Parent Guide

Scouts BSA Troop 2
East Lansing, Michigan

Chief Okemos District
Michigan Crossroads Council

Troop 2 is a chartered organization of
The Peoples Church - Interdenominational
200 W. Grand River, East Lansing, MI.



TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to Troop 2!
What Does a Scout Do in Troop 2?
Costs
Organization
Advancement


Welcome to Troop 2!
By becoming a parent of a Scout, you are setting your youth out on the grand adventure of Scouting. This is a tremendously important and rewarding endeavor that you will be able to share with them.

What Does a Scout Do in Troop 2?
Weekly Troop/Patrol Meetings
Every Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Meetings are held at Peoples Church - Interdenominational.
Scouts work on rank advancement and merit badge activities.
Each Tuesday meeting includes scout-led Patrol break-out sessions.
Weekly meetings are not held during summer break.

Monthly Campouts
Troop 2 loves to camp. September through May, each month features a weekend campout or other activity.

Service Projects
In addition to weekly meetings and monthly camp activities, Troop 2 scouts develop a sense of citizenship and strengthen their community by participating in special Service Projects throughout the year.

Courts of Honor
Troop 2 conducts a Court of Honor once each quarter to recognize Scout advancements and awards. The Court of Honor is a public ceremony, and is a chance for the Scouts to be recognized for their achievements. Families and all other interested individuals are encouraged to attend.

Summer Activities
Each summer, scouts can attend a week-long camp where they work on rank advancement, merit badges, and have a lot of fun. Troop Summer Camp also provides the opportunity to meet scouts from other troops, get valuable leadership experience, and enjoy the great outdoors.

Older scouts (usually age 14-up) may embark on a High Adventure Expedition with Venture Crew 2! Expeditions have included backpacking and hiking trips across Isle Royale, Porcupine Mountains, the Smoky Mountains or the Adirondacks. We have taken canoe trips on the AuSable, Manistee rivers, and have been to the Algonquin Canoe Expedition and to Boundary Waters. Our only limits are what our scouts can plan and prepare themselves for their next challenge.

Fundraising
Additional funds are raised by the scouts through various fundraising activities. The Troop plans to do two to three major fundraising projects a year. Fund-raisers are designed so that once the Troop budget is met, additional funds raised by your youth will be put into their individual account to defray scouting costs.

Venture Crew 2
Scouts BSA Troop 2 is affiliated with Venture Crew 2. Venturing is for young men and young women ages 14 to 20. It includes challenging high-adventure activities, sports, and hobbies for teenagers. Troop 2 and Venture Crew 2 collaborate on service projects and participate jointly in several activities throughout the year.

A note about adult supervision
Two registered adult leaders, or one adult leader and a Scout parent, both of whom must be at least 21 years of age, are present at all troop meetings, trips or outings. This is a BSA requirement. Registered Leaders and any Scout parents attending trips/outings or in regular contact with youth must complete Peoples Church's background check before driving or working with youth.


Costs
How much does Scouting cost? The annual registration fee is paid each fall to officially enroll the Scout in the local Troop and the national Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization. Other costs through the course of scouting include fees for special activities and uniform purchases. The Troop/Crew 2 Committee sets the final registration fee amount each year after determining the level of fundraising and support the organization can provide to offset the fees set by national Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization.

Annual Registration Fee - $85
The annual membership fee for each Scout in Troop 2 is applied by the troop toward:
  • National BSA membership
  • Insurance
  • Troop membership costs, including badges, awards, troop-supplied materials, equipment, adult leadership training and other operating expenses incurred by the Troop.
Scout Life magazine subscription - $15 - optional
Scout Life is a monthly magazine popular with Scouts, and filled with ideas for activities and outings. Subscriptions are optional and are processed with the annual registration.

Fees for Outings / Activities - varies
Campouts and other activities may have fees associated with them. Here are some approximate costs of special events in a typical year.
  • Monthly weekend campout - for food and supplies, $8/day plus transportation costs.
  • Camporees - district-wide weekend events, $15-$25
  • Summer Camp - one week, $350
  • High Adventures/Long weekends, $250-$300

Uniform and Handbook - $30 to $40
Each scout is required to have the Scout Handbook and is provided one by Troop 2 upon crossing into the troop.

Scout "Class A" and "Class B" required uniform items are listed at : http://troop2el.org/?docs/UniformPolicy.html
Troop 2 provides each new scout with a required Troop 2 neckerchief, slide and shoulder loops upon crossing into the troop. Merit Badge, rank and other advancements are also provided when the scout has achieved them. Other uniform items such as hats, belts and scout pants are available at scout shops and are considered optional by Troop 2 - please see link above for what clothing is worn when.

Camperships are available
Troop/Crew 2, Chief Okemos District and Michigan Crossroads Council may have scholarships available to assist Scouts in meeting the costs of participation in some activities. Requests for scholarship consideration are treated confidentially.



Organization

Troop 2 is a participating member of the Chief Okemos District of the Michigan Crossroads Council, Boy Scouts of America. The Troop's organization consists of Scouts BSA Boy Troop 2, Scouts BSA Girl Troop 2, BSA Venturing Crew 2, a Chartered Organization, a Troop Committee, and the Troop's Parents.

The Scouts BSA Troop
The Troop is a group made up of several patrols. Each Patrol usually consists of a Patrol Leader and about seven Scouts. The scouts in a patrol elect their Patrol Leader who in turn appoints the Assistant Patrol Leader.

The Patrol Leaders, with the Senior Patrol Leader as their head, form the Patrol Leaders' Council, which plans the activities and runs the Troop meetings.

Chartered Organization (Sponsor)
Every Scouts BSA Troop belongs to an organization. The Chartered Organization for Troop 2 is The Peoples Church Interdenominational of East Lansing. The Chartered Organization shares our objectives for the youth and ensures that there is adequate, trained leadership. A Chartered Organization Representative acts as a liaison between Troop 2 and The Peoples Church.

Troop Committee

The Troop Committee functions as an administration and support organization for the Troop. The Troop Committee takes care of non-program issues surrounding the Troop. For example: newsletters, Troop funds, fund raising activities, membership drives and Troop coordination, activity permits and coordination, advancement records, procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment.

The Committee meets monthly. Meetings are open and attendance by all parents is encouraged.

The Scoutmaster

The Scoutmaster works directly with the Scouts. The Scoutmaster is responsible for helping the scouts with their planning of the year's program, give adequate opportunity for rank advancement and merit badge completion, guidance, train the leadership, train and guide the Assistant Scoutmaster team.

Troop 2 also has a team of Assistant Scoutmasters to support the Scoutmaster. Each ASM has a specific role, such as Patrol Advisor. They might rotate leadership for a campout or guide a particular project that they have undertaken in support of the scouts.

Troop Parents
The role of parents within Troop 2 is to be supportive of the Troop's efforts and to provide the atmosphere Scouts need to learn and excel. Parents should try to:

1. Read their Scout's handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting.
2. Actively follow their Scout's progress and offer encouragement and a push when needed.
3. Show support to both the individual Scout and the Troop by attending all Troop Courts of Honor.
4. Assist in Troop fund-raisers and other such activities.
5. Be aware of the Troop Events Calendar.
6. Consider serving as Merit Badge Counselor in areas in which they have specialized knowledge and skills.
7. Become a registered adult member of the Troop.
The Venturing Crew 2

Venturing is a BSA program designed for young men and women ages 14 -20 to provide positive experiences to help young people mature, make ethical lifetime choices and prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Crew 2 is focusing on acquiring skills in the area of high adventure, sports, hobbies and providing social time in a supportive, caring and fun environment. While the "Crew" is a separate group chartered by Peoples Church, the administrative functions are integrated with Troop 2. The age appropriate youth in Troop 2 are encouraged to register in the Crew to fully participate in all the age appropriate offerings the Troop and Crew have to offer. Additionally, Crew 2 camps, participates in fundraising, and other activities along with Troop 2.



Advancement

The Troop advancement program provides a ladder of skills that Scouts climbs at their own pace. As they acquire these skills they moves up through a series of ranks, for which they are awarded badges. Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. The higher the Scout climbs the more challenging the tasks -- and the more rewarding.

Details for advancement are contained in the Scouts BSA Handbook, which every Scout should obtain as soon as possible after joining the Troop. Take a look at the Introduction Chapter.

Merit Badges
The goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout's areas of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults in a chosen subject. Merit badges are earned by a Scout working with a registered merit badge counselor.

All parents of scouts are encouraged to become Merit Badge Counselors. Please fill in a Troop Resource Survey form and return it to a Troop Leader.

Boards of Review
When a Scout has completed all the requirements for a rank, they appear before a Board of Review composed of members of the Troop Committee. Boards of Review are scheduled for the first Troop meeting of the month. The purpose of the review is not an examination. Rather it is to determine the Scout's attitude and acceptance of Scouting's ideals; to ensure that the requirements have been met for advancement, to discuss the Scout's experiences in the Troop and the Troop's program, and to encourage them to keep working towards advancement. A Board of Review may also be held to counsel a scout about his lack of progress toward advancement.