You love Troop Meetings, Camping, and Hiking.  You love bonding with your fellow Scouts and learning from your leaders.  So how can you help make your Troop even stronger?  There are multiple  programs BSA has in place your Troop can take advantage of.  Want to see them incorporated into Troop 169?  Check out these resources online and bring your ideas to your Senior Patrol Leader or Scoutmaster.  Text in blue are clickable links that will lead you to more information.

• Earn the SCOUTStrong Healthy Unit Award.  In 2015 BSA launched a revamped version of this program nationwide.  Embracing values already present in the BSA Program, including Personal Fitness,  Troops that show a commitment to these value can earn the SCOUTStrong Healthy Unit Award by following three healthy practices at all meetings and gatherings:

  • Snack smart: Serve fruits or vegetables, when you have snacks (three meetings).

  • Drink right: Make water the main beverage (six meetings).

  • Move more: Include 15 minutes of fun physical activity (nine meetings).

• Become a Messenger of Peace.   Scouts and Service go hand-in-hand.  Go online and register the MOP-related community service projects (including Eagle Scout projects) the Troop undertakes. Doing so adds pins to a global Messengers of Peace map, which Scouts from around the world can click on to learn how their fellow Scouts are making a difference.  Scouts who complete MOP projects will be eligible for a special recognition: a ring patch that goes around the World Crest. That patch will symbolize their participation in an ever-widening circle of Scouts who are not just visualizing world peace but are helping to make it a reality.

• Take a Journey to Excellence.  This Journey involves Scouts, Leaders, and the Troop Committee all working together.  Scouts can help the Troop earn this award by earning points for advancement, camping, service projects, and utilizing the patrol method of leadership.

A strong Troop is built by Strong Scouts.  Below are some resources for individual scouts.

• Want to sharpen your own Scout skills and knowledge?  Check out this Colorado Troop’s rank advancement study aid: FLASH CARDS

• Need some moral support or accountability while working on rank advancement or merit badge requirements that take place over an extended period of time (i.e., Personal Fitness, Family Life)?  Find a buddy or build a team and commit to setting goals and checking in with each other at each meeting.

• Want some guidance in making sure you are on the advancement track you want to be on?  Your Scoutmaster, Mr. Fedina, and your Unit Advancement Coordinator, Ms. Pallone, are a great team and a great resource.

From the 2017 Guide to Advancement:

3.0.0.3 Unit Advancement Responsibilities: Unit advancement coordinators and those who assist them have the basic responsibility to support the unit’s advancement program, to maximize rank achievement, and otherwise facilitate a smooth implementation of the process.

(7) Assist the unit leader in establishing practices that will provide opportunities for each new Boy Scout to achieve First Class rank within 12 to 18 months of joining, and Star rank soon thereafter.

• Want the full picture of everything you’ve done as a Boy Scout and where you are headed?  Keep your Scoutbook account up to date.  Scoutbook has two useful reports.  The Individual Advancement Report is a one page summary of what rank advancement requirements have been completed.  A more detailed report can be found under Boy Scout History.  Here you will see not only rank advancement progress, but a summary of: completed and partial merit badges; hiking, camping, and service logs; leadership positions; and more.  You can find these reports by logging onto Scoutbook, clicking on the Scout’s name, scroll down to reports, and select either Individual Advancement Report or Boy Scout History.   Click on the image to enlarge.