Cub Scouting at Queen of All Saints

What Is Cub Scouting?

The Program
In 1930, the Boy Scouts of America created a new opportunity called Cub Scouting for boys younger than Boy Scout age. A year-round, home-centered program used by chartered organizations, Cub Scouting emphasizes involvement between boys and their parents, adult leaders, and friends. In the multidimensional plan of the Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouting is where it all begins. Currently, it is the largest of the organization's three membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting and Exploring.)
Purposes
Cub Scouting has the following purposes:

Membership
Cub Scouting, like its Boy Scouting and Exploring counterparts, follows a long-range plan to reach youth nationwide. Cub Scout membership is:
What is Cub Scouting?
Boys in the first through fifth grades (or ages 7, 8, 9, or 10) may join a Cub Scout pack and be assigned to a den, usually made up of boys in a neighborhood who form a natural play group. Tiger Cub dens usually meet twice a month, while Cub Scout and Webelos Scout den meetings are usually held once a week.

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.

Who Operates a Cub Scout Pack?
Like other phases of the Scouting program, Cub Scouting is made available to groups having similar interests and goals, which include professional organizations, 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 committee, is responsible for leadership, the meeting place, and related materials for pack activities.
Who Pays?
Groups responsible for supporting Cub Scouting are the boys and their parents, the pack, the chartered organizations, 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, Sustaining Membership Enrollment, bequests, and special contributions to the BSA local council. This provides leadership training, outdoor programs, council service centers, and other facilities, as well as professional service for units.
Tiger Cubs BSA
Tiger Cub dens are made up of first-grade or 7-year-old boys and their adult partners. 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 for their activity during one of the meetings. Each den meeting is hosted by a Tiger Cub - adult partner team.

At the end of the school term, Tiger Cubs automatically graduate into Cub Scouting.

Advancement
Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts have a plan of advancement for each boy that emphasizes learning by doing. The boy works on requirements based on his school grade or age. Tiger Cubs are recognized for participation in activities, but do not have a formal advancement plan.
Bobcat
When a boy becomes a Cub Scout, his parent teaches him his Bobcat requirements: learning the Cub Scout Promise, Law of the Pack, handshake, salute, sign, and motto.
Wolf
If a Cub Scout has completed the first grade (or is 8 years old) he may begin working on his Wolf achievements. There are twelve: Feats of Skill, Your Flag, Keep Your Body Healthy, Know Your Home and Community, Tools for Fixing and Building, Start a Collection, Your Living World, Cooking and Eating, Be Safe at Home and on the Street, Family Fun, Duty to God, and Making Choices. Upon completion of the achievements, he is awarded the Wolf badge, and may continue to work on Wolf electives in twenty-two different areas. When a boy completes ten projects he receives a Gold Arrow Point. For each additional ten projects he receives a Silver Arrow Point.
Bear
When a Cub Scout has completed the second grade (or is 9 years old) he begins working on his Bear achievements. There are twenty-four achievements in four different groups: God, Country, Family, and Self. To achieve the Bear rank, the Cub Scout must earn his choice of twelve: one from the first group, three from the second group, and four from each of the third and fourth groups. The achievements are: Ways We Worship; Emblems of Faith; What Makes America Special?; Tall Tales; Sharing Your World with Wildlife; Take Care of Your Planet; Law Enforcement Is a Big Job!; The Past Is Exciting and Important; What's Cooking?; Family Fun; Be Ready!; Family Outdoor Adventures; Saving Well, Spending Well; Ride Right; Games-Games-Games!; Building Muscles; Information, Please; Jot It Down; Shavings and Chips; Sawdust and Nails; Build a Model; Typing It All Up; Sports, Sports, Sports; and Be a Leader. After achieving the Bear badge, a boy may concentrate on twenty-four Bear elective areas until he becomes a Webelos Scout. Gold and Silver Arrow Points are also awarded for these projects.
Webelos
After completing the third grade, a Cub Scout graduates with ceremony into a Webelos den. This is a special den for boys in the fourth or fifth grade (or who are 10 years old). The Webelos Scout program is more challenging to the older boy - in fact, he's now called a Webelos Scout and wears a different uniform signifying his new status. Meetings are usually held in the early evening or on Saturday. His leader is a man or woman assisted by other den parents. The den chief is older and more experienced than those serving Cub Scouts. Also, the Webelos Scout's advancement is approved by his Webelos den leader rather than his parent. He begins work immediately on the Webelos badge. In addition, he can earn twenty Webelos activity badges: Aquanaut, Artist, Athlete, Citizen, Communicator, Craftsman, Engineer, Family Member, Fitness, Forester, Geologist, Handyman, Naturalist, Outdoorsman, Readyman, Scholar, Scientist, Showman, Sportsman, and Traveler. As a fifth grader (or at age 10) he may earn Cub Scouting's highest award - the Arrow of Light Award. After receiving this award, he is eligible to become a Boy Scout, or he may join a troop at age 11 (or when he completes the fifth grade).
Activities
At den meetings, a Cub Scout starts an activity. Perhaps it is a project or a stunt for the next pack meeting. During the week, with his parents' help, he finishes the project or perfects the stunt. If it happens to be something required for his Wolf or Bear advancement, his parent signs his Cub Scout book. In this way, Cub Scouting helps to strengthen family ties.

Pack meetings, attended by boys and their families, give parents a chance to see their sons in action. Most pack meetings are divided into two parts. The first is informal - boys and parents may view exhibits or participate in gathering-time activities. The second half has a formal opening, followed by den skits, songs, games, or stunts related to a monthly theme, and the awarding of badges earned by the boys since the last pack meeting.

Outdoor Program
Adventuresome outdoor programs are encouraged for Cub Scouts. These include den field trips, picnics, outings, day camping, and resident camping. Because Cub Scouting is home-centered, family camping is also emphasized. Webelos Scouts are encouraged to go on overnight experiences and to conduct occasional joint outdoor activities with a Boy Scout troop. Cub Scout day camps are conducted by most BSA local councils, and many also provide resident camping experiences for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts.
Competitive Activities and Sports
Team sports and other competitive events occur within the pack and on an interpack level. Among the activities that have become favorites are Cub Scout shows, pet shows, safe bicycle riding projects, pinewood derbies (miniature car racing on tracks), rocket derbies, regattas, kite-flying contests, Cub Scout field days, and Cubmobile racing. Cub Scouts are encouraged to be physically fit through the Cub Scout Sports program, which offers twenty-one different sports.
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. There are also 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, and Cub Scout and Webelos Scout Program Helps.
Basic Concepts
Apart from the fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, there are a number of ideals expressed in the day-to-day life of the young boy and his leaders.

The Tiger Cub Promise:

I promise to love God,
my family, and my country,
and to learn about the world.

The 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.

The Cub Scout colors are blue and gold. Blue signifies the sky, truth, spirituality, and loyalty. Gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Together they symbolize what Cub Scouting is all about.

Cub Scouting at Queen of All Saints

If you could give your boy the greatest gift of all, what would it be? Whether you are rich or poor, the greatest gift is within your power because that gift is helping a boy become a person with a good feeling about himself and a genuine concern for others. Cub Scouting can help you provide this gift.

As a parent, you want your boy to grow up to be self-reliant and dependable - a person of worth, a caring individual. Scouting has these same goals in mind for him.

Since 1910, scouting has been weaving lifetime values into fun and educational activities designed to help parents teach their sons how to make good decisions throughout their lives and give them confidence as they become the adult leaders of tomorrow.

In a society where your son is often taught that winning is everything, Cub Scouting teaches him to do his best and be helpful to others as expressed in the Cub Scout Promise, Motto and Law of the Pack.

A Cub Scout den will involve your boy in a group of boys his own age where he can earn status and recognition. There he also will gain a sense of personal achievement from the new skills he learns.

A Cub Scout is a member of a den. Most dens have four to eight boys in them and meet once a week or every other week. Den meetings are a time for learning new things and having fund. Dens are led by a team of adult volunteers -- the den leader and assistant den leader(s). Den leaders are usually parents of boys in the den.

A Cub Scout is also a member of a pack. Packs consist of several dens. Most packs meet once a month. Pack meetings usually follow a suggested theme and are a time for boys to be recognized for their accomplishments during the month, to perform skits and songs they have learned in den meetings, and to have fun with the entire family.

Some of the fun activities the pack has done this school year include:

Registration

Registration for Cub Scouts is in September and a boy can join any time during the year. If your son is interested in joining the Queen of All Saints Cub Scouts, Pack 876, we would love to have him. Please contact John Derouin at 872-1753.

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