Since 1930, the BSA has helped younger boys through Cub Scouting. Cub Scouting (including Tiger Cubs) is a year-round family-oriented part of the BSA program designed for boys who are in the first through fifth grades (or are 7, 8, 9, and 10 years of age). Parents, leaders, and organization work together to achieve the 10 purposes of Cub Scouting.
The Purposes of Cub Scouting
1.) Character Development
Scouting helps teach values to boys and helps them develop character. Character develpment is a process begun in early childhood, and the family is the first and most important source for raising children of character. But for character development to be comprehensive, it must seek to develop all areas of a child's character - knowledge, commitment, and practice. Toward that end, character education must be present in all areas of a child's life, including the home and educational, religious and civic arenas. Scouting honors the home, religious institutions, schools, and communitites as critically influencing the character development of youth.
2.) Spiritual Growth
The BSA believes that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God, and encourages both youth and adult leaders to be faithful in their religious duties.
The Scouting movement has long been know for service to others. Scouting believes that patriotism plays a significant role in preparing our nation's youth to become useful and participating citizens. A Cub Scout learns his duty to God, country, others and self.
3.) Good Citizenship
Cub Scouting provides opportunities for boys to reach out into a wider community while maintaining a link with secure foundations such as the home, a religious organization, and a school. Cub scouting helps boys become full members of their communities as they take part in service projects and other community-related activities. They get to know their community better and recognize the importance of good citizenship.
4.) Sportsmanship and Fitness
Cub Scouts learn many useful skills. The develop ability and dexterity through activities that emphasize physical fitness and sportsmanship. It is a movement dedicated to bringing out the best in people. Cub Scouting doesn't emphasize winning as an end result, but rather the far more demanding task of doing one's best. It also emphasizes that one's best includes helping others be their best through sportmanship.
5.) Family Understanding
The family is an important influence on our nation's youth. There are many different types of family structures in today's world. Scouting is a support to all types of families as well as to organizations to which families belong. We believe in involving families in the training of youth, and we are sensitive to the needs of present-day families. Cub Scouting provides opportunities for family members to work and play together, to have fun together, and to get to know each other a little better.
6.) Respectful Relationships
Cub Scouting is a resource program for community organizations. The Scouting program is available to organizations with similar interests and goals. They can use the program to further their outreach and help them achieve their objectives for young people in the community.
Symbols, such as the Cub Scout sign, Cub Scout salute, and the Living Circle, help boys feel a part of a distinct group and add to the appeal of belonging to a widely respected organization.
7.) Personal Achievement
The advancement plan recognizes a boy's efforts and achievements. It provides fun for the boys, teaches them to do their best, and helps strengthen understanding as family memebers work with boys on advancement requirements. Badges are awarded to recognize advancement, and boys like to receive and wear these badges. The real benefit comes from the worthwhile things the boy learns while he is earning the badges, as his self-confidence and self-esteem grow.
8.) Friendly Service
One of the greatest purposes of Cub Scouting is to allow the scout to experience the joy of providing service to others. It can include offering to be friends with a new student in school, raking leaves or clearing snow for a neighbor. It can mean providing games for children living in shelters or collecting food for people who don't have enought to eat. By discovering the joy of providing friendly service to others, it allows the scout to also see the joy of service to self, and also contributes to character development.
9.) Fun and Adventure
Boys join Cub Scouting because they want to have fun. For boys, however, fun means a lot more than just having a good time. Fun is a boy's code word for the satisfaction he gets from meeting challenges, having friends, feeling good, and feeling he is important to other people. Cub Scouting helps fulfill a boy's desire for adventure and allows him to use his vivid imagination while takine part in skits, games, field trips, service projects, outdoor activities and more. Boys find adventure in exploring the outdoors, learning about nature, and gaining a greater appreciation for our beautiful world.
10.) Preparation For Boy Scouts
As a worldwide brotherhood, Scouting is unique. It is based on the principles of loving and serving God, of human dinity and the rights of individuals, and of recognizing the obligation of members to develop and use their potential. When Scouting can help nurture courage and kindness and allow boys to play, to laugh, to develop their imaginations and to express their feelings, then we will have helped them grow. Helping a boy to learn the value of his own worth is the greatest gift we can give him, and through a successful journey through Cub Scouts, we will also have done OUR best to prepare the scouts to advance to Boy Scouts.
Purpose of Pack 12
The purpose of Pack 12 is to ensure that all the activities leaders plan and boys enjoy should relate to one or more of these purposes. These purposes help us achieve the overall aims of the BSA of character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Pack 12 provides boys that live near Trails West Elementary the opportunity to experience the fun of scouting!