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Cub Scouts

 

'Do your best'

Youth Application
For kids in Kindergarten through Grade 5 and their families.

Cub Scouting is a year-round program that introduces children and their families to the world of Scouting. Boys or girls join Cub Scouting because they want to have fun! Cub Scouts’ parents, guardians, and families are vital to the success of each local Cub Scout group – or Pack.  Packs may be boy-only, girl-only, or a combination.

Cub Scouts participate in programs that build character, encourage mental and physical fitness, and teach the importance of cooperation, citizenship, and responsibility. Adult, trained leaders within each local Cub Scouts Pack plan the yearly calendar – and on top of the weekly Pack meeting, Cub Scouts and their families participate in activities to help the Scout earn a different “rank” each year.

Programs and activities include:
  • Weekly pack meetings
  • Monthly field trips
  • Camping (accompanied by a parent)
  • The Pinewood Derby
  • Service projects


Cub Scouts learn new things, discover and master new skills, gain self-confidence, and develop friendships. Along with having fun, Scouts are reminded to live according to the Scout Oath and Law: Do Their Best and Help Others. Children who have completed kindergarten but have not completed fifth grade can join a Cub Scout pack, in any grade. Cub scouts are divided by grade into Tigers, Cubs and Webelos.
Cub Scout Ranks
  • Tiger Cub - Must have completed kindergarten or be in the first grade, or be 7 age
  •               
  • Cub Scout - Must have completed first grade but not completed third grade, or be age 8 or 9.
  •       
  • Webelos Scout - Must have completed third grade but not completed fifth grade, or be  age 10 but not yet 11.
While many children join the program in August or September at the beginning of the school year, Waterloo packs are welcoming at any time of the year.​ ​

Scouting is filled with fun, adventure and values that last a lifetime. Men who were Scouts five for more years as children are expected to excel above their non-Scouting peer.

Scouting helps strengthen families by bringing parents and boys together for projects and activities. At least 90% of parents surveyed said that because of Cub Scouting, they share time with their children by
  • Working on projects together 95%
  • Going places together 91%
  • Talking together 90%
Scouting also provides structure to bring parents and their youth together for projects and activities. In the end, the most important part of Scouting projects and activities is not the projects or activities themselves – it is the valuable bond Scouts share with their parents or guardians

Participation of Siblings:
In order for boys or girls to participate in Scout activities, we recognize parents may need to bring his non-Scouting siblings. The entire family is welcome to attend and participate in almost all Cub Scout activities. 

Parents who bring other children are responsible for supervising them and making sure they do not distract from planned activities.  For Cub Scout activities, parents and siblings are welcome at unit meetings, parades, and courts of honor. Siblings do not routinely attend Boy Scout camp outs or advancement classes; parents but may attend however they are not required to do so.

How to join Cub Scouts
Each Cub Scout is part of a Pack. Waterloo has 14 Cub Scout packs (November 2022). Cub Scout packs meet immediately after school. For information on where and when each pack meets contact our District Executive.

To join Cub Scouts, a parent or guardian will, complete and sign a Cub Scout Application Form either online, or a physical copy that you can get from the afterschool coordinators. If you fill out a physical copy, return the completed forms to the Cubmaster for the pack. Scouting might charge fees for camping trips. Council and unit fundraising will help with those costs and will give a Scouts a chance to earn the money they need to participate in summer camp or other programs. PLEASE NOTE: The Capitol Area Council strongly believes money should not keep anyone from enjoying the Scouting program. If you’d like more information about this, contact our District Executive.

Parent Time Commitment for Cub Scouts:
Waterloo offers parents an opportunity to support the program with their time and talents; we encourage parent involvement at the pack and district level however, we realize that work and family responsibilities limit the ability of some parents to become involved; for this reason, Waterloo does not require parental involvement. All are welcome in the program.  For those parents who want to become adult leaders, Waterloo offers many adult training opportunities in Scouting skills.


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Scout BSA

 

Creates 'Lifelong Leaders'

Youth Application
Scouts – boys or girls – go camping, hiking, and boating, explore their interests through more than 130 Merit Badges, and learn how to lead others while working toward Scouts BSA’s highest rank: Eagle. Scouts will imagine, plan, and carry out their own service projects, bringing to life the values of being Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, and Kind. Whether it’s a fun outdoor trip or a service project close to home, Scouts often learn the greatest lessons when something does not go as planned – and figure out how to “get the job done” anyway.



For youth in Grades 6-12
Scouting is a values-based program with its own code of conduct. It is fun with a purpose.

The Scout Oath and Law help instill the values of good conduct, respect for others, and honesty. Scouts learn skills that will last a lifetime, including basic outdoor skills, first aid, citizenship skills, leadership skills, how to work with adults, and how to get along with others.

For over a century, Scouting has instilled in young men and women the values and knowledge that they will need to become leaders in their communities and country.

To accomplish this mission each District develops a program for the boys, girls and families it serves and seeks to serve.

Join a Troop

The middle school years are among the most important and often the most challenging for young adults as they grow. How he/she spends their time outside school and with whom they spends it, can significantly impact their future as a student, worker and citizen.

Scouting provides a positive environment during the middle school years where the boy or girl has an opportunity to develop leadership, self-confidence, self-reliance and success through advancement; we help do this by encouraging and supporting academic performance.

Waterloo provides each young adult with an opportunity to advance through the ranks and become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting. There are also other meaningful recognition Scouts can earn during middle school and high school.

Children who have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10 or 11 or have earned the Arrow of Light Award.

Children can join in any grade from six to twelve. While many join the program in August or September at the beginning of the school year, Waterloo troops welcomes all to join Scout BSA at any time of the year.

Some troops meet immediately after school and others meet in the evening. For information on troop meetings, contact the District Executive.
To join Scout BSA
A parent or guardian will, complete and sign a Cub Scout Application Form either online, or a physical copy that you can get from the afterschool coordinators. Scouting charges fees for membership, events and trips. Council and unit fundraising will help with those costs, and will give a Scouts a chance to earn the money he needs to participate in summer camp or other programs. PLEASE NOTE: The Capitol Area Council strongly believes money should not keep anyone from enjoying the Scouting program. If you’d like more information about this, contact our district executive.

The Scout’s Time Commitment:
During the school year Waterloo troops have weekly troop meetings, a monthly advancement class and a monthly camp out. Scouts are expected to attend as many events possible. (at least half to master the skills we teach) The program is structured to be compatible with school work and participation in sports and other church and school activities.
  • Troop Meetings:
    During the school year the troops meet once a week At least two adult Scouters are present at each troop meeting. Parents of Scouts may attend any meeting but are not required to do so. Waterloo has program plans for each troop meeting during the school year. After an opening ceremony, the Scouts will: Plan for monthly camp outs, practice skills learned at advancement class, play games, and meet with the adult leaders to review their progress on rank advancement and merit badges. Each meeting ends with a circle to recognize the Scouts’ achievements, to make announcements, and for a brief talk by a Scoutmaster.   ​
  • Monthly Camp out:
    On the third weekend of each month, Waterloo Scout BSA will go on a camp out. Most months we will leave on Friday afternoon and return around Sunday at noon. We camp a locations in Austin (e.g., Pioneer Farms, Camp Mabry, Nature Conservancy) and at locations within a 1-2 hour drive of Austin (e.g., Lost Pines Scout Reservation in Bastrop, Enchanted Rock State Park near Fredericksburg). Waterloo has the tents, cooking equipment and other camping gear the boys need including a trailer for hauling; transportation is provided with the help of parents and other adult leaders.  The camp outs provide an opportunity for Scouts to practice outdoor skills they learned at troop meetings and advancement classes including: cooking, backpacking, climbing, and nature study; increased opportunities to achieve rank and merit badge requirements occur on camp outs.  .
Parent Time Commitment:
Waterloo offers parents an opportunity to support the program with their time and talents; we encourage parent involvement at the pack and district level however, we realize that work and family responsibilities limit the ability of some parents to become involved; for this reason, Waterloo does not require parental involvement.  For those parents who want to become adult leaders, Waterloo offers many adult training opportunities in Scouting skills.


Join Waterloo District Boy Scouts
Now hiring for select positions in Waterloo
PT SCOUT LEADER


Information for Scout BSA
The Waterloo District has Scouting programs for children ages 6 to 21. The program is primarily organized by educational stages. In some instances age rather than grade determines the type of unit some Scouts will joins. Scouts 14 and over may be members of a Boy Scout troop while participating in a Venture crew, Varsity team or Explorer post.

Why join the scouts? There are many youth organizations, including sports, service clubs, fitness and educational programs. We salute them all for the work they do to help young people. Scouting unleashes its value best to young children by providing programs and activities that:
Everything you need to know about joining Cub Scouts

  • allow trying new things,
  • provide service to others,
  • build self-confidence, and
  • reinforce ethical standards
Scouting is filled with fun, adventure and values that last a lifetime. Adults who were Scouts for five or more years as children are expected to excel above their non-Scouting peers. The data suggests Scouts:
  • Graduate from high school (91% versus 87%)
  • Graduate from college (35% versus 19%)
  • Earn higher annual household incomes ($80,000 versus $61,000)
  • Have lifelong friendships (89% versus 74%)
  • Attend religious services (87% versus 77%)
Scouting helps make families stronger by bringing boys and parents together for projects and activities. At least 90% of parents surveyed said that because of Cub Scouting, they share time with their children by:
  • Working on projects together 95%
  • Going places together 91%
  • Talking together 90%
In the end, the most important part of Scouting projects and activities is not the projects or activities themselves – it is the valuable bond Scouts share with their parents or guardians.  

Language:
Waterloo strives to encourage multilingual families to join Scouting by weaving Spanish and English into all forms of communication. For scouts or parents who are best able to communicate in Spanish, all information on our websites, e-mail notifications and forms are in Spanish and English. Scout handbooks and many merit badge pamphlets are published in both languages and Waterloo will help parents obtain translations of those not yet published in Spanish. We have multilingual volunteers and professional staff available at many district and unit events.

Participation of Siblings:
In order to participate in Scout activities, we recognize parents may need to bring his non-Scouting siblings. The entire family is welcome to attend and participate in almost all Cub Scout activities. 

Parents who bring other children are responsible for supervising them and making sure they do not distract from the planned activities. For Boy Scout activities, parents and siblings are welcome at unit meetings, parades, and courts of honor. Siblings do not routinely attend Boy Scout camp outs or advancement classes; parents may attend however they are not required to do so.

Support Waterloo District Boy Scouts

Traditionally the parents in each Cub Scout pack and Boy Scout troop provide all the volunteer and financial resources for the unit. The scout district and council provide staff, facilities and other resources to support these units programs.

This approach succeeds in giving the scouting experience to many children and their families, but relying solely on this approach means many in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods never have the opportunity to benefit from the scouting program.

Basically, we are taking Scouting into Title I schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods where many have not had access to scouting.

We serve those who do not have financial resources or family support structure to be able to join and get to a weekly evening meeting.

Many of our scouts live in single parent homes raised by a mom, grandmother, aunt or older sibling who works one or two jobs to make ends meet. If these children are to have an opportunity to develop as leaders in Scouting, we need volunteer and financial support from the larger Travis County community.

This is where you come in. There are many opportunities to support the Waterloo District program, and each is further explained below.
  • We have to fit any schedule or time commitment.
  • We have opportunities for men and women of all ages, Eagle Scouts and people with no Scouting experience, people who love to camp and sleep in a tent
  • We can put to good use.
  • We need to support program staff and reduce the cost of uniforms and Scout activities for individual scouts.

    Notice we said reduce the cost. People often do not value what they receive at no cost to themselves. Each child is required to pay part of the cost of his participation through Scout fundraising activities and through his academic performance. ​
  • Donate