Join Scouting!
So you think you might want to join Scouting? Check out the top 10 reasons why boys like Scouting, courtesy of The Scout Zone:
Hanging Out
Extreme Adventure
Water Fun
Summer Camp
Getting Outside
Sports
Games
Cool Gear
Building Stuff
Great Grub
If you think that Scouting might be for you, come check us out. You can visit us at any troop meeting, Thursdays from 7:00-8:30 at the Middlebury Congregational Church. (Click here for directions.) Come on inside and talk to a leader. We will give you the low-down on what you need to do to join.
Or, you can email our Scoutmaster. He can talk to you about what you need to do to join.
Parents: Here are the top ten reasons why other parents like Scouting for their boys, courtesy of The Scout Zone:
Acceptance
Activities
Sociability
Learning
Development
Leadership
Safety
Parenting
Single Parents
Value
If you have questions about the Scouting program, or the program of Troop 5, please email our Scoutmaster. He will be happy to talk to you about your questions or concerns.
Aims and Methods of Scouting
The Scouting program has three specific objectives, commonly referred to as the “Aims of Scouting.” They are character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.
The methods by which the aims are achieved are listed below in random order to emphasize the equal importance of each:
- Ideals
- The ideals of Boy Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout motto, and the Scout slogan. The Boy Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve. The goals are high, and, as he reaches for them, he has some control over what and who he becomes.
- Patrols
- The patrol method gives Boy Scouts an experience in group living and participating citizenship. It places responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows Scouts to interact in small groups where they can easily relate to each other. These small groups determine troop activities through their elected representatives.
- Outdoor Programs
- Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is in the outdoor setting that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with one another. It is here that the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for God’s handiwork and humankind’s place in it. The outdoors is the laboratory for Boy Scouts to learn ecology and practice conservation of nature’s resources.
- Advancement
- Boy Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Boy Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.
- Personal Growth
- As Boy Scouts plan their activities and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The Good Turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of Boy Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for others. Probably no device is so successful in developing a basis for personal growth as the daily Good Turn. The religious emblems program also is a large part of the personal growth method. Frequent personal conferences with his Scoutmaster help each Boy Scout to determine his growth toward Scouting’s aims.
- Leadership Development
- The Boy Scout program encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Boy Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership role of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.
- Uniform.
- The uniform makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Boy Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Boy Scout activities and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.
If you have questions about the Scouting program, or the program of Troop 5, please email our Scoutmaster. He will be happy to talk to you about your questions or concerns.
