Deacons

Teachers

Priests

Unit Type

Boy Scout Troop

Members are Boy Scouts

Varsity Scout Team

Members are Varsity Scouts

Venturing Crew

Members are Venturers

Membership

Boys ages 11 through 17

LDS church sponsors troops for boys ages 11-13

Boys ages 14 through 17

LDS church sponsors teams for boys ages 14-15

Young men and young women ages 14 through 20

LDS church sponsors crews for young men ages 16-18

Methods

1. Ideals – Scout Oath, Law, motto, slogan

2. Patrols – the basic unit of Scouting

3. Outdoors – Scouting is designed to take place outdoors

4. Advancement  - ranks up to Eagle, merit badges, other special awards

5. Personal Growth – Scoutmaster conferences, achieving goals, the daily good turn help boys grow

6. Association with Adults – boys learn from adult role models

7. Leadership Development – Scouts are encouraged to learn and practice leadership skills

8. Uniform – the uniform makes the troop visible as a force for good.

Same methods as Boy Scouts but with greater emphasis on High adventure and sports.

5 Fields of Emphasis (program manager over each)

1. Personal Development: Promotes growth through spirituality, leadership abilities, citizenship, social and cultural attributes, and physical fitness.

2. Service: Should become a constant ingredient in a Varsity Scout's daily experience.

3. Advancement: The same advancement program as Boy Scouts plus the Varsity Letter and Denali Award.

4. High Adventure and Sports: Supported by 27 program features.

5. Special Programs and Events: On district, council, regional, and national levels.

1. Ideals – Venturing Oath and Code

2. Group Activities – no patrols. Success is dependent on the cooperation of all. Learning by doing in a group setting.

3. High Adventure – Provides team-building opportunities, meaningful experiences, practical leadership application, and lifelong memories

4. Recognition – Venturing awards and recognition. No merit badges or ranks advancement.

5. Adult Association – youth officers lead the crew, working closely with adult advisors.

6. Leadership – Venturing crew is lead by elected crew officers. All youth are given opportunities to learn and apply leadership skills.

7. Teaching Others – All Venturing awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned.

Activity Area

Boy Scout Outdoor Program, with emphasis on:

1.  Camping

2.  Merit Badges

3.  Advancement

4.  Outdoor Skills

5. Fun

27 program areas of High adventure and Sports, along with the option to create custom areas of focus.

Determined by Crew and/or chartered organization

6 Areas of program emphasis

1. Citizenship

2. Leadership

3. Service

4. Social Activities

5. Fitness

6. Outdoors

Structure

High structure, all working on rank advancement, Scout skills.

Less structure, during each calendar quarter each of the 5 program managers (youth) will lead activities in their assigned area with help from the adult program advisors

Very flexible organization and structure.  The boys will select their area of focus based on the interest survey.  They can spend as much time as desired on each area selected.

Uniform

Required. Boy Scout tan uniform shirt with olive pants, red shoulder loops.

Optional troop activity shirts may be worn for outdoor/sports activities.

Required. Boy Scout tan uniform shirt with olive pants, orange shoulder loops.

Optional team activity shirts may be worn for outdoor/sports activities.

Optional. If any, the crew defines the official uniform. (Crews may NOT select the Boy Scout tan uniform shirt or olive pants. Green shoulder loops are never worn on the Boy Scout uniform shirt.)

BSA offers green uniform shirt with green shoulder loops, gray pants.

Advancement Program

Ranks:
Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle.

Eagle Palms: Bronze, Gold, Silver

Merit Badges

Ranks:
Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle.

Eagle Palms: Bronze, Gold, Silver

Merit Badges

No Ranks or Merit Badges (However Scouts who already rank First Class or higher may continue to advance in the Boy Scout ranks, if desired.)

Venturing Bronze awards: (Sports, Outdoor, Arts & Hobbies, Religious Life, Sea Scout)

Expert Level Skill awards: Quest, TRUST, Ranger

Leadership/Growth Awards: Venturing Gold, Venturing Silver

Recognition

Special Awards include: Firem’n Chit, Totin’ Chip, Paul Bunyan Woodsman, as well as various awards for religious, camping, aquatic, conservation, physical fitness, emergency preparedness, trail awards, high adventure.

Same as Boy Scout recognition awards

Crew determines recognition: any significant achievement in the life of a Venturer (school, sports, arts, community, church, etc.)

Some Boy Scout recognition awards available, occasionally with different requirements.

Order of the Arrow

Eligible for election – First Class with camping requirements

Eligible for election – First Class with camping requirements

Not eligible for election, but can maintain existing membership