New Scout Guide

Welcome to Scouts BSA and Troop 164!

The Scouts BSA program is unlike any other youth program available today, most notably by the fact that adults do not run the troop program, the SCOUTS do. This is different than Cub Scouts and almost every other youth program. This means that an individual troop's program is imperfect and downright messy at times. It means that plans will change, and failures will happen. This is by design and it is important to be flexible as the scout's learn how to be leaders.

The purpose of scouting and the focus of Troop 164 is to develop good leaders. Camping, service projects, and other activities are vehicles toward developing good leadership qualities in youth. In keeping with the scout-led method, our goal is to have each scout manage his own scouting experience. As such he will need to be able to communicate with troop youth leaders and volunteer adults. We have found email to be very effective and recommend each scout have his own email address. We have a troop email distribution list that you and your scout can be added to. We also adhere to strict Youth Protection Guidelines in our email communication in that a parent, guardian or other troop adult should always be copied. No 1:1 communication. We are committed to safety.

Joining a Scouts BSA Troop will be a life-changing decision for both your kid and you. But not all Troops operate in the same way. The Scouts, the Adult Leadership, and parents will become a big part of your lives for the next six or seven years. Therefore, it is very important to find the Troop that not only suits your daughter, but also you as parents. Most importantly, Troop 164 welcomes youth from every social, ethnic, and economic background, from every religious faith, and at every stage of their growth. We work hard to ensure that scouting is an experience that will influence your daughter's life in a positive way.

Some common FAQs:


HOW DO I SIGN UP?

In order for your daughter to join, they will need to contact troop164sharon@gmail.com . Please join us at a meeting on Monday night at 7pm, please contact us for location details.


A BSA application and health forms are also needed. Youth and adult applications and medical forms are linked in Resources on the home page and available at the Mayflower Council website. Forms A & B are required to join and form C will be needed by early spring for Summer Camp preparation.


A BSA adult application, Youth Protection training and Background Check Authorization form are required for any adult that wants to attend a campout (links below).​

What Will My Scout Need?

There are more complete gear lists available on this site, but at a minimum, your scout will need:

  • Scouts BSA Handbook

  • Current Health Form

  • An email address

  • Back Pack

  • Mess Kit

  • Sleeping Bag

  • Ten Essentials for Outdoor Activities

    1. Water Bottle

    2. First Aid Kit

    3. Flash Light

    4. Pocket Knife

    5. Rain Gear

    6. Sun Protection

    7. Trail Food

    8. Fire Starter

    9. Map & Compass

    10. Whistle



HOW DO WE SIGN UP FOR EVENTS?

We require everyone to sign up on our Sign Up Genius for each event. The event will be announced through the email distribution list with a link and the details. It is important to sign up early so that the youth "grubmasters" have time to finalize their plans and shopping list for the meals and go shopping for the required items prior to the trip. We also need this time to arrange travel accommodations. If you miss the sign up deadline, it does not mean you cannot go, but you may have to arrange your own travel and meals.

How DOES MY SCOUT ADVANCE IN THE PROGRAM?

Scouts are in charge of their own advancement. It is completely up to them how fast they advance. Our program is structured to give them many opportunities to complete requirements and the Patrol Leaders job is to help the scouts in his patrol reach 1st Class. Summer Camp is another great opportunity to complete many early requirements.

Scouts work on requirements for Scout, Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, and 1st Class simultaneously, but they must be completed in order. For example, if a scout completes all the requirements for 2nd Class before Tenderfoot, he will not be promoted to 2nd Class until he completes Tenderfoot. For the Star, Life, and Eagle ranks, one rank must be completed before work on the next rank can begin. These higher ranks focus more on personal development through merit badges and leadership skills through required positions of responsibility. The later ranks also have minimum time requirements and thus will take longer to progress from one rank to the next. Service projects are also given more priority the further your scout progresses through these ranks. After all requirements for a given rank are completed, the scout must participate in a Scoutmaster conference and pass a Board of Review organized by the troop committee prior to advancing to the next rank.

All ranks, merit badges, and other awards are presented at a special ceremony called a Court of Honor. Troop 164 conducts at least 2 Courts of Honor per year. Although a scout may not receive a specific patch until the Court of Honor, his rank promotion date is the date he completes his Board of Review.

IF THE SCOUTS RUN THE PROGRAM, WHAT dO THE ADULTS DO?

As mentioned, Troop 164 is a scout led unit. The scouts decide what activities the troop will engage in and what advancement they will work on.

The Adult Leaders’ responsibilities are to:

  1. Ensure a safe program using the Guide to Safe Scouting.

  2. Facilitate the activities the scouts chose to undertake adhering to the Age-Appropriate Guidelines for Scouting Activities.

  3. Provide guidance and mentoring to youth leaders.

  4. Assist in teaching scout skills.

While this list may seem very simple and straight forward, it takes a lot of different people and a fair amount of training to support a successful troop program. Troop 164 has a number of dedicated Adult Volunteers who serve our program and truly make it possible for our scouts to have the opportunities to grow and thrive in scouting. Each adult position varies in its time commitment and there are ways for people with even the busiest of schedules to contribute to the strength of the troop. We are always looking for more adult involvement. We do not consider the program to be a "drop off" program as there are a myriad of ways both big and small that adults can help make this program a success for the youth. Please talk to the Committee Chair, Scoutmaster or other Adult volunteer to find out how you can help.

The Troop 164 Committee has developed the following Mission, Vision and Values statements:

Mission: To use the Aims and Methods of Scouting in a safe environment to prepare youth to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Vision: To prepare and steward each scout in our Troop to become a responsible, participating member of the troop, citizen, and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.

Values:

The Scout Law; A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. The

Scout Oath: On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.