Advancement

SHELTER ROCK DISTRICT

Advancement and Recognition Chairman: Mike Cassano

747-3028

Setting and achieving individual goals and being recognized are important methods of Scouting. The program provides a series of obstacles and steps to overcome them. Scouts progress at their own pace, choosing options that are of most interest and those that are required. Participants grow in self-reliance and self-confidence through their mastery of the skills learned and through recognition for their achievements.

Cubs Scouts—Each level of Cub Scouting; Bobcat, Tigers, Wolf, Bear and Webelos have a series of requirements, called “achievements”, that boys must complete to receive the patch for that level. These awards are known as “ranks.” The requirements are found in the handbooks for each level and are designed to be worked on at home with parents or other Cub Scouts at den meetings. These handbooks can be purchased at your local Scout Shop.

On the advancement trail, a Cub Scout progresses from rank to rank, learning new skills as he goes. Each of the ranks and awards in Cub Scouting has its own requirements. As they advance through the ranks, the requirements get more challenging to match the new skills and abilities they learn as they get older.

Boy Scouts—Boy Scouts have a structured set of requirements to advance through the program, culminating with the rank of Eagle Scout. Requirement completion is certified by youth and adult troop leaders as well as by approved adult merit badge counselors in contrast to being approved by parents in the Cub Scout program.

Completions are tracked by adult advancement chairs who pick up the awards at Scout Shops for presentation at troop courts of honor.

Merit Badges—

Path to Eagle—The fact that a young man is an Eagle Scout has always carried with it a special significance, not only in Scouting but also as he enters higher education, business or industry and community service. The award is a performance based achievement whose standards have been well-maintained over the years. Not every boy who joins a Boy Scout troop earns the Eagle Scout rank; only about 5% of all Boy Scouts do so. This represents more than 1.7 million Boy Scouts who have earned the rank since 1912. Nevertheless, the goals of Scouting – citizenship training, character development and personal fitness—remain important for all Scouts, whether or not they attain the Eagle Scout rank.

Venturing—Venturing is a youth development program for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years of age, designed to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Setting/achieving individual goals and then being recognized are important methods of Scouting. Participants grow in self-reliance and self-confidence through their mastery of the skills learned and through recognition for their achievements.

In Venturing, young adults can work on a variety of achievements including the Silver, Gold and Bronze Awards. The program provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps to achieve them. Members progress at their own pace, choosing options that are of the most interest and those that are required.

The Advancement program is designed to recognize these young adults for their diligence and hard work in accomplishing challenging goals. For more information regarding advancement and awards in Venturing, visit http://www.venturingonline.org/ and http://www.trcbsa.org/Venturing/index.htm

Questions? Contact Steve Salvatore at 621-0670.

Exploring and Learning for Life—Exploring is a worksite-based program, part of BSA’s Learning for Life’s career education program for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years old.

Exploring’s purpose is to provide experiences that help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Exploring is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth and local community organizations who initiate a specific Explorer post by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people on the community.

Advancement in Exploring can depend on proficiency in a career area as well as leadership and community service.

For more information about Exploring Advancements, contact Susana Isaacson or Eric Anderson.

Adult Leaders—Awards are recognitions with which Scouts and adult Scouters are presented to honor them for accomplishments. The Boy Scouts of America has always been a uniformed body. Its uniforms help to create a sense of belonging. They symbolize character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Wearing a uniform gives youth and adults a sense of identification and commitment. Please refer to the BSA’s Insignia Guide for proper placement of patches. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide.aspx