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Photos: http://hollistroop12.smugmug.com Password is the same as the T12 Web site. Introduction The Boy Scouts Of America is designed to develop self-confidence, self-reliance, discipline and leadership abilities in boys as they mature into young men. The overall aim is for them to have fun as they are introduced to the responsibilities of citizenship, practice the principles of leadership and are exposed to a wide variety of hobbies, vocations and outdoor skills. Organization Troop 12 is one of many troops in the Nashua area belonging to the Arrowhead District. Eight such districts throughout New Hampshire make up the Daniel Webster Council, headquartered in Manchester. The combination of all the Councils across the United States make up the Boy Scouts of America national organization. Each District conducts training and outdoors programs such as camporees, Klondike derbies, Scouter Training etc. while the Council operates summer camps, maintains advancement records and makes available supplies. The troop program is managed by the Scoutmaster who is aided by one or more Assistant Scoutmasters. They coordinate the program, train boy leaders and act as counselors to the scouts. They report to the Troop Committee -- a group of registered adults headed by the Committee Chairman. The Committee provides support to the troop in areas such as advancement records, long range plans, chartered organization liaison, treasury and boards of review. The scouts are organized into patrols comprised of 6 - 12 scouts each. Each Patrol elects their own Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader during the semi-annual elections. All the scouts in the troop then elect a Senior Patrol Leader and an Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. The Senior Patrol Leader is the senior boy leader and heads the Patrol Leader Council (PLC) made up of all the patrol Leaders. The PLC establishes and operates the troop program by gathering ideas from the patrol members, planning the schedule and carrying out the plan. Other troop leadership positions are usually appointed by the Scoutmaster including Troop Scribe, Troop Chaplain's Aide, Quartermaster, Historian, Librarian, Troop Guides and Instructors. Meetings Troop meetings are held on Tuesday evenings throughout the school year except during holidays, school vacations, and during July and August. The meetings are held in Hardy Hall at the Congregational Church (Our charted sponsoring organization) at 7:00 P.M. unless otherwise announced. An evening's agenda usually begins with an opening flag ceremony followed by announcements. Then a short patrol meeting is held to plan upcoming events and to aid in communication of activities. The rest of the evening is rounded out by advancement training, general skills instruction, competitions, or with a guest speaker. We finish with a closing ceremony at about 8:30 P.M. Outdoor Program Outdoor activities such as camporees, campouts, field trips, troop swims, hikes, and ski trips are held about once a month at various locations with the aide of parents who help provide supervision and transportation. An active outdoor program is considered by many as the focal point toward which all other scout activities merge. Many of scouting's skills are directly related to learning to live in and comfortably enjoy the outdoors. Consequently, the advancement to First class rank is very dependent on and closely tied to the level of involvement the scout has in this part of the program. Summer Camp Scouts are encouraged to attend summer camp where they are able to learn new skills, earn merit badges, meet new people and build self-confidence while away from home in a supervised and safe environment. In short, they continue the process of having fun while learning and partaking in experiences they will remember throughout their lives. Summer camp is a place where aquatic skills such as swimming, lifesaving, rowing, small boat sailing etc. are emphasized. Many of the more difficult merit badges such as environmental science, soil and water conservation, cooking, wilderness survival etc. are best earned at summer camp where trained instructors and environments are available. The troop is able to defray the first week of camp expenses through our campership program for those who could not otherwise attend camp because of financial reasons. Service to the Community One of the main objectives of the scouting program is to help instill in each scout a sense of community and belonging to a larger group beyond his family or school. One of the ways to begin this life-long process is to have the scout participate in service projects within our local community. Such projects include helping with roadside clean-up in town, the annual Scouting for Food program, Spring fix-up projects at our chartered organization, by caroling with senior citizens at Christmas and with other opportunities that arise. Through these events, each scout learns to give his time and talents to help others and to promote the good of the community without necessarily expecting something in return beyond that good feeling of helping out. Obviously, parents and other family members are invited and always welcome to join along with us. Scout Equipment The troop presents the new scout with his troop neckerchief in an induction ceremony during a court-of-honor. Replacement neckerchiefs may be purchased from the troop thereafter. The scout needs a minimum of outdoor equipment to start his scouting career since the troop is able to loan him many of the optional camping items he will need other than personal gear which is listed below. Before each campout, a permission form and required equipment list for that event will be given to each scout. The following are the required minimum items for each scout to have. Troop Meetings
Camping
Troop Equipment Major camping equipment is signed out by the Quartermaster through the Patrol Leaders. Each patrol is responsible for returning equipment to the Quartermaster as soon as possible after the end of each event with all parts intact and in as good or better condition than when it was received. This means that cooking gear will be returned clean and that tents will be returned both clean and dry. Advancement There are three levels of recognition in advancement: rank badges, merit badges and skill certificates. Rank badges are awarded at each step on the trail to Eagle. They are: Scout, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle. As listed in the Scout Handbook, each has specific requirements for skills, leadership, outdoors events, service and living the Scout Spirit. the scout will be given instruction and practice in the various skills but he will be required to know each skill since they are what he will rely on during outdoor events. Merit badges which are required for the senior scout rank advancements (beyond First Class) are earned in one of three ways: 1. Through occasional troop sponsored advancement classes; 2. At summer camp; and 3) by following the procedures in the Scout Handbook describing how individual scouts may work on their own with a merit badge counselor. Lists of approved counselors are available from the Advancement Chairman. Skill certificates are awarded as certain basic skills are mastered and for achieving significant objectives. These include among others: Totin'chip, Fire'n chit, Paul Bunyan, Mile Swim, Snorkeling BSA and Fifty Miler among others. Religious awards may be earned by scouts according to the requirements of their particular religious denomination. Adult Help The Scoutmaster, his assistants and the Troop Committee are all usually recruited from the parents of scouts in the troop or from interested adults in the community. the Troop Committee meets monthly and all meetings are open to parents who are encouraged to attend. Scouting is a family affair and the interest and participation of each boy's parents is vital to their son's success and enjoyment of the program. Adults are always needed as counselors, skills instructors or as guest speakers at troop meetings. Parents can help as "patrol parents" on outings or as volunteer drivers. Each parent cannot attend all functions so, obviously, if parents share this responsibility, everyone benefits. A strong, interested and supportive parent group is the mainstay of a thriving troop and provides the best possibility that each boy will receive the maximum benefit from the program. Finances The troop collects all dues once a year at the beginning of the season in September. these cover annual registration, Boy's Life magazine, awards, patches, insurance, refreshments etc. for the entire year. Larger expenses such as camperships, leader registration and training fees, troop equipment etc are funded through several fundraisers held each year by the troop members. These consists of troop suppers and other occasional events. Summer camp and larger events such as our annual White Mountain trek and the bi-annual Big Trip are paid for separately as the occasion occurs. Contacting Troop 12 Troop Committee members can be contacted for more detailed information on Troop 12 activities and policies, or, you can attend one of our regular troop meetings held every Tuesday evening in Hardy Hall in the Hollis Congregational Church. For more information and feedback about this site send mail to: hollistroop12@gmail.com. Please include your full name and a phone number where you can be reached. |
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