Related Research Articles
The Scout movement, also known as Scouting or the Scouts, is a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people. Although it requires an oath of allegiance to a nation's leaders and, in some countries, to a god, it otherwise allows membership without distinction of gender, race or origin in accordance with the principles of its founder, Robert Baden-Powell. The purpose of the Scout Movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. During the first half of the twentieth century, the movement grew to encompass three major age groups for boys: Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Rover Scout. In 1910, the Girl Guides was created, encompassing three major age groups for girls: Brownie Guide, Girl Guide and Girl Scout and Ranger Guide. It is one of several worldwide youth organizations.
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.5 million youth.
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized after Low met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, in 1911. Upon returning to Savannah, Georgia, she telephoned a distant cousin, saying, "I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"
Cub Scouting is part of the Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), available to boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade, or 5 to 10 years of age and their families. Its membership is the largest of the five main BSA divisions. Cub Scouting is part of the worldwide Scouting movement and aims to promote character development, citizenship training, personal fitness, and leadership.
A variety of religious emblems programs are used by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to encourage youth to learn about their faith and to recognize adults who provide significant service to youth in a religious environment. These religious programs are created, administered and awarded by the various religious groups, not the BSA, but each program must be recognized by the BSA.
Sea Scouts is a program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women ages 14 through 20. Along with Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, and Venturing, Sea Scouts provides a program for religious, fraternal, educational, and other community organizations to use for character, citizenship, and mental and personal fitness training for youth. As part of this training, Sea Scouts are expected to develop personal religious values, learn the principles of American heritage and government, and acquire skills that will prepare them to become successful adults.
The uniform and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) gives a Scout visibility and creates a level of identity within both the unit and the community. The uniform is used to promote equality while showing individual achievement. While all uniforms are similar in basic design, they do vary in color and detail to identify the different membership divisions of Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA and Venturing. Many people collect BSA insignia such as camporee and jamboree emblems, council shoulder strips and historical badges.
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the largest private youth organizations in the United States, has policies which prohibit those who are not willing to subscribe to the BSA's Declaration of Religious Principle, which is usually interpreted as banning atheists, and, until January 2014, prohibited all "known or avowed homosexuals", from membership in its Scouting program. The ban on adults who are "open or avowed homosexuals" from leadership positions was lifted in July 2015. Prior to these policy changes, BSA had denied or revoked membership status or leadership positions for violation of these foundational principles. The BSA had contended that its policies were essential in its mission to instill in young people the values of the Scout Promise, or Oath, and Scout Law.
The World Scout Emblem is the emblem of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and is worn by Scouts and Scouters around the world to indicate their membership. Each national Scout organization determines the manner in which the emblem is worn.
The American Heritage Girls (AHG) is a Christian-based Scouting-like organization for Americans. The organization has more than 52,000 members (2020) with troops or individuals ("trailblazers") in all 50 states of the United States and for American expatriates in fifteen other countries.
Scouts BSA is the flagship membership level of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 17. It provides youth training in character, citizenship, and mental and personal fitness. Scouts are expected to develop personal religious values, learn the principles of American heritage and government, and acquire skills to become successful adults.
Religious emblems programs also called religious recognition programs are awards set up by some religious organizations for members of various youth organizations.
Scouting in the United States is dominated by the 1.2 million-member Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA and other associations that are recognized by one of the international Scouting organizations. There are also a few smaller, independent groups that are considered to be "Scout-like" or otherwise Scouting related.
By 2008, Girl Scouts of the USA had five levels: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, and Senior. In 2011, a new, sixth level was added: Ambassadors. Girl Scouts move or "bridge" to the next level, usually at the end of the school year they reach the age of advancing. They are considered in the appropriate level based on their grade on October 1, the start of each new Girl Scout year. There are exceptions for "special needs," but Girl Scouts who are "young in grade" have not been specifically considered. Each year of membership in Girl Scouting is represented on the uniform by a small, golden, six-pointed membership star with colored background discs which represent a level. Girl Scouts wear uniforms consisting of a white shirt and khaki bottom under the appropriate uniform item for their level: a blue tunic or vest for Daisies, a brown sash or vest for Brownies, a green vest or sash for Juniors and a tan sash or vest for the older girl levels of Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. All uniform tunics, vests, or sashes must include the American flag patch, council ID patches troop numbers, and a tab with the WAGGGS pin and the membership pin.
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was inspired by and modeled on the Boy Scout Association, established by Baden-Powell in Britain in 1908. In the early 1900s, several youth organizations were active, and many became part of the BSA.
Religion in Scouting and Guiding is an aspect of the Scout method that has been practiced differently and given different interpretations over the years.
Square knot insignia are embroidered cloth patches that represent awards of the Scout associations throughout the world.
The Quartermaster Award is the highest rank attainable in the Sea Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America.
Youth organizations in the United States are of many different types. The largest is the government run 4-H program, followed by the federally chartered but private Scouting movement groups: the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). Another somewhat smaller but co-ed Scouting derived group is Camp Fire. Other youth groups are religious youth ministries such as the evangelical Christian Awana, Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders, and Assemblies of God Royal Rangers.
The Venturing Summit is the highest rank for youth in the Venturing program of the Boy Scouts of America. It requires Venturers to earn the Pathfinder Rank, participate in adventures, and demonstrate leadership, service and personal growth.
References
- ↑ "Religious Awards: What? Why? How?" (PDF). P.R.A.Y. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Girl Scouts of the U.S.A". P.R.A.Y. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Girl Scouts and Faith". Girl Scouts of the USA. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
- ↑ "To Serve God..." (PDF). P.R.A.Y. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Where to Place Insignia on a Uniform: Brownie Girl Scouts - Religious and Other Awards". Girl Scouts of the USA. Archived from the original on July 14, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Where to Place Insignia on a Uniform: Junior Girl Scouts - Religious and Other Awards". Girl Scouts of the USA. Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Where to Place Insignia on a Uniform: Girl Scouts 11-17 - Religious and Other Awards". Girl Scouts of the USA. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Scouting Program Materials". U.S. National Baháʼí Education. Archived from the original on October 14, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "Association of Baptists for Scouting" . Retrieved July 11, 2007.
- ↑ "National Buddhist Committee on Scouting". Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Buddhist Churches of America Youth" . Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Members of Churches of Christ for Scouting" . Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "World Community". Community of Christ. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting" . Retrieved May 4, 2007.
- ↑ "National Episcopal Scouters Association". Archived from the original on April 11, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "North American Hindu Association" . Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- 1 2 "National Islamic Committee on Scouting" . Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- 1 2 "National Jewish Girl Scout Committee" . Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "National Lutheran Association on Scouting" . Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "National Association of Presbyterian Scouters" . Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ↑ "Friends Committee on Scouting" . Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ↑ "National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry" . Retrieved November 15, 2008.
- 1 2 "Unitarian Universalist Association" . Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ↑ "National Association of United Methodist Scouters" . Retrieved April 5, 2007.
