New to Scouting?
Boys may join Boy Scouts of America as a continuation of their boy scout trail from cub scouts (ages 7-11) — this is where most boy scouts come from. But, the age of 11 is a great time for a new boy to begin scouting! The Boy Scout program is a big change from cub scouting, the biggest change being that it is boy- led instead of adult- led. If you have boys graduating from Webelos in cub scouts, and joining a boy scout troop, challenge them to invite at least one non-scouting friend to join them. 3/4 of Scouting is 'outing', 11-year-old boys are excited about opportunities for camping, hiking, and the outdoors that Boy Scouts offers.
Boy Scouts is for boys aged 11 through 17. When the 18th birthday is reached, he can no longer be a boy scout, but he can continue to support a troop in an adult leader role. As a scout grows in skill, he takes on responsibility and moves from being a learner to be a leader.
The Boy Scout program has an organizational structure that puts boys into groups called patrols, with a recommended size of from 6 to 8 scouts per patrol. Patrols of boys in a community form a troop which is part of a district. Districts combine to make a council, Troop 1570 is part of the Powhatan District (Herndon/Reston area) within the National Capital Area Council (metro Washington, DC area).
A new scout first earns the Scout rank showing that he has joined and is participating in the program. As he enjoys outings with his patrol and demonstrates his expanding skill base, he naturally gains the Tenderfoot rank, followed by 2nd Class and 1st Class ranks. At this point, a scout has learned enough skills to handle himself in the outdoors and begin teaching new scouts. Once a 1st Class rank is reached, to reach a higher rank the scout continues his trail by performing service deeds and earning merit badges in topics that interest him or that he has decided to explore.
Choosing the right Boy Scout troop for you is an individual decision. Troops vary in their activity focus, and the personalities in each troop differ. You need to think about what will make scouting a fun, rewarding experience for you and then find a troop that appears to best fulfill your needs.
If you are a Webelos scout, having completed five years of Cub Scouts, you may feel that you've experienced all there is in the program. You have experienced a lot, but Boy Scouts is a very different program full of new experiences. Make a commitment to try it for a year to observe the differences and then decide if you want to continue. However, do not feel pressured into continuing if you do not enjoy what Boy Scouts has to offer.
A boy needs to visit at least one troop meeting before joining that troop. You really should visit several troops to learn the uniqueness of each troop and what they have to offer. Select a troop that fits the needs of your family and the fits your personality.
When visiting troop consider asking the questions on the following PDF. These are important questions that will help you on deciding what troop is best for you. A PDF of the questions to ask can be found here(click on the word here)