Involvement
Family involvement is an essential part of Cub Scouting. When we
speak of parents or families, we are not referring to any particular
family structure. Some boys live with two parents, some live with one
parent, some have foster parents, and some live with other relatives or
guardians. Whoever a boy calls his family is his family in Cub Scouting.
5. Activities
In Cub Scouting, boys participate in a wide variety of den and pack
activities, such as games, projects, skits, stunts, songs, outdoor
activities, and trips. Also, the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program
and Cub Scouting's BSA Family program include activities that encourage
personal achievement and family involvement.
6. Home- and Neighborhood-Centered
Cub Scouting meetings and activities happen in urban areas, in rural
communities, in large cities, in small towns—wherever boys live.
7. The Uniform
The Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, and Webelos Scout uniforms help build
pride, loyalty, and self-respect. Wearing the uniform to all den and
pack meetings and activities also encourages a neat appearance, a sense
of belonging, and good behavior.
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As
a worldwide brotherhood, Scouting is unique. It is based on the
principles of loving and serving God, of human dignity and the rights of
individuals, and of recognizing the obligation of members to develop
and use their potential. It is a movement dedicated to bringing out the
best in people. Cub Scouting doesn't emphasize winning as an end result,
but rather the far more demanding task of doing one's best.
When Scouting can help nurture courage and
kindness and allow boys to play, to laugh, to develop their
imaginations, and to express their feelings, then we will have helped
them grow. We want boys to become useful and stable individuals who are
aware of their own potential. Helping a boy to learn the value of his
own worth is the greatest gift we can give him.
Cub Scouting Is Fun
Boys join Cub Scouting because they want
to have fun. For boys, however, fun means a lot more than just having a
good time. "Fun" is a boy's code word for the satisfaction he gets from
meeting challenges, having friends, feeling good about himself, and
feeling he is important to other people. While the boys are having fun
and doing things they like to do, they also learn new things, discover
and master new skills, gain self-confidence, and develop strong
friendships.
Cub Scouting Has Ideals
Cub Scouting has ideals of spiritual
and character growth, citizenship training, and personal fitness. The
Cub Scout Promise is a pledge of duty to God and family. The Law of the
Pack is a simple formula for good Cub Scouting and good citizenship. The
Cub Scout motto, "Do Your Best," is a code of excellence. The Tiger Cub
motto, "Search, Discover, Share," encourages personal growth and
fitness. Symbols, such as the Cub Scout sign, Cub Scout salute, and the
Living Circle, help boys feel a part of a distinct group and add to the
appeal of belonging to a widely respected organization.
Cub Scouting Strengthens Families
The family is an important influence
on our nation's youth. There are many different types of family
structures in today's world. Scouting is a support to all types of
families as well as to organizations to which families belong. We
believe in involving families in the training of youth, and we are
sensitive to the needs of present-day families. Cub Scouting provides
opportunities for family members to work and play together, to have fun
together, and to get to know each other a little better.
Cub Scouting Helps Boys Develop Interests and Skills
In Cub Scouting, boys participate in a
broad array of activities. Cub Scouts develop ability and dexterity,
and they learn to use tools and to follow directions. Recognition and
awards encourage them to learn about a variety of subjects, such as
conservation, safety, physical fitness, community awareness, academic
subjects, sports, and religious activities. These interests might become
a hobby or even a career later in life.
Cub Scouting Provides Adventure
Cub Scouting helps fulfill a boy's
desire for adventure and allows him to use his vivid imagination while
taking part in skits, games, field trips, service projects, outdoor
activities, and more. The use of a monthly theme lets a boy play the
role of an astronaut, clown, explorer, scientist, or other exciting
character. Boys find adventure in exploring the outdoors, learning about
nature, and gaining a greater appreciation for our beautiful world.
Cub Scouting Has an Advancement Plan
The advancement plan recognizes a
boy's efforts and achievements. It provides fun for the boys, teaches
them to do their best, and helps strengthen understanding as family
members work with boys on advancement requirements. Badges are awarded
to recognize advancement, and boys like to receive and wear these
badges. The real benefit comes from the worthwhile things the boy learns
while he is earning the badges, as his self-confidence and self-esteem
grow.
Cub Scouting Creates Fellowship
Boys like to be accepted as part of a
group. In Cub Scouting, boys belong to a small group called a den where
they take part in interesting and meaningful activities with their
friends. The Cub Scout den and pack are positive places where boys can
feel emotionally secure and find support. Each boy gains status and
recognition and has a sense of belonging to this group.
Cub Scouting Promotes Diversity
In Cub Scouting, boys may learn to
interact in a group that may include boys of various ethnicities, income
levels, religions, and levels of physical ability. By having fun
together and working as a group toward common goals, Cub Scouts learn
the importance of not only getting along, but also of working side by
side with other boys of different races, classes, religions, cultures,
etc.
Cub Scouting Teaches Duty to God and Country
The BSA believes that no member can
grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to
God, and encourages both youth and adult leaders to be faithful in their
religious duties. The Scouting movement has long been known for service
to others. Scouting believes that patriotism plays a significant role
in preparing our nation's youth to become useful and participating
citizens. A Cub Scout learns his duty to God, country, others, and self.
Cub Scouting Provides a Year-Round Program
Cub Scouting has no specific
"season"—it's a year-round program. While spring and summer pack
activities are informal and there are many activities that Cub Scouts do
outdoors, there's still plenty of fun to be had in the fall and winter:
the pinewood derby, blue and gold banquet, skits, stunts, craft
projects, and indoor games help to round out an entire year of fun and
activities.
Cub Scouting Is a Positive Place
With all the negative influences in
today's society, Scouting provides your son with a positive peer group
who can encourage him in all the right ways. Carefully selected leaders
provide good role models and a group setting where values are taught and
help to reinforce positive qualities of character.
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When
you join the Boy Scouts of America, Scouting is like an extension of
your family: It follows your values, it sees to the overall care and
well-being of your child, and it’s always there for you. It’s not an
either/or choice you have to make for your child. It works with you to
let you manage your time and other activities and will always be there
when you return.
Maturity.
Youth experience dramatic physical and emotional growth. Scouting
offers them opportunities to channel much of that change into productive
endeavors. Through service projects and Good Turns, Scouts can discover
their place in the community. Many Scouting activities allow youth to
associate with others from different backgrounds. The religious emblems
program offers pathways for Scouts to more deeply understand their duty
to God. The unit provides each Scout with an opportunity to explore, to
try out new ideas, and to embark on adventures that sometimes have no
design other than to have a good time with good people.
Flexibility.
The Scouting programs are flexible and accommodate the need to balance
the work and life requirements of a busy family. It’s easy to plan for
meetings and activities, and if something unexpected comes up, just let
your leader know—it’s expected in the lives we live today.
Adaptability.
Your child can work on achievements at his or her own pace. For
example, if your child is in a spring soccer league and has to miss
several meetings and activities, he or she still can complete and sign
off on Scout activities to work toward the next level.
Transferability.
The skills and values your child learns through Scouting can be applied
in any non-Scouting activity he or she participates in. As your child
builds character, this can be an especially valuable defense to the peer
pressure all youth experience when growing up.
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