What Is Cub Scouting?
The Purposes of Cub Scouting:
Since 1930, the
Boy Scouts of America has helped younger boys through Cub Scouting. It is a
year-round family program designed for boys who are in the first grade through
fifth grade (or 7, 8, 9, and 10 years of age). Parents, leaders, and
organizations work together to achieve the purposes of Cub Scouting. Currently,
Cub Scouting is the largest of the BSA’s three membership divisions. (The others
are Boy Scouting and Venturing.)
The 10 purposes of Cub Scouting are:
1.
Character
Development
2.
Spiritual
Growth
3.
Good
Citizenship
4.
Sportsmanship and Fitness
5.
Family
Understanding
6.
Respectful
Relationships
7.
Personal
Achievement
8.
Friendly
Service
9.
Fun and
Adventure
10.
Preparation
for Boy Scouts
Membership:
Cub Scouting
members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned to a den, usually a neighborhood
group of six to eight boys. Tiger Cubs (first graders), Wolf Cub Scouts
(second-graders), Bear Cub Scouts (third graders), and Webelos Scouts (fourth-
and fifth-graders) meet weekly. Once a month, all of the dens and family members
gather for a pack meeting under the direction of a Cub master and pack
committee. The committee includes parents of boys in the pack and members of the
chartered organization.
Cub Scout membership is:
·
898,361 Cub Scouts*
·
538,519 Pack Leaders*
·
752,595 Webelos Scouts*
·
53,380 Packs*
·
263,469 Tiger Cubs*
*As of December 31, 2003
Volunteer Leadership
Thousands of
volunteer leaders, both men and women, are involved in the Cub Scout program.
They serve in a variety of positions, as everything from unit leaders to pack
committee chairmen, committee members, den leaders, and chartered organization
representatives. Like other phases of the Scouting program, a Cub Scout pack
belongs to an organization with interests similar to those of the BSA. This
organization, which might be a church, school, community organization, or group
of interested citizens, is chartered by the local BSA council to use the
Scouting program. This chartered organization provides a suitable meeting place,
adult leadership, supervision, and opportunities for a healthy Scouting life for
the boys under its care. Each organization appoints one of its members as a
chartered organization representative. The organization, through the pack
committee, is responsible for providing leadership, the meeting place, and
support materials for pack activities.
Who Pays For It?
Groups responsible for
supporting Cub Scouting are the boys and their parents, the pack, the chartered
organization, and the community. The boy is encouraged to pay his own way by
contributing dues each week. Packs also obtain income by working on approved
money-earning projects. The community, including parents, supports Cub Scouting
through the United
Way, Friends of
Scouting enrollment, bequests, and special contributions to the BSA local
council. This financial support provides leadership training, outdoor programs,
council service centers and other facilities, and professional service for
units.
Advancement Plan:
Recognition is
important to young boys. The Cub Scouting advancement plan provides fun for the
boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and
strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on
advancement projects.
Tiger Cub:
The Tiger Cub
program is for first-grade (or age 7) boys and their adult partners. There are
five Tiger Cub achievement areas. The Tiger Cub, working with his adult partner,
completes 15 requirements within these areas to earn the Tiger Cub badge. These
requirements consist of an exciting series of indoor and outdoor activities just
right for a boy in the first grade.
Bobcat:
The Bobcat rank
is for all boys who join Cub Scouting.
Wolf:
The Wolf
program is for boys who have completed first grade (or are age 8). To earn the
Wolf badge, a boy must pass 12 achievements involving simple physical and mental
skills.
Bear:
The Bear rank
is for boys who have completed second grade (or are age 9). There are 24 Bear
achievements in four categories. The Cub Scout must complete 12 of these to earn
the Bear badge. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging
than those for Wolf rank.
Webelos:
This program is
for boys who have completed third grade (or are age 10). A boy may begin working
on the Webelos badge as soon as he joins a Webelos den. This is the first step
in his transition from the Webelos den to the Boy Scout troop. As he completes
the requirements found in the
Webelos Handbook,
he will work on activity badges, attend meetings led by adults, and become
familiar with the Boy Scout requirements—all leading to the Arrow of Light
Award.
Activities:
Cub Scouting
means “doing.” Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to have the boys doing
things. Activities are used to achieve the aims of Scouting—citizenship
training, character development, and personal fitness. Many of the activities
happen right in the den and pack. The most important are the weekly den meetings
and the monthly pack meetings.
Cub Scout Academics and Sports:
The Cub Scout
Academics and Sports program provides the opportunity for boys to learn new
techniques, increase scholarship skills, develop sportsmanship, and have fun.
Participation in the program allows boys to be recognized for physical fitness
and talent-building activities.
Camping:
Age-appropriate
camping programs are packed with theme-oriented action that brings Tiger Cubs,
Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts into the great out-of-doors. Day camping comes to
the boy in neighborhoods across the country; resident camping is at least a
three-day experience in which Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts camp within a
developed theme of adventure and excitement. “Cub Scout Worlds” are used by many
councils to carry the world of imagination into reality with actual theme
structures of castles, forts, ships, etc. Cub Scout pack families enjoy camping
in local council camps and other council-approved campsites. Camping programs
combine fun and excitement with doing one’s best, getting along with others, and
developing an appreciation for ecology and the world of the outdoors.
Publications:
Volunteers are
informed of national news and events through
Scouting
magazine (circulation
900,000). Boys may subscribe to
Boys’ Life
magazine (circulation
1.3 million). Both are published by the Boy Scouts of America. Also available
are a number of youth and leader publications, including the
Tiger Cub
Handbook, Wolf Handbook,
Bear
Handbook, Webelos Handbook, Cub Scout Leader Book, Cub Scout Program Helps,
and
Webelos Leader
Guide.
Cub Scouting Ideals:
Apart from the
fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, the Cub Scout Promise, the Law of
the Pack, the Tiger Cub motto, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, motto, and
salute all teach good citizenship and contribute to a boy’s sense of belonging.
Cub
Scout Promise:
I, (name), promise to do my best To do my duty to God and my country, To help
other people, and To obey the Law of the Pack.
Cub
Scout Motto:
Do Your Best.
Tiger
Cub Motto:
Search, Discover, Share.
Law
of the Pack:
The Cub Scout follows Akela. The Cub Scout helps the pack go. The pack helps the
Cub Scout grow. The Cub Scout gives goodwill.
Colors:
The Cub
Scouting colors are blue and gold. They have special meaning, which will help
boys see beyond the fun of Cub Scouting to its ultimate goals.
• The blue stands for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky
above.
• The gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness.