For Adults
Parental Involvement
A BSA Troop is a volunteer-run organization. We need your active participation for two very important reasons:
Your Scout will get more out of the program if you show an active commitment.
The Troop cannot provide the best possible program without your participation.
This page outlines the two basic ways a Parent should expect to contribute to the Troop:
Your role as a Scout Parent
How to Contribute to the Troop
Uniformed Roles
Committee Roles
Merit Badge Counselors
Events and Projects
Board of Review
Your Role as a Scout Parent:
The following is a basic set of expectations for each of our families:
Support your Scout, but don't do things for them. Parents should begin a purposeful transition away from doing things FOR their daughter and towards allowing their daughter to do for themselves. Examples include:
Being responsible for their own progress towards Rank Advancement
Packing their own bags for outings
Finding answers to their own questions
Stay Connected. Parents and Scouts will be using Scoutbook as the administrative tool for communication, calendars, tracking participation, rank advancement, merit badges.
Read and Respond to Communications. Email is the primary communications tool of the Troop. Reading, acting upon, and responding to emails will keep you and your Scout up-to-date and greatly assist the operations of the Troop. The volunteers working in the Troop will greatly appreciate prompt communications as it will greatly reduce the time and energy they donate to the Troop.
Calendar and Outings RSVP. Parents and Scouts should keep their planned participation up-to-date for each outing in Scoutbook. Even if your Scout is not attending an event, you need to update their status as such.
Fundraising. While scouts are responsible for fundraising activities, parents will need to assist and encourage those efforts. Fundraising keeps our costs low, provides the Scout with spendable funds in their Scout Account, and greatly supplements our activities, equipment, and outings.
How to contribute to the troop:
Youth Protection
All registered leaders, including "Uniformed" Leaders, Committee Members, and Merit Badge Counselors are required to be Youth Protection Training (YPT). Non-registered adults going on outings must take the new YPT:
Adult Leadership:
We have a number of "Uniformed" Roles, including Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster. These are the front line guides, mentors, and instructors.
Troop Committee and Roles:
We have a number of vital, easily manageable roles in the Troop in which parents can actively contribute.
Merit Badge Counselors:
One of the easiest and most impactful contributions all parents in the Troop can make is to become a Merit Badge Counselor. With so many Merit Badges, there are plenty of Merit Badges that will match your unique skills, experience, and interests. Please ask a Leader to find out which Merit Badges the Troop needs specific help with and which ones might match your interests and skill sets.
Events, Projects, and Campouts:
To support the Scoutmasters and Committee, parents may also get involved in events or short-term projects, such as:
single events such as a organizing a banquet or outing
attending 1-2 days at summer camp to provide adult supervision coverage
volunteering at an Eagle Scout project
organizing or participating in a service project
Board of Review
Upon completion of the requirements for a new Rank, each Scout sits for a Board of Review. The Boards are held at the weekly Troop meeting and are comprised of Committee Members (i.e., non-uniformed parents in attendance). The Board's purpose is to test the Scout's knowledge of the particular Rank Requirements, engage them in conversation about their activities and Scout experience, and approve his completion of the requirements. In addition to completing their Rank, This is a great opportunity for Scouts to build their communications skills, self-confidence, and professional interactions.