Advantages of Boy Scouting
The Boy Scouts of America offers a unique youth program. It has five
distinct features that other clubs and organizations do not offer
today's youth. Granted, some clubs do offer one or two of these
features, but no other youth organization offers all five of them.
What are these features that makes Scouting so special?
Scouting is a value based program. The B.S.A. asks boys to take an oath
when they join, and then live up to that oath. Scouting teaches values,
promotes good citizenship, and provides good adult role models. The
program is diversified. It is not the same thing every day as some
youth activities can be. In fact, Scouting compliments other
organizations by providing program that they may be missing.
Developing leadership is another feature of Scouting. The boys plan
their own troop program. They learn new things through hands-on
experiences, not just by text book learning. They will receive the
chance to be a leader by holding a position of responsibility in the
troop. (Troop 68 holds elections every 6 months so many of its members
will be given the chance to hold a troop or patrol office.)
Scouting is an educational program. Through the advancement program a
boy will learn many new skills. Some of these will be just for fun, but
many will help him later on in life. Subjects introduced through the
merit badge program may help a boy discover a new life-long hobby or
even a career choice. As he earns his merit badges and ranks he is
recognized in front of his parents and peers for his accomplishments.
This builds self esteem and helps him to develop a sense of pride.
Scouting encourages service to the community. An important part of
Scouting is doing service for others. The Scout Slogan states that a
Scout will “Do a Good Turn Daily”. Troops do countless hours of service
conducting food drives, road and park cleanups, and conservation work,
to name a few. By doing service a boy develops a pride in his
community, a pride that will carry into adulthood.
Scouting can be a vehicle to bring families together. Many families
find scouting to be a neutral topic, one in which parents and children
can participate together. It offers parents a chance to spend ‘quality
time’ with their sons. And the program is already there. All you have
to do is participate.
The Scouting program does has its advantages. And families that
participate in the program can attest that Scouting pays good dividends.