Troop 72 Handbook January 2014
Troop Handbook
Boy Scout Troop 72
Libertyville, IL
Table of Contents
Welcome 3
Letter to the Parents 4
**** Youth Protection Training **** 5
Boy Scouting at Troop 72: Overview 6
For the New Scout 7
Courts of Honor 9
Camping 10
Troop Trailer 11
Troop 72 Commitment to Scouting 12
Troop Code of Conduct 13
Troop Dress Code 14
Placement of Shirt Patches 15
Organization of the Troop 16
Adult Leadership/Volunteer Roles………………………………..17
Troop and Scout Fundraising 19
Troop Dues and Fees 20
BOY SCOUT Troop 72 Handbook
For the Scouts and Parents of Troop 72
Welcome
“By becoming a Boy Scout, you are following in the footsteps of millions of boys over the past century who laced up their hiking boots and set off on great adventures in the outdoors. They served their families, their communities, and the nation. They learned skills and built friendships that guided them throughout their lives. They learned skills and built friendships that guided them throughout their lives. The lived the values of scouting and built their lives of success and honor.
Soon after joining a troop, you will find yourself hiking in the open country and camping under the stars. You will learn first aid, become stronger physically and mentally, and practice leading yourself and others. As you get more Scouting experience under your belt, the places you explore will become more familiar as you discover plants, wildlife, and all else nature offers. You’ll also learn how to enjoy the outdoors while leaving no trace that you were ever there.
But that’s not all you’ll learn. The skills you develop in Scouting will help you back home too. You may become a better student or athlete or family member because you are a scout. Through the merit badge program, you may discover a hobby or even a career that you can pursue throughout the rest of your life. One day you might save a life – or save the planet – because of something you learned in scouting…….”
Boy Scout Handbook, page 8, 13th edition
For all young men who dream of camping in the wilderness and enjoying the outdoors, who want to learn the skills needed to be a good citizen and leader, who wish to be able to take care of themselves and others in an emergency, Scouting welcomes you.
Welcome to Libertyville Boy Scout Troop 72!
Letter to the Parents
We are pleased to have your son as a member of Boy Scout Troop 72. His membership makes you and him a part of our Scout Family. In our Troop, we respect each individual’s/family’s moral values and religious preferences. Troop 72 aims to provide you son with opportunities to perform service to his community, Camp approximately 10 times a year, advance in rank and, gain leadership experience and skills.
What’s your role as a parent?
1) Encourage and help your son attend Troop meetings and activities. Troop meetings are held most Mondays during the school year, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 459 Brainerd Street, Libertyville.
2) Show an interest in your son’s Scouting progress and encourage him to achieve his rank advancements. Attend Courts of Honor with your son to share in the accomplishments your son and his friends have achieved in Scouting.
3) Assume an active volunteer role within the Troop. Troop 72 cannot function without the help of our parents. Parents provide transportation, chaperone events, supervise at campouts, help with fundraisers, coordinate the picnic, serve as counselors for a Merit Badge, mentor Eagle Scout candidates, serve on Boards of Review, and also, learn to be Assistant Scoutmaster.
4) Help protect our children, by taking the online Youth Protection Training course. This is required of all adult volunteers.
Past history tells us that Scouts who are most successful have active parents who share the Scouting experience!
Best wishes as you continue in the challenges of helping your son develop and grow into manhood. Let each Merit Badge, Rank Advancement, and Troop experience act as a milestone in his life and let Scouting help you by providing enriching experiences and goals for your son to aspire toward.
Yours in Scouting,
The Adult Volunteers of Troop 72
* * * * Youth Protection Training for Adults * * * *
Approved by Troop 72 Committee, December, 2012
In keeping with BSAs attention to ensuring the safety of our Scouts, Troop 72 has adopted the following guideline for Youth Protection Training and will require it of all adults who wish to have a role in delivering the Scouting program.
Youth Protection Training Policy
All adults who become involved with the Troop in any way are required to complete Youth Protection Training (YPT). This includes any adult drivers, campers, chaperones, merit badge counselors, Board of Review members, and anyone else with direct interaction with any Scouts.
How to get YPT training?
The YPT course is free, and conveniently available online. You do not have to be a member of BSA to take Youth Protection Training. Go to www.my.scouting.org and create an account. You will receive an email notification with your account information, including a member ID/reference number. You can then log in and take the training course.It should take no more than 20 minutes.
What to do once you’ve finished YPT training?
Please print out your completion certificate and give it to a Troop Leader or attach it to an email to the . YPT must be repeated every two years.
Boy Scouting at Troop 72: Overview
Libertyville Boy Scout Troop 72 has been chartered by the United Methodist Church in Libertyville, IL, since its inception in 1931. The Troop is in the Aptakisic District of the North East Illinois Council, which has an office in Highland Park. The Troop maintains an active facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LibertyvilleBoyScoutTroop72/ The Troop website is under development.
Membership is open to all boys who have completed the fifth grade of school and are between the ages of 11 and 18, as well as to those boys who have completed the Arrow of Light from the Cub Scout program and are in the fifth grade.
Troop meetings are held most Monday nights from 7:30 to 8:30 pm during the school year. If we are working on rank advancements or merit badges, we may start at 7 or finish as late as 9 pm. Also, while we generally don’t meet on school holidays, meetings may be called at either the Troop or Patrol level on those Mondays or other nights if needed.
The Troop camps every month, selecting from a wide number of regional campgrounds. In addition, the Troop offers long-term camping as a regular part of our program: Summer Camping at Camp Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan in Pearson, WI; NEIC High Adventure Treks (open to Scouts 13 and older), an annual BSA High Adventure trek (open to Scouts 14 and older); and National Jamboree Attendance.
Scouts in the Troop have many opportunities for demonstrating leadership. The Troop Youth Leaders rotate at least annually, and our Scouts routinely support the many Cub Scout Packs in the area as Den Chiefs.
The Troop actively supports the advancement of each Scout to whatever rank he wishes to achieve. We encourage each Scout to achieve at least the rank of First Class and support Scouts up to the Eagle rank, and beyond.
Parents of Scouts are called upon to assist in supporting the Troop. Many volunteer positions and volunteer opportunities need support throughout the year.
More information on all these topics is available throughout this handbook.
For the New Scout
Scouts, now that you are a Boy Scout, here’s what you need to know about how the Boy Scout program works, and how it is different from Cub Scouts.
As a Boy Scout, you will join a Patrol, of which the Troop has several. While you are a Boy Scout, you will do many activities with the entire Troop, with your Patrol, or with temporary Patrols formed for particular events (such as campouts).
The ranks in Boy Scouts are Scout (the joining rank), Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle. New Scouts work on skills required for the ranks of Tenderfoot through First Class in their first year or two in the program. These Scouting skills are found in your Boy Scout Handbook. New Scouts should bring their Handbook to every meeting.
Star, Life and Eagle ranks require merit badges (similar in concept to the Webelos activity badges), demonstration of leadership and service to others. Unlike Cub Scouts, there is no set schedule for achieving ranks. However, a Scout wishing to achieve the rank of Eagle must do so before reaching his 18th birthday.
Scouting skills are learned and practiced at meetings and campouts, but practice at home helps too! While some requirements may be fulfilled in a group setting, others will require the boy to ask a leader for some time to demonstrate his skill. If a Scout is ready to demonstrate his skill or has done something that fulfills a requirement, he should tell his Patrol Leader that he is ready to have that requirement signed off in his Boy Scout Handbook. The Patrol Leader will assist in finding an eligible Troop Leader who can provide the proper sign-off. Scouts should check in regularly with the Advancement Chair so Troop records are kept current.
As you complete and demonstrate skills, you will request and receive sign-off
a) in your handbook by the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster or designated leader(s); and
b) on a Merit Badge blue card by the registered Merit Badge Counselor leading your particular Merit Badge.
The final two steps for all rank advancement requirements are the Scoutmaster Conference and the Board of Review. To have a Scoutmaster Conference, the Scout first completes all of the requirements for a rank, which is verified with the Advancement Coordinator. Then the Scout asks his Patrol Leader to set up a Scoutmaster Conference. The Scoutmaster Conference is a review of the skills and requirements for that rank. It is a time to determine how the Scout is doing and whether he has satisfactorily completed all of the rank requirements.
After completing the Scoutmaster Conference, the Scout is ready the final step of each rank advancement: the Board of Review. A Board of Review is arranged through the Senior Patrol Leader. The Board of Review is not an exam. It is a discussion between the Scout and three members of the Troop Committee. Its purpose is to explore the Scout’s participation in Troop and Scouting activities, discuss his plans or interests in future Troop events, and to further encourage him to continue on to the next rank. A Board of Review is a great opportunity for the Scouts to meet other parent leaders and to learn to confidently communicate with adults.
Important notes for Boy Scouts:
· Take responsibility for planning and completing activities by:
o Knowing the requirements of your next rank or merit badge
o Talking about things you want to do with your parents and with other Scouts, and sharing them with your Patrols and at Troop meetings
o Reviewing your progress (and the Boy Scout Handbook) with your parents
· Use your Boy Scout Handbook!
o Bring your Handbook to Scout activities (Troop meetings and campouts, for example) so requirements can be signed off immediately upon completion
o Use the same Handbook for all signatures for completed activities, camping nights and rank advancements.
o Use the tracking tables to record activities completed.
o Service projects, camping trips, hikes and outside events may be applied to future rank advancements, Merit Badges or other awards.
· Keep your Boy Scout Handbook safe and in good condition – your accomplishments will be verified at your Eagle Scout Board of Review.
Troop Courts of Honor
Troop Courts of Honor are held to recognize rank advancements, Merit Badges earned and other special awards. The Courts of Honor are held two to three times per year and take the place of regular Troop Meetings. Scheduling of Courts of Honor is posted on the Troop website calendar each year.
Eagle Scout Courts of Honor are generally held separately from the Troop Courts of Honor, but this is not required. They are scheduled by the Eagle Scout meeting Eagle Scout requirements.
Families are invited and encouraged to attend all Courts of Honor, which typically combine a formal awards ceremony and a social gathering immediately thereafter.
Camping
Troop 72 camps! In addition to one or two weeks at summer camp, there are one- and two-night overnight campouts at least once a month (excluding summer).
Because all Scouts cannot attend all campouts, ad hoc camping Patrols may be established for each campout (they may be standing patrols, or special patrols). Each camping Patrol plans its own food menus, cooks as a patrol and then cleans up afterward. Menus are generally planned during Patrol meetings.
The Troop provides cooking supplies and camping equipment. Scouts and their families are expected to assist in cleaning equipment used at a campout upon return to Libertyville. They also are held responsible for purposeful damage done to Troop equipment.