What Is Cub Scouting?
(The majority of this page was borrowed from the
Boy Scouts of America's Website)
In 1930 the Boy Scouts of America launched a home and neighborhood
centered program for boys 9 to 11 years of age. A key element of the program is
an emphasis on caring, nurturing relationships between boys and their parents,
adult leaders, and friends. Currently, Cub Scouting is the largest of the BSA's
three membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting and Venturing.)
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Badges of Cub Scouting
Tiger Cubs
Bobcat
First Rank
Wolf
Bear
Webelos
Arrow of Light
Cub Scouting's
highest award
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The Purposes of Cub Scouting
Cub Scouting has nine purposes :
Positively influence character development and encourage spiritual growth
Help boys develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship
Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body
Improve understanding within the family
Strengthen boys' ability to get along with other boys and respect other
people
Foster a sense of personal achievement by helping boys develop new interests
and skills
Show how to be helpful and do one's best
Provide fun and exciting new things to do
Prepare boys to become Boy Scouts
Membership
Cub Scouting has program components for boys in the first through fifth
grades (or ages 7, 8, 9, or 10). Members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned
to a den, usually a neighborhood group of six to eight boys. First-grade boys
(Tiger Cubs) meet twice a month, while 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 Cubmaster and pack committee. The committee includes
parents of boys in the pack and members of the chartered organization.
National Cub Scout membership* is:
| 1,006,489 |
Cub Scouts |
| 304,374 |
Tiger Cub Teams |
| 861,184 |
Webelos Scouts |
| 54,733 |
Packs |
| 584,464 |
Pack Leaders |
* As of December 31, 1998
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 leader coaches, and
chartered organization representatives.
Like other phases of the Scouting program, Cub Scouting is made available to
groups having similar interests and goals, including professional organizations,
government bodies, and religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business,
labor, and citizens' groups. These "sponsors" are called chartered
organizations. 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.
Tiger Cubs BSA
Tiger Cubs BSA is a simple and fun program for first-grade boys and their
families. The Tiger Cub program introduces boys and their adult partners to the
excitement of Cub Scouting as they "Search, Discover, and Share"
together.
The Tiger Cub program is conducted on two levels. First, the Tiger Cub and
his adult partner meet in the home to conduct activities for the whole family.
Second, the Tiger Cub and his adult partner meet twice a month with other Tiger
Cubs and adult partners in the den, using the planned "big idea" (or
theme) for their activity during one of the meetings. Each den meeting is hosted
by a Tiger Cub-adult partner team.
Tiger Cubs BSA follows a school-year cycle. Boys remain in the Tiger Cub
program until they complete first grade. At that time, they graduate into a Cub
Scout den and are eligible to participate in Cub Scout summer activities,
including Cub Scout day camp.
Advancement Plan
Recognition is important to young boys. The Cub Scout 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.
- Bobcat
- The first rank, 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 twelve 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 twenty-four Bear achievements in four different categories. The
Cub Scout must complete twelve 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 Scout
Book, 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 Sports and Academics
The Cub Scout Sports and Academics program provides the opportunity for boys
to learn new techniques, develop sportsmanship, increase scholarship skills, 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 Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts into the world of imagination. 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 members enjoy
camping in local council camps and council-approved national, state, county, or
city parks. 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 Cub Scout and leader publications, including the Wolf
Cub Scout Book, Bear Cub Scout Book, Webelos Scout Book, 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, a number of ideals
are expressed in the day-to-day life of the boy and his leaders.
- 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 Promise
- I promise to love God,
my family, and my country,
and to learn about the world.
- 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 Scout colors are blue and gold. The blue stands
for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky above. The gold
stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Together, they
symbolize what Cub Scouting is all about.
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