1. Why Scouting? Experience and learn things that are typically not taught in school Instill values - moral and ethical Self reliance and self confidence Team work and leadership skills Provide service to others Encourage love of outdoors Keep them physically fit and active Teach independence and interdependence

2. Why Advance? The Scouting program has three specific objectives, commonly referred to as the "Aims of Scouting.” Character development Citizenship training Personal Fitness “Advancement” is one of the eight methods used by Scout leaders to help boys fulfill the aims of scouting. It is a means toward accomplishing the Boy Scouts of America mission. It is not an end in itself. Check out www.nesa.org for other 7 methods. You can help: “Parents should encourage advancement, but not push too hard. It is the scout's responsibility to advance. If parents push too hard it might take the fun out of scouting for the scout.” Remember that advancement was not the fundamental reason for enrolling our boys in the program. The skills and experiences gained through the program cannot be contained to “advancement” and are far more valuable than assigning a rank name to them.

3. Ranks The scout rank is the joining rank, and the requirements are mostly all Arrow of Light requirements. Scouts should be completing the scout rank soon after joining, ideally before summer camp. Trail to first class is learning and demonstrating scouting skills. You can help: Scouts should be encouraged by their parents to Read their handbook Come to meetings regularly (with the goal of completing a trail to first class requirement.) Trek attendance (very important to completing the trail to first class since a lot of skills are learned on treks.) Attend resident summer camps (like Hi-Sierra helps scouts work on their merit badges)

4. …Ranks continued Star through Eagle: Need leadership positions (Elections: Nov and May) Need merit badges. You can help: Become a merit badge counselor! Need a certain number of Eagle required merit badges for each rank Please note that each rank advancement requires a Scoutmaster conference and a Board of Review. You can help by encouraging the scouts to approach adult leaders to get a conference or schedule a review. Do not do it for them. Scoutmaster conferences can be done by any uniformed ASM for the ranks of scout through first class. Only the scoutmaster does conferences for Star through Eagle. The purpose of the scoutmaster conference is to review the scout's advancement and participation in the program, to ensure the scout is ready for the rank, to test a few skills all scouts should know (they will always be asked to tie their knots), and to ask questions and listen to what the scout has to say about his experiences. Notes from the scribe and quartermaster will always be required.

5. Board of Review Once the Scout has participated in a Scoutmaster Conference and has that requirement signed off, the Scout needs to schedule a Board of Review by emailing the Advancement Chair. The purpose of the review is to give the Scout an opportunity to talk about how he is getting along in the troop, and share his thoughts on his scouting experience. This is also a chance to see what the troop can do to help him improve his experience as well. Reviews are held on Thursdays starting at 7pm. Tenderfoot, and Second class reviews are about 20 minutes, and all other ranks are 30 minutes. The review board is usually made up of the troop's parent volunteers. You can help: No prior experience is necessary for parents to volunteer for a Board of Review. Volunteering to do a review is the easiest way for parents to help the troop. Our troop conducts reviews almost every week and we are always looking for help. Scouts can email the Advancement Chair requesting copies of their individual participation report, individual progress report, and individual history report at anytime to help with planning their advancement.

6. Eagle Required Merit Badges 1. Camping 2. Citizenship in the Community 3. Citizenship in the Nation 4. Citizenship in the World 5. Communications 6. Cooking (recommended for 14yrs and above) 7. Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving 8. Environmental Science OR Sustainability 9. Family Life(teens) 10. First Aid 11. Personal Fitness(teens) 12. Personal Management(recommended for 14yrs and above) 13. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling 14-21: Eight badges of your choice bringing it to a total of 21 merit badges minimum to advance to Eagle rank.

7. Behind the Scenes Process for Advancement The advancement records are maintained by inputting data into an application called “Troopmaster” Data for individual advancement comes from: board of review forms and blue cards. Data for activities come from trek leaders to scoutmaster to advancement chair. This includes all activities that the scout has participated in including service projects, hiking miles, camping nights etc I periodically upload the data entered into Troopmaster to the Council’s site. Once I upload I am able to generate an advancement report which I print and take to the scout shop to pick up merit badges and rank patches. You can help: Remind scouts to organize and save their blue cards as they earn them, make a copy of their rank advancement pages from the scout book, sew merit badges on to the sash, and encourage the scout to follow through and complete merit badges that they are working on, encourage scouts to approach the scoutmaster to find merit badge counselors for badges that the scout is interested in learning and earning.

8. FAQ for scouts Just FYI Should I send an email requesting a board of review: Yes. Always. Need a review, but have not completed a SM conference: SM conference needs to be done before a review. Can I do a SM conference and have my review on the same day? Sorry, No. We cannot have a board waiting for you if there are unforeseen delays or complications. Don’t have my notes from the Scribe and QM = No SM conference or review. Email confirmation works, so print your email and bring it to the review. Lost my blue card: approach the counselor who helped to see if you can get a replacement. If you are getting ready for an Eagle review, the troop’s copy of your blue card will be provided. Lost my merit badges: The troop provides only one merit badge, you need to request a copy of your advancement records and take it along with your blue card to the scout shop to purchase the merit badges.

9. FAQ for Merit Badges Should my son be working on Merit Badges now? Focus on TTFC first, at troop meetings and at summer camp. Then as he progresses on the TTFC and time allows, start working on merit badges. How does my son "start" a Merit Badge? He needs to see the scoutmaster and ask for a blue card and to ask for name(s) of merit badge counselors. The troop librarian has an extensive library for merit badge How does he find a Merit Badge counselor? The scoutmaster will give the scout a name(s). The scout must then contact the merit badge counselor and see if he can work with the counselor. Parents should not contact the counselor. Let the scout do it.

10. Organize your blue cards and award cards