Boy Scouts Of America

THE MISSION OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA IS TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE ETHICAL CHOICES OVER THEIR LIFETIMES BY INSTILLING IN THEM THE VALUES OF THE SCOUT OATH AND LAW.

TRADITIONAL SCOUTING - SEE SCHEDULE OTHE SCOUTING PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING:LION SCOUTS - A FUN INTRODUCTION TO THE SCOUTING PROGRAM FOR KINDERGARTEN-AGE YOUTH EAGER TO GET GOING! LIONS DO ADVENTURES WITH THEIR ADULT PARTNERS AND OTHER LIONS EVERY MONTH. THIS PROGRAM INTRODUCES YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES TO SCOUTING AND THE OUTDOORS AS IT BUILDS A FOUNDATION OF CHARACTER. A LION DEN IS PART OF THE CUB SCOUT PACK.TIGER SCOUTS - ONE-YEAR, FAMILY-ORIENTED PROGRAM FOR A GROUP OF TEAMS, EACH CONSISTING OF A FIRST-GRADE (OR 7-YEAR-OLD) BOY OR GIRL AND AN ADULT PARTNER (USUALLY A PARENT). A TIGER DEN IS PART OF THE CUB SCOUT PACK.CUB SCOUTING - FAMILY- AND COMMUNITY-CENTERED APPROACH TO LEARNING CITIZENSHIP, COMPASSION, AND COURAGE THROUGH SERVICE PROJECTS, CEREMONIES, GAMES, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES PROMOTING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS.SCOUTS BSA (FORMERLY NAMED BOY SCOUTS) - WITH THE SCOUT OATH AND SCOUT LAW AS GUIDES, AND THE SUPPORT OF PARENTS AND RELIGIOUS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, SCOUTS DEVELOP AN AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THEIR ROLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND BECOME WELL-ROUNDED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THROUGH THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM. SCOUTS PROGRESS IN RANK THROUGH ACHIEVEMENTS, GAIN ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EARN MERIT BADGES THAT INTRODUCE A LIFELONG HOBBY OR A REWARDING CAREER.VENTURING - PROVIDES EXPERIENCES TO HELP YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, AGES 13 OR 14 WITH COMPLETION OF THE EIGHTH GRADE THROUGH AGE 20, BECOME MATURE, RESPONSIBLE, CARING ADULTS. YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND PARTICIPATE IN CHALLENGING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING HAVING ACCESS TO BOY SCOUT CAMPING PROPERTIES, A RECOGNITION PROGRAM, AND YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING. STARTING IN 2018, FAMILIES CAN CHOOSE TO SIGN UP THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO ARE AGES 5-10 FOR CUB SCOUTS. CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS MAY CHOOSE TO ESTABLISH A NEW GIRL PACK, ESTABLISH A PACK THAT CONSISTS OF GIRL DENS AND BOY DENS OR REMAIN AN ALL-BOY PACK. CUB SCOUT DENS WILL BE SINGLE GENDER - ALL BOYS OR ALL GIRLS. USING THE SAME CURRICULUM AS THE BOY SCOUTING PROGRAM, SCOUTS BSA LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 2019, ENABLING ALL ELIGIBLE YOUTH AGES 11-17, TO EARN THE EAGLE SCOUT RANK. SCOUTS BSA IS A SINGLE GENDER - ALL-GIRL TROOPS OR ALL-BOY TROOPS. THIS UNIQUE APPROACH ALLOWS THE ORGANIZATION TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE SINGLE-GENDER MODEL WHILE ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S FAMILIES.THE SAM HOUSTON AREA COUNCIL SERVED 26,800 REGISTERED YOUTH IN THE TRADITIONAL SCOUTING PROGRAMS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 36% OF THESE YOUTH ARE CONSIDERED "AT RISK." THE SAM HOUSTON AREA COUNCIL IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN SCOUTING, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, NEIGHBORHOOD, OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND. OUR SCOUTREACH INITIATIVE GIVES SPECIAL LEADERSHIP AND EMPHASIS TO ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED YOUTH VIA NON-TRADITIONAL METHODS. THROUGH CARING, WELL-TRAINED, PAID LEADERSHIP AND WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS WHO WILL PROVIDE A SAFE, REGULAR MEETING PLACE, SCOUTREACH DELIVERS A SCOUTING PROGRAM TO OUR MOST NEEDY YOUTH IN HOUSTON'S INNER-CITY NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENCOURAGES PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, BUT IS FULLY SUBSIDIZED BY THE COUNCIL'S ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. IN 2021, THIS AMOUNTED TO $553,313.

LEARNING FOR LIFE/EXPLORING PROGRAMS - SEE SCHEDULE OEXPLORING IS A WORKSITE-BASED PROGRAM. IT IS PART OF LEARNING FOR LIFE'S CAREER EDUCATION PROGRAM ALSO FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE 14 (AND HAVE COMPLETED THE EIGHTH GRADE) THROUGH 20 YEARS OLD. EXPLORING'S PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE EXPERIENCES THAT HELP YOUNG PEOPLE MATURE AND TO PREPARE THEM TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE AND CARING ADULTS. EXPLORERS ARE READY TO INVESTIGATE THE MEANING OF INTERDEPENDENCE IN THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITIES. EXPLORING IS BASED ON A UNIQUE AND DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUTH AND THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INITIATE A SPECIFIC EXPLORER POST BY MATCHING THEIR PEOPLE AND PROGRAM RESOURCES TO THE INTERESTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE RESULT IS A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES THAT HELPS YOUTH PURSUE THEIR SPECIAL INTERESTS, GROW, AND DEVELOP. EXPLORING PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON FIVE AREAS OF EMPHASIS: CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, LIFE SKILLS, CITIZENSHIP, CHARACTER EDUCATION, AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE. IN 2021, THE SAM HOUSTON AREA COUNCIL HAD 163 YOUTH IN 18 EXPLORING POSTS PARTICIPATING IN THE EXPLORING PROGRAM.IN 2021, SCOUTING SHOWED ITS RESILIENCE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. NAVIGATING THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT AFFECTED OUR LOCAL AREA, STATE, NATION, AND WORLD, THE BENEFITS OF SCOUTING WERE STILL PRESENT AND EFFECTIVE TO OUR AREA'S YOUTH. THE PROGRAMS OF SCOUTING CONTINUE TO OFFER VARIED OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH YOUTH TO BE STRONG IN CHARACTER, HAVE SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND GROW IN THEIR LEADERSHIP ABILITIES.THE SAM HOUSTON AREA COUNCIL ALSO ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING DURING 2021:* 26,800 TOTAL YOUTH SERVED* 10,206 REGISTERED ADULT VOLUNTEER LEADERS* 692 CUB SCOUT PACKS, SCOUTS BSA TROOPS, AND VENTURING CREWS* 7,851 CUB SCOUTS PARTICIPATED IN A CAMPING EXPERIENCE* 8,417 SCOUTS BSA MEMBERS AND VENTURERS PARTICIPATED IN A LONG-TERM CAMPING OR HIGH ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE * 17,218 CUB SCOUT RANKS EARNED* 7,082 SCOUTS BSA MEMBERS RANKS EARNED* 944 SCOUTS BSA MEMBERS ATTAINED RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT* 231,478 ESTIMATED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS PROVIDEDAS A KEY MEASURE OF OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND FINANCIAL HEALTH, THE SAM HOUSTON AREA COUNCIL WAS AWARDED THE DESIGNATION AS AN ACCREDITED CHARITY BY THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, EARNED THE SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY GOLD LEVEL BY GUIDESTAR, AND ACHIEVED A 4-STAR RATING BY CHARITY NAVIGATOR, THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING FOR THE 9TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.