North
Springfield Civic AssociationTroop 990
"The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."
Our Scouting Program is intended to be a community resource that parent’s can use to reinforce the character, citizenship, and physical fitness values and attributes that they want to instill in their child. While we try to do this in a way that is entertaining and interesting to the children, it is these values and attributes, not the child’s entertainment that is the focus of the program. Outdoors adventures and challenges, service projects, earning Merit Badges and learning skills, and leadership in a Patrol or Troop provide your child experiences and responsibilities that will help him mature. The Scout Oath, Law, Motto, and Slogan provide the guidelines your son needs to grow into a strong, confident adult. The knowledge and attitudes reinforced in scouting will benefit your child throughout his life.
A boy is eligible to join Boy Scouts when he is ten and one-half and completes the fifth grade or turns eleven, whichever occurs first. Other than age there are no prerequisites to joining scouting. He may participate as a boy from that time through his eighteenth birthday. Young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one may participate as junior adult leaders and persons twenty-one years of age or older may participate as adult leaders. There is a special scouting program for the handicapped that permits boy participation through age twenty-six if appropriate.
Adults may participate either formally or informally. Formal participation involves working with the Troop Committee and/or Scout Meetings and/or the Troop's Outdoor Program on a regular basis. Informal participation involves helping out with various activities as required. Adults that want to participate formally must also complete an application form. Adult registration fees are paid by the Troop. To apply for an adult position on the Troop's committee contact the Committee Chairman and to apply for an adult position working Scout Meetings and/or the Outdoor Program contact the Scoutmaster. An application is not required for adults participating informally.
The philosophy for our Troop is that the adults are responsible for creating opportunities within the scouting environment and the boys are responsible for taking advantage of them. Thus, the Troop's policy is to let the boys define and run the Scouting Program within the guidelines established by the Scoutmaster and his assistants. The adults are simply a resource provided to the boys to use, as they so desire. Thus the adults are not responsible for planning or directing the day-to-day activities of the Troop; the boys are. They are responsible for selecting their leaders, organizing the patrols, conducting scout meetings and planning all campouts. The Scoutmaster and his assistant’s role are to supervise the events, coordinate the logistics and provide counseling and training when requested.
The Troop adopted this philosophy because it provides the best learning experience for the boys. Since the Scouting Program is totally theirs they derive maximum benefit not only from its successes but also from its failures.
In addition to running the Troop the boys are also responsible for financing their activities. After the initial registration fee, which is paid by the boy, most subsequent expenses are paid by the Troop. This includes annual re-registration, renewing subscriptions to Boys Life, Advancements/Awards and all camping fees. The only exceptions are summer camp and occasional special events where the Troop can afford only part of the total cost and the boy must pay the remainder. The Troop earns money by recycling aluminum cans, painting house numbers on curbs, delivering the North Springfield Newsletter, and selling Entertainment Coupon Books.
If you would like more information about our program please contact the Scoutmaster, Skip Chaples at (703) 644-1311 or e-mail at skipchaples@cox.net. If you’re not sure whether or not scouting is for you boys and their parents may attend any scout function as a guest with no obligation to join.