What to expect when crossing over to Boy Scouts
A guide for new parents
Welcome to Troop 335, chartered at the Northmont United Presbyterian Church, McCandless, PA. Our troop is in the Seneca District of the Laurel Highlands Council. This website is meant to give you a brief overview of Boy Scouts and our troop and specifically what may have experienced while your son was in Cub Scouts.
Even if your son was never in the Cub Scout program, we hope the information provided will still help answer some of your questions. This guide is in no way meant to be an all inclusive overview of the program, but it should answer many of your basic questions. Please, always feel free to ask the Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Committee Chair or other parents in the troop if you ever have any questions.
Choosing a Troop
Your son is in his Arrow of Light Year, nearing the end of his time in Cub Scouts. We invite you and your son to join us for activities such as our WEBELOS to Scouts Weekend in October; our Open House in December or many of our other troop activities. We encourage you to check out other troops in the area. There are many fine troops in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Even if you don’t choose our troop, please try to keep your son in Scouting.
Crossing over to Troop 335
It’s crossover time! The end of their Cub Scout adventure and your son has chosen to continue on to Boy Scouts with our troop. We will coordinate with your Cubmaster as to how many boys are crossing over. Usually this is done as part of the Blue & Gold Banquet, but may be at some other time. We will send representatives from the troop to participate in crossover; present your sons with a troop neckerchief and officially welcome them to Troop 335. Your son will need a new youth application transferring his membership from his pack to our troop. We also strongly encourage all adults to register as adult leaders in the troop; take the Youth Protection Training; and have all Pennsylvania clearances up tp date. At the least, if you do not have Youth Protection Training complete, you will not be able to attend any campouts/outings.
Troop vs. Pack and Patrol vs. Den
Your son is now in a troop. The troop operates similarly to the pack. It is the overall group of boys and adult leaders. Just like the pack had dens, the troop has patrols. One patrol is alway the Leadership Patrol. It consists of the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and his Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders (ASPLs). In our troop, new scouts are integrated with older scouts into patrols. However, new scouts still have Troop guides to help guide them as they earn their first few ranks. Unlike Cub Scouts, the leadership is made up of boys. Patrols elect their patrol leaders and the SPL. This is why we say we have a “boy run, boy lead” troop. Adult leaders are here to assist when necessary, to advise, to handle logistics and to handle troop finances and other similar “business”.
Uniform
Since your son is an AOL scout, he should already have his tan uniform shirt. If not, one must be purchased for him and all proper insignia attached. The only Cub Scout emblem he may wear is his Arrow of Light knot and youth religious knot (if earned). The troop will provide a neckerchief and slide at crossover and their troop numbers will be presented after all paperwork has been completed. In Troop 335, we require Class A uniforms for every meeting unless otherwise stated. This means a properly badged shirt, green scout pants/shorts, a belt and scout socks. Not only is it the rules of the Boy Scouts of America, but we feel that the boys get a better sense of fellowship when they are all properly uniformed. The troop does have a “uniform swap box” that can help cut some costs. You may access it at any regular meeting.
Boy Scout Handbook
Remember all those books you had to but for Lion, Tiger, Bear, Wolf and WEBELOS/AOL? Well the good new is that the boys only need one book for their time in Boy Scouts. These books are the official way of keeping track of their advancement through the ranks. We recommend the spiral bound version of the Boy Scout Handbook and also getting a cover with the zippered pocket on the front. Have them put their information in the Scout book and also put their name and troop number somewhere on the outside cover.
Medical Forms
All scouts and adults should provide the troop with at least Parts A and B of the official scout medical forms. This will allow the boys to attend shorter trips like New Scout Weekend, Good Turn Weekend, Canoeing, backpacking etc. We also highly recommend that you provide Part C; the form filled out and signed by your doctor; for trips lasting over 72 hours. Some camps even require Part C for these shorter trips. The boys will need Part C if they plan on attending summer camp. If you are an adult attending summer camp for even one night, you must have Part C completed.
The first Troop Meeting
Troop 335 meets every Monday (see troop calendar for exceptions) from September through July. Most meetings are at Northmont United Presbyterian Church, Perry Highway, McCandless, PA. from 7:00-8:30. Your son’s and your first meeting should be the first Monday immediately following crossover. Please have you son in full Class A uniform; with their Scout Handbook; to Northmont’s Fellowship Hall (lower level) before 7:00 PM. Once there, they will join the other boys in the “New Scout Patrol” on the left side of the hall. If you arrive after the meeting has started, have your son remain in the back of the hall until the troop is dismissed by the Senior Patrol Leader. They can then join their patrol. We ask parents to please stay for the meeting opening (about 10 minutes or so) and to make sure they are back for the closing at 8:30. We will have rooms where parents can meet, ask questions or just hang out, but we do understand that you may need to leave. Unlike Cub Scouts, you don’t need to be there every moment.
At every meeting there will be a table with information about upcoming trips, activities, sign up sheets, etc. in the back of the hall. Please make sure you look through these at every meeting. You will also notice a sign up sheet for Scoutmaster Conference and Boards of Review. Thins is for rank advancement. Unlike Cub Scouts who rank up at the end of every year; boy scouts rank up after completing differing requirements and getting them signed off by the boy leadership. No adults will sign off on a boy completing a requirement! The boys will be given more information about how to sign up for conferences and boards of review at a later time.
After the meeting opening, the troop may divide into patrols to work on projects and rank requirements; they may pack or unpack gear from the troop trailer before or after a trip; or they may have a presentation for the entire troop.
At the end of the meeting, once dismissed, the boys are free to go. They should work on their requirements for the next meeting.
That’s a lot of information to take in just to get past the first troop meeting. Once you and your boys have been in the troop, we will pass along more information. Remember, any leader or parent is a valuable resource to you. They have been in your shoes and will be happy to help you if you have any questions.
Some other ways that Boy Scouting differs is Merit Badges, Courts of Honor, Troop gear, Summer Camp and parent involvement.
Merit Badges
In Cub Scouts, we had adventure loops, beads, pins and patches. In Boy Scouts, boys earn Merit badges. They can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 135 merit badges, and any Boy Scout may earn any of these at any time. They are needed to advance in rank past First Class and there are certain ones that must be earned to become an Eagle Scout. Merit Badges can be earned at summer camp, at Merit Badge Universities, which are sponsored by colleges, and locally with counselors both n and out of the troop.
To begin the process, a scout must ask the scoutmaster for a “blue card” and tell him what merit badge they are taking and who their counselor is. If acceptable, the scout is given the “blue card”. He will then have his counselor sign off on all requirements. Once completed, the “blue card” is turned in to the advancement chair and processed. The merit badge will be awarded at the next Court of Honor.
Courts of Honor
A Court of Honor is a formal troop ceremony usually held quarterly where Scouts and their families come together to receive rank advancement, merit badges, and other awards. It is not a regular troop meeting. Eagle Courts of Honor are held in December and June (if a candidate has earned the rank) and replace the regular Court of Honor. Eagle Courts of Honor are held on Saturday afternoons so that friends and family have an opportunity to attend. After every Eagle Court of Honor there is a potluck dinner. Please remember to check the calendar and emails for information. Scouts who have earned their ranks in the previous months will officially receive their badge of rank at the Court of Honor.
Troop gear
Most Cub Scout Packs do not have much camping gear other than some pie irons, water coolers and a pop-up. Our troop provides most of the gear necessary for our outings. This includes tents, dining flies, cook kits, lanterns, tools, etc. We have a troop trailer which we take to most of our outings which would be loaded appropriately for each trip.
A scout must still have their own personal gear such as sleeping bags/pads, mess kits, backpacks/daypacks, etc.
Summer Camp
Our Troop attends Summer Camp at Camp Algonkin at the Seven Ranges Boy Scout Reservation in Kensington, OH; usually on the last week in July. Camp runs from noon Sunday through 10:00AM the next Saturday. Campsites consist of tents, a pavilion, fire circle and area for an adult dining fly to be set up. While at camp, boys earn merit badges, learn skills and have fun.
Adults can take training courses or help with supervision at our campsite. Adults are there not to teach the boys, but to help keep them safe.
7 Ranges also has a camp honors program called “Pipestone” which is held on the final night of camp. Adults and scouts can participate in the program if the qualify. Most information on Pipestone will be provided later.
Parent involvement
Admit it, Cub Scouts was a lot of work, right? Well, this is Boy Scouts and things are a little different. Since the boys lead and teach themselves, parent don’t need to be there for every moment and every thrip. As a matter of fact, they might way to go on a trip without you. And that is great as long as we have enough adult supervision for safety and logistics. Your son might want to go white water rafting and you don’t. Guess what? You don’t have to go!
Now this doesn’t mean that there is nothing for parents to do. Far from it. We have many registered, trained adult leaders in our troop. We are here because we care about the boys, we want them to be safe and we want to support them. All parents in the troop can help without having to be a Scoutmaster or Committee Chair. We always need assistance with trip planning, fundraising, gear maintenance, finances,, being a Merit Badge counselor etc. If you have a special skill that can help the troop (carpenter, fisherman, boater, financier, etc.) please let us know.
Leaving the Troop
We do have Scouts who leave the Troop. Some because they move, some because they have “other activities”, some because scouting isn’t for them and some we don’t know why. I realize that some boys are shocked entering scouting, overwhelmed by seeing that the parents aren’t going to do it for them, that they must rely on themselves and their fellow scouts to succeed. Some look at it as their first bit of freedom away from mom and dad and thrive on the challenge. Some scouts drop out after a few weeks. I encourage every new scout to try to make it to summer camp their first year. 90% of the scouts in the troop who go stay in the program. Summer camp allows the boys to bond in a way they might not otherwise. Younger scouts become friends with the older ones and they get a sense of being a part of the troop.
I hate to hear that someone has left the troop because they have “too many other activities”. We have had high school football, baseball, basketball players; members of the marching band; performers, musicians and those with other time consuming activities in the troop. We have had boys who weren’t there during the four months of their sport’s season, and not only become leaders in the troop but become Eagle Scouts. The time and effort they put into Scouting was rewarding. Don’t let “too many other activities” be the reason you leave scouting.
I your son, is leaving or thinking about leaving Scouting, please come and talk to a Scoutmaster r other adult leader. We are here to help. If there is an issue, we can try to resolve it. If the troop is not the right fit, let us help find another troop which may be better suited to your sons needs. The hardest thing for us is seeing that a scout hasn’t been attending and we don’t know why.
I hope this introduction to how Boy Scouts is differs fromCub Scouts has been helpful and I can’t repeat enough, we are here to help and make your son’s Scouting experience a life-changing adventure. Please talk to any adult leader if you ever have any questions or concerns.