What is Scouting?

    In today’s post, there will be a brief overview of what Scouting is, what the different ranks are and how they work.

But first a bit of a history lesson. So the Boy Scouts of America(BSA) were founded in 1907 by a man named Robert Baden-Powell in Britain. William Boyce was actually the man that founded Boy Scouts in America shortly after on February 8, 1910. Since that day, Scouting has spread across the country. Pictured is William Boyce and the current BSA logo.

                

To be eligible to join BSA, usually you must have already completed fifth grade or be at least 10 years old. If you were a member of Cub Scouts and earned a badge called the ‘Arrow of Light’ you are allowed to join Boy Scouts even if you do not meet the age/grade requirements. As of February 1, 2019, Boy Scouts of America, changed its name to Scouts BSA and now allows girls to pursue scouting as well. (The first female Eagle Scouts were inducted recently!)

Upon joining the Scouts, you will not have a rank. You will still be a member of the Troop, you just will not have a status yet. A Troop has a number and there is usually a local Troop in each town. Each Troop has a unique number.  To “rank up” you must fulfill a set of predetermined requirements and tasks and get them approved by an adult leader or a higher ranking scout. By completing these tasks you will learn essential life skills as well as the morals and values the Scouting community holds dear. The requirements will become more demanding and time consuming as you progress through the ranks. 

The ranks are as follows: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and the prestigious Eagle rank. The latest requirements for each rank can be found here: REQUIREMENTS. These are the badges for each rank (in order from left to right).

When pursuing the Scout rank you will learn The Scout Oath and the Scout Law which are known by Scouts across the globe and are recited at nearly every Scouting meeting and event.

The 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.

The Scout Law:

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

You will learn the meaning of both the Scout Oath and Law as your scouting journey progresses. If you would like to learn more about them you can read about them here: Scout Oath and Law 

Next time we will review what merit badges are and some fun things you can learn by earning them! Stay tuned!