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With so many new members joining our Pack this month, we’re kicking off our new member boot camp series to help our new scouts and their families learn more about Cub Scouting and our Pack. Today, we’re talking about how Cub Scouts is organized. Let’s start with your son or daughter and work our way up to the larger groups.
Scout
When your son or daughter joined Cub Scouts, they became a “Scout” or a “Cub Scout.” Scout refers to any youth who is a part of any Scouting program. Cub Scout refers to any youth in kindergarten to fifth grade who are part of the Cub Scouting program.
Scouter or Scouting Family
Moving on from your Scout, let’s talk about your family. We call your family “Scouters” or a “Scouting Family.” Cub Scouts is a family affair and we encourage our Scout’s entire family to participate in our meetings. In fact, Scouts in Kindergarten and First Grade are required to have an adult partner to participate with them in any Scouting event. In a few limited situations, we may limit events to our Scouts and one adult based on costs and attendance restrictions.
Den
Up next is your Scout’s Den. Your Den is a small group of Scouts of the same gender and grade. Dens of the same grade but different gender often meet together. We designate Dens by a number and our Scouts typically stay in the same Den throughout their time in Cub Scouting.
A Den is lead by the Den Leader, an adult how is registered with the Boy Scouts of America and has gone through required background checks and training. Den Leaders work with parents to help our Scouts complete adventures needed for rank advancement. (More on that in an upcoming episode.)
You should expect that your Scout’s den will meet one to two times every month.
Pack
Next up is the Pack. The Pack is the group of all Dens associated with a single charter organization. You can always determine which Pack a Scout belongs to based on the numbers worn on the left sleeve of their uniform (called the Unit Number). We are all a part of Pack 457 which is associated with English Lutheran Church (our charter organization). You do not need to be affiliated with the charter organization to be a member.
When we meet as a Pack, we hand out advancement that our Scouts have earned since the last Pack meeting they attended and partake in a fun group activity. In the past, our Pack meeting activities have included Campout, rocket launches, sled riding, and learning about orienteering. We meet as a Pack at least once monthly (typically the third Friday or Saturday of the month).
Our Pack is led by the Cubmaster who acts as the master of ceremonies for our Pack meetings and is also responsible for making sure our Scouts are getting the best program we can offer. Our Cubmaster and Den Leaders are also supported by the Pack Committee which is made up of our leaders, parents, and other adults who help organize the events and provide other logistics.
Other Supporting Scouting Groups
For most of our members, the Pack is the highest level of the Scouting organization that they will interact with as a Cub Scout. But there are several other groups that provide support to Cub Scouting and our Pack.
Council
The Council is the local group responsible for providing the Scouting program within a defined geographical area. Councils help with recruiting new Scouts to the program, training our leaders, and run camp programs at Council owned camps.
You can find out what Council a Scout is a member of based on the Council patch above their Unit Number on their uniform’s left sleeve. Pack 457 is a part of MORAINE TRAILS COUNCIL.
National Organization
The Boy Scouts of America (or the “BSA”) is the national organization that develops and supports the various youth programs and established Scouting rules and regulations in the United States. The National Organization runs six youth programs:
- Cub Scouts
- Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouts)
- Venturing
- Sea Scouts
- Exploring
- STEM Scouts
All BSA programs are co-ed. Cub Scouts is the only program targeted at younger youth. Scouts BSA members must be between 11 and 18 years old and all of the other programs’ participants must be between 14 and 21 years old.
World Scouting
Finally, we have the Work Organization of the Scouting Movement (“WOSM”). This is the largest international Scouting Organization. The WOSM has 172 member organizations (including the Boy Scouts of America). WOSM’s mission is to contribute to the education of young people through the value system based on the Scout Promise / Oath and Scout Law in order to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.