References
Scouts Handbook
https://troopleader.scouting.org/general-troop-information/
We recognize that for new families the Scouting language and program can seem overwhelming. This will give you the information needed to start your Scouting journey and understand what’s going on. If you’re not new to Scouts, this will also help you understand how Troop 3 operates!
Teaching, training, and encouraging youth to be leaders is the core of Scouting. Scouts learn by doing, and what they do in Troop 3 is lead their patrols and their Troop. This program is designed to be a Scout-Led Organization, with only guidance and mentorship from the unit’s registered adult leadership, which helps develop each Scout’s own leadership skills.
IMPORTANT: The Scout Handbook should be everyone's go to. Your question is likely answered in the handbook. You'll often hear leaders say to the Scout - What does your handbook say? It is expected that the Scout is using ALL of the Handbook, not just the sign-off sections at the back.
Above all else, we are so excited to have you and your Scout here with us. Welcome to Troop 3!
SYT – Safeguarding Youth Training. Safety of our youth and volunteers is our primary concern. SYT is required of every adult leader and must be renewed every year. This great training is available at no cost to everyone! This training and many others are located here: https://www.scouting.org/training
SM/ASM – Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster – These are the primary Adult Leaders appointed by the chartered organization to lead a Scout troop. Scoutmasters are 21 years or older, Assistant Scoutmasters are 18 years or older.
SPL/ASPL – Senior Patrol Leader/Assistant Senior Patrol Leader – These are the primary Youth Leaders. The SPL is elected by the Troop and appoints his/her ASPL with SM guidance and approval.
PL/APL – Patrol Leader/Assistant Patrol Leader – The PL is elected by the patrol members and has the option to appoint an APL; these Scouts lead the patrol and represent their patrols on the Patrol Leaders’ Council.
PLC – Patrol Leaders’ Council – Each PL, representing a patrol, meets with other PLs and the SPL to plan their troop program. The PLC is the troop’s elected and duly appointed governing body. The SM advises the PLC.
AOL – Arrow of Light (this is the last rank in Cub Scouts, just before they transition or “bridge” over into Scouting)
OA – Order of the Arrow (this is the Honor Society of Scouting; elections are held once a year within the Troop)
https://troopleader.scouting.org/general-troop-information/troop-structure/
Scouting America is made up of units called Troops. Troops are led by a Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) who is elected by the Troop on a semi-annual basis. Troops are divided into patrols, each led by a Scout elected as the Patrol Leader (PL). Within the Troop there are other positions of responsibility held by the youth such as Historian, Outdoor Ethics Guide, Quartermaster, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Instructor, and many more.
https://troopleader.scouting.org/general-troop-information/troop-structure/
ELECTION PROCESS
Troop 3 holds youth leadership elections in June and December for a six-month term. Eligibility and responsibilities for these positions will be put out to the Troop prior to each election. All elected positions and appointments are subject to Scoutmaster approval.
Elected Positions - Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), Patrol Leaders (PL)
Scouts will anonymously write down their vote for the Senior Patrol Leader and their respective Patrol Leader. The Scoutmaster will collect, tally, and announce the elected SPL and PLs.
Appointed Positions - Junior Assistant Scoutmaster (JASM), Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL), Assistant Patrol Leader (APL), Chaplain Aide (only if there is an adult chaplain), Den Chief (First Class or above), Historian, Instructor, Librarian (considering obsolete in digital age), Order of the Arrow Representative, Outdoor Ethics Guide, Quartermaster, Scribe, Troop Guide, Webmaster
The Scoutmaster appoints the Junior Assistant Scoutmaster.
The SPL, with approval from the Scoutmaster, appoints all other positions.
LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS
See pages 422-425 of the Scout Handbook for a description of each position of responsibility.
For all positions the Scout is to set a good example, wear the Scout uniform correctly, live by the Scout Oath and Law, and show and help develop Scout spirit. Is it also expected that those in positions of responsibility will regularly attend troop meetings, activities, and patrol leader’s council meetings.
What is success? - All elected and appointed positions will participate in “What is success?” meetings. The intent is to set expectations, then pulse the success against those expectations while serving in a position. The meetings will include the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster, another adult leader, the Senior Patrol Leader, and the elected or appointed Scout. The intent, similar to a Board of Review, is to give the Scout an opportunity to practice communication skills in a safe setting for future real-life scenarios, such as interviews or job performance reviews.
https://troopleader.scouting.org/troop-planning/
The foundation of an effective Troop is a good long term plan that aligns youth and adults and can be shared with all troop members. Since the program is designed to be youth led, this planning is done primarily by the PLC in the Annual Planning Conference. The PLC is responsible for planning the troop’s activities each year during this conference with the advisement of the Scoutmaster. This is done every summer with the newly elected PLC.
Within the first 18 months, new Scouts should primarily focus on rank advancement and enjoying Scouting!
We recommend you do not rush through, take your time, enjoy the merit badges, outings and activities, and opportunities that go into the journey to Eagle.
1 – Scout – The rank requirements for Scout are all about learning the basics of Scouting America and how the Troop operates. This is the time for Scouts to learn basic skills and the proper procedures for earning ranks and merit badges.
2 – Tenderfoot – This is the first rank advancement that ends with a Board of Review (we’ll talk more about those in a bit).
3 – Second Class – The third rank for Scouts, between Tenderfoot and First Class.
4 – First Class – One of the hardest ranks to achieve, but also a HUGE milestone in a Scout’s journey. Many training opportunities and positions of responsibility are only eligible to First Class scouts and above. After this all ranks must be worked on one-at-a-time and will have time requirements in the Troop and leadership.
5 – Star – This is the first rank which carries with it specific requirements tied to time served. For four months as a First Class, Scouts must be active in the Troop and serve in a position of responsibility.
6 – Life – The second-highest rank in Scouting. Among other requirements, Scouts must be active in the Troop for at least six months as a Star and actively serve in a position of responsibility for six months.
7 – Eagle – The highest rank for Scouts. Only about 6% of Scouts have earned this rank since its inception in 1911. It is a highly sought-after life-long achievement that’s respected in many areas of life, including college, business, the military, and community service.
Advancement involves four steps:
1- You learn. At Troop activities and meetings, you will study the skills required for advancement.
2- You are Tested. Once you feel confident in the skill, a youth or adult leader will test you on the requirement. People that can sign off a requirement: Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, and Assistant Scoutmaster. Special note to parents: While we appreciate you wanting to be involved in your Scout’s journey, we ask that you encourage them to get requirements signed off by only those authorized to not delay a Scout’s advancement. We recognize that sometimes things will be completed at home, so parents can make a note in Scoutbook that a requirement was completed outside of a meeting or activity, but please allow the designated youth leaders to sign off on their books. Scouts should NOT have the majority of their rank and merit badge requirements signed off by their own parents, even if they are registered adults within the Troop. This takes away from the value of the youth leadership structure.
3- You are Reviewed. When you have completed all rank requirements you will meet with a Board of Review (more on that later). And lastly,
4- You are Recognized. Scouts are recognized for their achievement at the first meeting of the month where they will receive their badge (and are later recognized again at a special ceremony called a Court of Honor).
At any point while working through a rank advancement, a Scout can request a Scoutmaster Conference, or one can be initiated by the Scoutmaster. This meeting is simply a time to review the requirements that have been completed and are still outstanding to come up with a plan for completion. Once every task is complete and signed, the Scoutmaster will arrange for a Board of Review.
Starting with the Tenderfoot rank, the Board of Review is the last requirement for each rank. When the Scout has completed all other requirements for that rank, they should let the Scoutmaster know that they are ready for a Board of Review. Scouts should expect their Board of Review to be scheduled at least one week in advance. The Scoutmaster will arrange with registered adult leaders to hold this board and will inform the Scout in a timely manner of the time and expectations.
A Board of Review is essentially an interview typically lasting 15-30 minutes. The Scout sits down with 3-6 unit committee members; Scoutmasters and parents are not present for the Board of Review. The purpose of a Board of Review is to determine the quality of a Scout’s experience and decide whether the requirements for the rank have been fulfilled. Boards of Review should never be a retest or “examination”, nor a challenge of the Scout’s knowledge. Instead, it should be a celebration of accomplishment.
https://www.scouting.org/skills/merit-badges/
Scouts need to earn at least 21 merit badges before earning the Eagle Scout rank. Of those 21 badges, 14 must come from the list of Eagle-required merit badges and the remaining can be any of the other merit badges (there are more than 135 to choose from!).
Prior to beginning work on a merit badge, a Scout must obtain a signed merit badge card (also called a “blue card”) from the Scoutmaster. These are used to track the progress of the merit badge and serve as the documentation of completion once finished. You will need to make sure you have a merit badge counselor for the merit badge you want to do (your Scoutmaster can help connect you with one). They are the only ones who can sign off any requirements for a merit badge. This is different from Cub Scouts where parents could sign off a belt loop requirement. The Advancement Chairperson reserves the right to disallow any advancement or merit badge signed off by an unapproved individual.
Some require the Scout to complete a task over the course of 90+ days and some even have pre-requisites.
Merit Badge workbook: Scouts don’t have to use the workbook but they can be helpful especially if it takes longer to complete. Your MB counselor will discuss with you whether they would like for you to use the workbook or not as each counselor has their own preference. http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/list.asp
Rank requirements versus merit badge requirements: Rank requirements and merit badge requirements are different. Sometimes a Scout may be able to satisfy both a merit badge (MB) and Rank Requirement with one action. However, sometimes the requirements will explicitly say they cannot count for both (ex: cooking MB and First Class requirement for meals).
https://www.narragansettbsa.org/
Scouting America is made up of regional councils that oversee and support Scouting units like Cub Scout packs and Scouting Troops. Troop 3 Newport falls under Narragansett Council, which is staffed by paid and volunteer staff members. Each council is further broken up into districts; we are in the Southeast District. A council’s primary focus is membership, funding, programs, and unit support. This includes providing training opportunities for youth and adults, offering camperships, supporting units in various aspects vital for functioning as a Troop, and developing/providing programming like Summer Camp!
Narragansett Council operates six properties: Camp Aquapaug (South Kingston, RI), Buck Hill Scout Reservation (Pascoag, RI), Camp Champlin Scout Reservation (Cranston, RI), Sandsland Reservation – Block Island (New Shoreham, RI), Camp Norse (Kingston, MA), and Camp Yawgoog (Rockville, RI). Each year, Troop 3 spends a week at Camp Yawgoog where Scouts can work on the basic skills for rank advancement, earn merit badges, participate in high-adventure activities, and grow together as a unit while spending time in one of the most amazing Scouting properties there is. Narragansett Council hosts other activities throughout the year such as Merit Badge Mania, Merit Badge College, National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), Order of the Arrow (OA) events, Camporees, and many more.
Narragansett Council operates a Scout Shop/Service Center at 579 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, RI 02886. While this is a small store, it is loaded with all the scouting essentials. You can also shop online at https://www.scoutshop.org/ .
Scouts are expected to always live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Inappropriate behavior is not tolerated in Scouting and will be handled by Troop Leadership on a case-by-case basis. Scouts are expected to attend as many Troop meetings and activities as possible. Attendance is evaluated when determining if the Scout is “active” for advancement requirements in accordance with the Guide to Advancement. Scouts are expected to participate not only in meetings and outdoor activities, but also in our Troop fundraising activities. A Scout is thrifty and helps the unit to off-set costs for our Troop’s Scouting families.
The troop will provide opportunities for completing advancement requirements to the Scouts and the Scout Handbook is packed with knowledge that Scouts are expected to know. However, it is the Scout’s responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities. Even though the Troop maintains records of each Scout’s advancement, it is each Scout’s responsibility to maintain written proof of their advancement. Scout Handbooks provide places to maintain records of everything they do. In addition to a physical copy of the Scout Handbook, maintaining records online is vital for many reasons including if a Scout misplaces their physical book. Be sure to bookmark https://scoutbook.scouting.org . From this site you can submit completed items for leadership review. Scoutbook and Internet Advancement are similar linked sites, and both contain vital information that Scoutmasters use on a regular basis.
Scouts are expected to communicate with their youth and adult leadership on whether they plan on attending activities. In addition to communicating in person, Scouts are expected to utilize our Troop Calendar on Internet Advancement (also known as Scoutbook Plus). Upcoming events are kept here, and this is where you can RSVP to activities. Camping, Hiking, and Service hours can all be logged in the back of the Scout Handbook and logged in your Scout’s record via Internet Advancement: https://advancements.scouting.org/
The role of parents within Troop 3 is to be supportive of the Troop’s efforts and to provide an atmosphere where Scouts can learn and excel. Every parent of a Troop 3 Scout is expected to comply with all National policies, which include maintaining updated medical screening forms with the Troop leadership including all current medications. We expect parents to reinforce our Troop behavior and conduct standards and to support both the individual Scout and the Troop by attending all Troop Courts of Honor.
We expect parents to allow their Scouts the opportunity to have some autonomy in Scouting but also take the time to read the Scout Handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting. Parents are expected to participate in fundraisers to help lower the cost of Scouting and to provide transportation for their Scout(s) to/from meetings and other activities in a timely manner. Carpools will be coordinated by the Adult Lead for each activity whenever feasible. However, the ultimate responsibility lies with the parents. All drivers who transport Scouts in their vehicle MUST be 21 years of age or older with a valid driver’s license. No exceptions.
Registration fees are currently $165, which combines National and Narragansett Council fees. This is paid through your individual registration on https://my.scouting.org/ . These fees cover the costs of Nationwide Liability Insurance, Youth Protection Services, training development, programming (camps), and even scholarships. Troop 3 annual dues are $60, payable to the unit treasurer. These fees cover our unit specific costs which include Class B t-shirts, neckerchiefs, merit badges & awards, and off-setting of costs associated with Troop activities.
In addition to registration fees, the actual cost of Scouting varies based on many factors which include the activities we plan and the amount of fundraising we do as a unit. Costs include uniforms, Scout Handbook, activities, and camping gear. In terms of camping/hiking gear, the Troop has many items to use without having to purchase new gear. This even includes slightly worn uniforms, merit badge books, and several tents for the Scouts and Adult Leaders to use on our campouts. The best possible way to reduce the cost of our Troop activities is to participate in fundraising!