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Boy Scout Troop 289
(Clarksville, Tennessee)
 
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How to Join Boy Scout Troop 289



                                                                                                                                                          The Scout Law


 

If you’ve (a) turned 11, (b) completed fifth grade, or (c) earned the Arrow of Light award in Cub Scouting, you can become a Boy Scout. Many of the Scouts in Troop 289 have been members of local Cub Scouts Packs you don't have to be a Cub Scout or Webelos. Some of our Scouts join from other troops.

We invite prospective Scouts and parents to get a better sense of Troop 289 by attending a meeting or two, and maybe joining us on one of our monthly outings.

To become a Boy Scout, We can sign you up at any meeting, you’ll need to complete an application form to register with the local council and national Scouting organizations. These application forms are available through our Troop Scoutmaster. There is a small registration fee of $35.00 which is paid annually.

Our Troop also participates in various fundraisers to defray individual and troop expenses, including the district-wide popcorn sale conducted in the fall. 

Please note that Youth and Adult Leadership Applications are listed below . they are PDFs so you must download them. fill them out and then email them back to the Scoutmaster or to the COR, at Eaglewarr7@yahoo.com.

PLEASE SEE BELOW AS THE FORMS YOU NEED TO JOIN UP ARE RIGHT HERE JUST DOWN LOAD THEM AND CONTACT US.


Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Adult Application.pdf Adult Leadrr Application Form  
Scoutlander Information Request Form.docx Scoutlander Information Form (For Use by Troop Leadership and Webmaster)  
Youth Application.pdf Youth Application Form  

Were Looking at Troops what should we look for




WHAT should you look for when you visit a troop?
WHAT are some signs of a "good" unit?

Keep these questions in mind...

  1. How is the attendance?  (low enrollment and/or attendance may indicate a troubled program.)
  2. Were the boys AND leaders in the proper uniform?  (RUN from any troop that allows the "bluejean brigade", where they are only in uniform from the waist up.  If they don't promote the basic uniform, rest assured that OTHER THINGS are missing too.)
  3. Are boys advancing at an individualized rate?  Is there a mix of ranks among the Scouts, even in the same patrols?  (Right answer is "yes")
  4. How many EAGLES did they have last year?   (BEWARE of "Eagle Farms". On average, only 2 per 100 boys in Scouting make it to Eagle.  Rates higher than average demand scrutiny as they may be too lax about advancement requirements, or may indicate an "adult prepared" agenda.  "EAGLE" is earned by the BOYS making the effort to achieve on their own initiatives, not by being "spoon fed" an agenda of merit badge coursework over a pre-defined schedule.)
  5. Were YOU welcomed?  Did they make you feel genuinely welcomed and wanted?
  6. WHO is TEACHING?  Boys, or adults?  (With the exception of  "advanced" skill instruction, boys should be running the meeting, not adults.)
  7. Are they having FUN?  Do boys look interested, or bored?
  8. Are there boys of various ages?   (Big gaps in enrollment may indicate periods of a problem program or "issues" with the adult leadership.)
  9. How long has the Scoutmaster been the Scoutmaster?  (A "new guy" may be lacking experience, and "old timers" generally lack "updated program" changes.)
  10. Is there room for you as a leader or on the Troop Committee?  If you're told,  "we're all full", that is NOT a good sign!
  11. Are the boys well behaved?  Do they respond to the "Scout Sign" or was someone screaming "SIGNS UP!!!"?  Any screaming is a warning sign.
  12. Ask what trips they've had, and what they have planned.   Do they do the same thing every year, or are they always trying something new and exciting?
  13. WATCH YOUR SON!   Did he blend in?  Did the boys make efforts to include him?
  14. Watch for different "stages" of the Troop meeting.  There should be distinct periods of Skill Instruction, Patrol time, Inter-patrol Activity, and some formal opening and closing ceremonies. 
  15. Finally, what are the facilities like?  Is there adequate meeting space.. storage space...space to "do things"?  (OK, we are a little biased since we have our own gun ranges, fish pond, archery range, stream, field, etc....) 

"One last thing All Boy Scout Troops are not the same, you may come into a new Troop that has just got started or a older Troop that is rebuilding, Not every Troop will be 100% in what was aforementioned". These are some things to look at.

What’s the difference



What’s the difference between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts

This goes way beyond blue vs. khaki.

The difference between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts encompasses critical categories like unit structure, leadership, parental involvement, advancement and camping.

Both programs are built on Scouting’s time-tested values. And beginning in May 2015, both programs will use the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Beyond that, though, you’ll find more differences than similarities — for good reason. You wouldn’t teach a third-grader the same way you’d teach a ninth-grader. That same logic tells us your approach to Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting shouldn’t be the same.

So, gathered from several Scout leaders in the know, here’s a rundown of the ways in which Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts differ.

Unit structure

Cub Scouts: Boys are in dens, which are part of a pack. Their den is made up of other boys of the same Cub Scout rank. Dens usually meet weekly or biweekly; packs meet monthly.

Boy Scouts: Boys are in patrols, which are part of a troop. Some troops prefer mixed-age patrols (in which an 11-year-old and a 17-year-old could be in the same patrol), while others prefer to keep boys of similar ages together. Troops meet weekly. Patrol meetings are part of the weekly troop meeting, typically, though patrols are welcome to meet on their own.

Leadership

It’s pretty simple: Cub Scouting is led by adults; Boy Scouting is led by the boys.

Cub Scouts: Adults plan and conduct the meetings and promote advancement, teamwork, fun and character-building.

Boy Scouts: The boys plan and conduct meetings and outings. Adults step in when asked for help and model good behavior. “We’re striving for boy-led,” in Boy Scouting, says Illinois Scoutmaster Dale Machacek. It’s “not always as organized or successful as if adults were running things, but kids learn from their mistakes.”

Leadership roles: This Scouter’s unofficial blog shows Cub Scouting positions and the equivalent position in Boy Scouting in this handy chart:

Cub Scouts Boy Scouts
Den Leader Patrol Leader
Cubmaster Senior Patrol Leader
Unit Committee (planning functions) Patrol Leaders Council
None Scoutmaster
Unit committee (administrative functions) Unit Committee

As you can see, adults hold all of the Cub Scout positions, while boys occupy most of the Boy Scout roles.

Why is there no Cub Scout equivalent to Scoutmaster? Because Scoutmasters, unlike Cubmasters, are mentors who sit on the sidelines. “The way to think of Scoutmaster is as ‘chief adult guide’ and the assistant scoutmasters as ‘adult guides,'” the author explains.

Parental involvement

Parents are a critical part of both Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting. 

Cub Scouts: The parents are expected to assist the pack with planning or helping with at least one activity or event annually. They may also take a leadership role in the pack or den. Parents are usually required to accompany their son on overnight campouts.

Boy Scouts: The parents are expected to continuously assist the troop by supporting the boys and participating in those tasks that the boys can not do. This may include: transportation to an activity, shopping for a trip or chaperoning a trip. It also may include assisting with fundraisers (finances and organization) and coordinating special events. It is expected that each family take an active role in the troop. Unlike Cub Scouts, parents aren’t required to camp with their sons. They’re encouraged to do so, however.

Advancement

Cub Scouts progress through the ranks to earn the Arrow of Light. Boy Scouts progress through the ranks to earn the Eagle Scout Award.:

Cub Scouts: Cub Scouts rely on their den leaders, den chiefs and parents to plan and assist with all advancement activities. Achievements/books are signed by either the den leader or parent. Ranks are based only on age or grade. Even if a boy did not earn the rank for his age, he moves to the next one as his den moves. The levels are: Tiger, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light.

Boy Scouts: Parents can guide, but advancement is planned and assisted by patrol leaders and adults. Unlike in Cub Scouts, advancement is individual, not by patrol. A Scout works at his own pace, meaning a 13-year-old in the Dragon Patrol might be a Life Scout while a 15-year-old in the Dragon Patrol is still a Star Scout. A Scout cannot advance to the next level until all activities are completed in the lower rank. The ranks are Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle. (Eagle Palms may also be earned after Eagle.)

Camping

Cub Scouts: Limited to Scout and parent weekend or day trips. May have some camping in tents or cabins. Summer camp is limited to two or three nights, usually. Campouts usually have a very structured schedule.

Boy Scouts: Monthly or bimonthly camping trips as well as additional outdoor day activities. Much of the program involves activities that can only be done in the outdoors (nature, ecology, pioneering, orienteering, conservation etc.) Also available to the Scout is at least a week of camping each summer. Not every minute of the campout is scheduled. Free time is important. Boys normally get a couple of hours of free time to hang with friends, walk in the woods, work on advancement, sleep, play sports, or do nothing at all. This is “one of the hardest concepts for Cub parents to grasp,” Machacek says.

Chain of command

Where do Scouts go with a problem or question?

Cub Scouts: They’ll ask their parent, den leader or Cubmaster.

Boy Scouts: They’ll follow the “chain of command.” Boy Scouts are taught to go to their patrol leader, then their senior patrol leader and finally the adults. Where safety or health is an issue, though, Boy Scouts may go straight to the adult.

Your First Rank requirements - Scout



Pledge of Allegiance
Flag
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Scout Sign
Boy Scout Sign
The Scout sign shows you are a Scout. Give it each time you recite the Scout Oath and Law. When a Scout or Scouter raises the Scout sign, all Scouts should make the sign, too, and come to silent attention.
Scout Salute
Scout Salute
The Scout salute shows respect. Use it to salute the flag of the United States of America. You may also salute a Scout leader or another Scout.

Give the Scout salute by forming the Scout sign with your right hand and then bringing that hand upward until your forefinger touches the brim of your hat or the arch of your right eyebrow. The palm of your hand should not show.

Scout Handshake
Boy Scout HandShake
The Scout handshake is made with the hand nearest the heart and is offered as a token of friendship. Extend your left hand to another Scout and firmly grasp his left hand.
Only use this handshake when both people are in uniform.
Square Knot
Square Knot
The square knot is also know as the joining knot because it can join two ropes and because it is the first knot Scouts learn when they join the BSA. It has many uses:from securing bundles, packages, and the sails of ships to tying the ends of bandages.

To tie a square knot, hold one rope end in each hand. Pass the right end over and under the rope in your left hand and pull it snug. Next, pass the rope now in your left hand over and under the one now in your right, and pull it snug.
Remember, right over left, left over right.

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.
Describe the Scout Badge
Scout Badge
Shape
The three-point design of the top half is like the north point of an old sailor's compass. This shows that a Scout is able to point the right way in life as truly as the compass points it in the field.
Three Points
Scout Oath
The three points of the trefoil are like the three fingers used in the Scout sign. They stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: duty to God & country; duty to others; duty to yourself.
Eagle and Shield
Scout Requirements
The eagle and shield, national emblem of the US, stand for freedom and a Scouter's readiness to defend that freedom.
Two Stars
Scouting
The two stars stand for truth and knowledge of the Scouting movement. They guide you by night and suggest a Scout's outdoor life
Scroll
Boy Scouts of America
The scroll is turned up at the ends to remind us of the corners of a Scout's mouth raised in a smile as he does his duty. The Scout motto is printed across the scroll.
Knot
Good Turn
The knot attached to the bottom of the scroll represents the Scout slogan, Do a Good Turn Daily. Learn to Tie the Kno