Introduction to Scouting

Lord Robert Baden-Powell - Scouting's Founder

The acknowledged founding father of scouting is Lord Robert Baden-Powell. He was a British military hero who is credited with starting the scouting program in England in 1907, when he formed a camping troop of 22 boys and began to teach them scouting skills. He published the original scout manual, "Scouting For Boys", in 1908. Scouting came to our country in 1910, and received its federal charter from Congress in 1916. Today, there are scouting programs in 185 of the (approximately, as they change) 192 independent countries in the world.

Minimum Age/Grade to Join Boy Scouts

To join Boy Scouts, you need to be at least 11 years old (but under 18) or have completed
5th grade, and have earned your Arrow of Light award.

For information about Cub Scouting for younger boys, click this link to Cub Scout Pack 319.

Registration Fees / Troop Dues

To Get Started: You will need a Boy Scout Handbook, a scout uniform, and will need to assemble an E-10 (essential ten) pack, all of are described throughout this site.

Annual Fees: Each March, the troop collects troop dues of $75 per scout.
There is also an annual re-charter fee in December for SD/Imperial Council of $25 per scout.

New Parent Information

Click on the following links to download a copy of Troop 319's Parent Guide and Parent Talent Survey form.

Scout Handbook & Uniform

Once you have a Boy Scout Handbook and an official Boy Scout uniform, you can join the troop on a campout and begin working to complete rank requirements. Scouts are required to wear a "1st Class" uniform to scout meetings, when traveling to and from troop campouts and treks, during BSA/troop sanctioned public events, during rank advancement conferences, and to all Courts of Honor (awards ceremonies). The "1st Class" uniform consists of an official scout shirt (with the "319" insignia and other required emblems and patches), an official BSA or alternate Troop 319 hat, and the official scout neckerchief and slide. Pants and other attire should be appropriate and of consistent color with the uniform.

Scout Uniform Worn when Traveling & for Camp Inspections

Full Scout Uniform for Court of Honor & Fundraising Activities
(sash not necessary for 1st Class uniform when traveling to and from campouts)

At times, the Scoutmaster may allow our scouts to wear their "2nd Class uniform" (also called "Activity Shirt), which consists of either a Troop 319 shirt, or a T-shirt earned through participation at a scout event.

Merit badges and camping or event patches are affixed by the scout to an official Scout sash, which is worn over the shoulder and across the scout shirt. This sash should be worn to all Courts of Honor and other special occasions.

Click on the following links to review a copy of Troop 319's Policies and Bylaws.

What a Scout Needs to Know

Scouts will need to satisfy the Scoutmaster that he understands and pledges to live by the following Scouting principles.

The Scout Oath or Promise	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.
Scout Law	A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
Scout Motto	Be Prepared.
Scout Slogan	Do a Good Turn Daily.
Outdoor Code	As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded.

Scouts also need to know how and when to use the scout sign, salute, and handshake.

Scout Sign	Cover the nail of the little finger on your right hand with your right thumb, then raise your right arm bent in a 90 degree angle, and hold the three middle fingers of your right hand upward.
Scout Salute	Form the Scout Sign with your right hand and bring that hand upward until your forefinger touches the brim of your hat or the arch of your right eyebrow, without the palm of your hand showing.
Scout Handshake	Extend your left hand to another Scout and firmly grasp his left hand, without interlocking the fingers.

Troop Resources

Scouts and parents/guardians can stay abreast of BSA and troop activity information in a variety of ways:

• Parents/guardians are issued a Parent Information Guide and our Troop Bylaws & Policies upon registering with the troop.
  
  
• Announcements are made at the begining and end of weekly troop meetings regarding troop events and outings.
  
  
• Monthly Parent Committee Meetings are open to all troop adults and are an outstanding way to learn about and have input on troop activities. (If you can't make the meeting, minutes are distributed about the proceedings.)
  
  
• Read the troop newsletter (click here to review the current issue or to scan through an archive of past editions) or surf the troop website.
  
  
• Contact the Scoutmaster, Parent Committee Chair, or any of our adult leaders.
  
  
• Visit our Troop Resources web page.
  
  
• Log on to the San Diego-Imperial Council's website at www.sdicbsa.org.

Boy Led, Boy Run

Scouting is intended to be a "boy led & boy run" program. This means that the boys lead the troop, choose and organize their activities, run their own meetings, and are as self-sufficient as they can reasonably be on outings. Boy scouts are expected to set up their camp, organize into patrols, establish duty rosters, cook for themselves, build their own campfires, lead hikes, etc. Adult leaders provide assistance, support, and supervision as needed.

The troop is divided into groups of boys who make up Patrols, generally of 5 to 7 Scouts each. Each Patrol has a rotating Patrol Leader, who serves for six months. The troop itself is led by a Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) elected by the boys and approved by the Scoutmaster. The SPL is a Scout who is at least 13 years old and has gone through the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) course. He is assisted by one or more Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders, who are qualified to step in as SPL in his absence.

There are various other leadership positions in the troop for the boys, including Scribe, Quartermaster, Troop Instructor, Librarian, Historian, Webmaster, and Newsletter Staff.
All scout troop officers serve for 6 months. The SPL, Assistant SPLs, Patrol Leaders and Scribe form a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC), which meets once a month with the Scoutmaster to plan troop activities and meetings. Once a year the boys have an Annual Planning Meeting, where they vote on outings they would like to schedule over the coming year.

Scout Meetings

The Troop meets weekly on Monday nights from 6:45pm to 8pm. The meeting opens and closes with a flag ceremony, presided over by the Senior Patrol Leader. After announcements about upcoming or past events, the scouts will join with one another for whatever activity has been planned for the meeting by their Patrol Leaders Council, such as learning/practicing scout skills, working on merit badge requirments, coordinating an upcoming trip, etc.. Before the meeting closes, scouts will usually group to play a fun game involving scout skills or teamwork.

Troop Outings

Troop outings and meetings are posted on our website Calendar, and are also published in the Troop 319 Scouting Gazette newsletter.

Parent / Guardian Invovement

The success of the troop depends on the active participation of each scout's parent or guardian. It is our hope that each adult will be involved in the troop and will agree to take on the responsibility of at least one volunteer position. Contact the Parent Commitee Chair for more information.

All parents/guardians are urged to attend our Parent Committee Meetings (PCM), generally held on the 4th Thursday of each month. At this meeting, parents/guardians plan and organize the troop support system to provide adult supervision and assistance needed for a successful Scouting program.

Our Scouting Goals

The troop's goal is to provide our boys with a healthy and safe scouting program, guided by traditional scouting ideals and principles, with an emphasis on...

• Having fun!
• Making friends.
• Learning social, leadership, and teamwork skills.
• Develing good character and citizenship, and enhancing mental and physical fitness.
• Acquiring a broad base of knowledge and abilities by participation in scout activities and merit badge programs.
• Advancing through the scout ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Star, Life... and hopefully Eagle.
• Participating in camping trips, hikes, and other outdoor adventures that scouts might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.
• Developing closer family bonds by providing opportunities for scouts and their parents/guardians to join together in activities.
  

Scout Ranks

New troop members start out with the rank of Scout, but generally quickly progress to Tenderfoot. Troop leaders assist and encourage boys to complete rank requirements in an attempt to help each scout reach the 1st Class rank by the end of his first year with the troop. Requirements for these rank advancements are set forth in the Boy Scout Handbook and involve mastering certain scout skills and knowledge; going on troop campouts; showing improvement in areas of physical fitness; learning first aid skills; and adherance to scout ideals.

Once a Scout earns the rank of 1st Class, the emphasis shifts to earning merit badges and serving in leadership positions in the troop. To advance further to the ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle, a Scout needs to earn a specified number of merit badges, including select "Eagle-Required" badges. The scout also needs to participate in service projects, and must serve as a troop officer.

Blue Cards for Merit Badges

Before a scout can begin to work on a merit badge, he needs to get a blue merit badge card from the Scoutmaster or merit badge counselor. Do Not Lose Your Blue Cards! The scout's progress relating to the merit badge is recorded on the blue card. The completed blue card is then turned in to the Adult Advancement Chairperson, who will record it and present the merit badge to the scout at the next Court of Honor.

Scoutmaster Conferences & Boards of Review

Each time a scout completes requirements to advance in rank, he presents himself dressed in his 1st Class uniform for a Scoutmaster Conference and a Board of Review. These conferences normally occur during regular troop meetings. The Scoutmaster Conference is a meeting between the scout and the Scoutmaster and provides an opportunity to review the scout's progress and future goals. Directly after the Scoutmaster's Conference (generally the same evening), the scout has his Board of Review, which is a conference between the scout and a group of 3 or more adult leaders, where a similar discussion takes place. After these conferences, the scout is advanced to the next rank and is presented with the new rank insignia at the next Court of Honor awards ceremony.

Courts of Honor

Every three months Troop 319 holds a Court of Honor, which takes place on a Monday night in lieu of the regular scout meeting. At this ceremony, scouts are recognized for their rank advancement progress and merit badge accomplishments, and are presented commensurate awards, patches, or other uniform insignia. The troop Parent Committee traditionally hosts a low cost pizza and salad dinner at each Court of Honor.

Two Deep Adult Leadership / YPG Training / Camping Protections

Scouting is designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for youth, and to protect scouts against any type of potential abuse or abusive situations. All adult leaders are required to be trained in BSA's Youth Protection Guidelines (YPG), which is a program that alerts them to recognize signs of abuse, shows how to keep children safe from abuse, and how to properly deal with abuse if it occurs.

In addition, Boy Scout policy requires two-deep leadership, which means that two registered adult leaders or one registered adult leader and a parent (one being at least age 21) are required to be on all Scout trips and outings. One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is prohibited. Also, Boy Scout policy requires adult leaders to respect the privacy of the Scouts in situations such as changing clothes or taking showers at camp, so that an intrusion upon privacy will not occur unless required for health and safety reasons. When camping in a place where separate shower facilities are not available, policy requires separate times for male and female, and for youth and adult, to be scheduled and posted for showers. When camping, no youth is permitted to sleep in the tent of an adult other than his own parent or guardian. Any hazing activity is strictly prohibited at all times.

Buddy System for Scouts

While participating in a scouting activity, a scout is required to have a "buddy" with him wherever he goes.

Leave No Trace

In keeping with Scout "Leave No Trace" policy, we strive to maintain a clean environment by always picking up after ourselves on campouts and other outings, and try to avoid disturbing flora and fauna wherever we are. Scouts must leave the surroundings of a camp or outing in at least as clean and pristine a condition as when the troop arrived.

Adult Training Opportunities

There are many adult training programs available through our Council office. Parents/guardians are urged to take advantage of these training opportunities, which properly prepare adults to assume a leadership role in the troop. Some basic training programs, such as YPC and Hazardous Weather Training, can be completed online. A brief guide to adult training opportunities is included in the Parent Information Guide, and additional information can be found at the San Diego-Imperial Council website at www.sdicbsa.org.