New to Scouting?

The Cub Scout motto is "Do Your Best". Every activity in Cub Scouting is based on Scouts doing their best. Scouts learn that they should try hard and not be discouraged when their best isn't the same as someone else's best or the same as their best on a different day.

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Scout Law has 12 points. Each is a goal for every Scout. A Scout tries to live up to the Law every day. It is not always easy to do, but a Scout always tries.

A Scout is:

• TRUSTWORTHY. Tell the truth and keep promises. People can depend on you.

• LOYAL. Show that you care about your family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and country.

• HELPFUL. Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward.

• FRIENDLY. Be a friend to everyone, even people who are very different from you.

• COURTEOUS. Be polite to everyone and always use good manners.

• KIND. Treat others as you want to be treated. Never harm or kill any living thing without good reason.

• OBEDIENT. Follow the rules of your family, school, and pack. Obey the laws of your community and country.

• CHEERFUL. Look for the bright side of life. Cheerfully do tasks that come your way. Try to help others be happy.

• THRIFTY. Work to pay your own way. Try not to be wasteful. Use time, food, supplies, and natural resources wisely.

• BRAVE. Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid. Do what you think is right despite what others might be doing or saying.

• CLEAN. Keep your body and mind fit. Help keep your home and community clean.

• REVERENT. Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties. Respect the beliefs of others.

The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

The four Aims of Scouting are Character, Citizenship, Personal Fitness, and Leadership.

To acheive these aims, Cub Scouts use seven key methods:

• LIVING THE IDEALS. Cub Scouting’s values are embedded in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Cub Scout motto, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, and salute. These practices help establish and reinforce the program’s values in Scouts and the leaders who guide them.

• BELONGING TO A DEN. The den is the place where Cub Scouting starts. In the den, Cub Scouts develop new skills and interests, they practice sportsmanship and good citizenship, and they learn to do their best, not just for themselves but for the den as well.

• ADVANCEMENT. Recognition is important to everyone. The advancement plan provides fun for the Scouts, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members and their den leader work with them on advancement projects.

• FAMILY INVOLVEMENT. Whether a Cub Scout lives with two parents or one, a foster family, or other relatives, their family is an important part of Cub Scouting. Parents and adult family members provide leadership and support for Cub Scouting and help ensure that Scouts have a good experience in the program.

• ACTIVITIES. Cub Scouts participate in a huge array of activities, including games, projects, skits, stunts, songs, outdoor activities, trips, and more. Besides being fun, these activities offer opportunities for growth, achievement, and family involvement.

• SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Cub Scouting focuses on the home and neighborhood through activities and community service projects. It helps Scouts strengthen connections to their local communities, which in turn supports their growth and development.

• UNIFORM. Cub Scout uniforms serve a dual purpose, demonstrating that a Scout is part of a team and showing individual achievement (Scouts wear the badges they’ve earned). Wearing the uniform to meetings and activities also encourages a neat appearance and good behavior.

Like any other group, Scouting has its own language. Here are some of the more common terms that you may hear.

• Advancement. The process of moving up through Scout ranks.

• Adventure.  An activity or series of activities that Scouts complete to learn new skills and advance in rank. When Scouts complete an adventure, they are awarded a corresponding belt loop or pin.

• Arrow of Light (AOL). The highest rank in Cub Scouting.

• Blue and Gold Banquet. The pack's annual commemoration of Scouting's anniversary. The whole pack gets together, shares dinner, and celebrates the Scouts' successes.

• Bridging (or Crossover). A ceremony where the oldest Cub Scouts transition from our pack to a Scouts BSA troop.

• Chartered Organization. The private organization chartered by Scouting America to operate the pack. Our chartered organization is Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Schick-Ogle Post 4278 Camas-Washougal.

• Class "A". A Scout's regular uniform, worn to most meetings and events. Consists of a collared Cub Scout shirt with rank patches and other items. (Also known as the "field uniform". See Uniforms for more.)

• Class "B". A Scout's activity uniform. Consists of a Cub Scout t-shirt and other items. (See Uniforms for more.)

• Committee Chair. The registered adult volunteer leader who organizes and runs the pack committee.

• Council. The Scouting America-chartered organization that runs Scouting (Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts, Venturing) in a given area. Our council is the Cascade Pacific Council, which covers southwest Washington and northern Oregon.

• Cubmaster. The registered adult volunteer leader who runs the day-to-day operations of the pack.

• Den. A small group of Scouts, ideally 6 to 8 of the same grade level, who meet together for adventures.

• Den Leader. The registered adult volunteer leader who organizes and runs den meetings.

• District. A sub-group of the council that provides support to Scouting at a more local level. Our district is the Spirit Lake District, comprising all Scouting units in the general area of Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, and Ridgefield.

• Pack. The group of dens of all ages that meets for monthly meetings and special events.

• Pack Committee. The registered adult volunteers who plan the pack's annual budget and activities. Includes the Chair, Chartered Organization Representative, Treasurer, Cubmaster, and others as needed.

• Pinewood Derby. An annual Cub Scout tradition dating back to the 1950s where Scouts build and race simple cars from a block of wood to explore their creativity, get some hands-on experience with STEM, and engage in friendly competition.

• Raingutter Regatta. A light-hearted event where Scouts build simple model sailboats and race them in a rain gutter.

• Rank. A Scout's status in the pack. Scouts work on earning their rank with other Scouts of the same age.

• Scoutbook. The official website used to organize the pack's activities. It is used to track advancement, send e-mails to parents, and schedule events. (See Scoutbook for more.)

• Scouts BSA. The Scouting America program for kids in grades 6 to 12.

• Troop. The basic unit of Scouts BSA. A troop is to Scouts BSA what a pack is to Cub Scouts.

• Webelos. Short for "We'll Be Loyal Scouts", this is the second-highest rank in Cub Scouts.

• Youth Protection. One of the programs we use to keep Scouts safe at all times. YPT is the associated training that all registered leaders (and interested parents) take.