About Us
BSA Troop 1776 for boys was founded in 2013 within the Alpine District of the Greater Colorado Council and chartered through Mountain Foothills Rotary Club. The Troop serves local area youth from grades 5-12, ages 10-18. The Troop is led by experienced Scouts and veteran Scout leaders through the support of the Greater Colorado Council, parents, and volunteers. The Troop is proud to provide an outdoor based program, providing the Scouts the opportunity to grow and advance through scouting. Troop 1776 meets on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30 pm at Kittredge Community Association Building, 26499 Mowbray Court, Kittredge, CO 80457. If you are interested in joining the Troop or just want to see what Scouting is all about, please join us at a Troop meeting. Please check our calendar for meeting information. Troop 1776 is part of the of the Greater Colorado Council. We are a Scout Led Troop What is a “Scout Led” Troop? Simply put, a completely Scout led Troop is one in which no adult does a job that it is possible for a Scout to do. “Scout Led” is not like an on/off switch. It is a spectrum that can vary due to the maturity and culture of the Troop. Our goal is to encourage Scout leadership with every action we take for the Troop. Why is Troop 1776 working hard to be as “Scout Led” as possible? Because that’s how the founder of Boy Scouts said a Troop should be run. “Training boy leaders to run their Troop is the Scoutmaster’s most important job. Train Scouts to do a job, then let them do it. Never do anything a boy can do.” Sir Robert Baden-Powell “Empowering boys to be leaders is the core of Scouting. Scouts learn by doing, and what they do is lead their patrols and their Troop. The boys themselves develop a Troop program, then take responsibility for figuring out how they will achieve the goals. One of our most important challenges is to train boy leaders to run the Troop by providing direction, coaching and support. The boys will make mistakes now and then and will rely upon the adult leaders to guide them. But only through real hands-on experience as leaders can boys learn to lead.” - Scoutmaster’s Handbook 2008 printing Chapter 3 ‘The Boy Lead Troop’ Scout-led advantages: Scouts learn critical planning skills Scouts learn to lead in a safe environment. Scouts learn from mistakes Scouts learn to lead others and work in teams. Scouts learn respect when treated with respect Many Scouts begin their journey in Cub Scouts. Parents run the show there. Scouts get to show up, do something fun, learn some cool stuff, eat some snacks and earn awards. When Webelos transition to a Scouts BSA Troop, the transition can sometimes be a jarring experience for both the Scouts and the parents. In the Troop meeting, they see the older Scouts standing in front of the Troop, with the Scoutmaster sitting off to the side. The parents are in the back of the room or in another room entirely. The lack of parental involvement in the meeting might encourage some rambunctious behavior – that is soon corrected by the examples set by the other Scouts. It can be rather intimidating for a new Scout, thinking that someday he will be called on to help run the Troop. He will help to make decisions that he’s only seen adults make. He will begin by taking part in patrol decisions. He will take on smaller roles, and he will make mistakes. He will learn, and as he learns he will gain confidence. If he stays with it, and the adults do their jobs correctly, he will experience moments that are wonderful to behold – the smile and look of pride when he leads other Scouts in a successful project. That smile, that look of pride and that Scout standing a little taller is what a Scout Led Troop is all about. |
What is the Adult role in a Scout Led Troop? Parent support and involvement is essential. Unlike the full parent involvement in Cub Scouts, parents are asked to become much less involved with their own child and more within the structure of the Troop as a committee member or assistant Scoutmaster. There are numerous jobs that any parent can volunteer to take on, some small and some large. History has shown that parental involvement in the Troop at any level greatly increases the excitement level and participation of the Scout. Regardless of the task, a Scout loves to hear their own parent say “I need to take a little time to finish up what I promised I’d do at the last Troop meeting”. All parents should understand the structure of the Troop. There is a “chain of command” within the youth leadership and also within the adult leadership. The Scoutmaster and the Assistant Scoutmasters: The Scoutmaster is in charge of the program being provided to the Scouts. The Assistant Scoutmasters help with that task. They need to work together with the parents and the other leaders toward the Scout-led goal. The Scouts should understand that they have only as much authority as allowed by the adults, especially the Scoutmaster, and need to show the appropriate respect for the adults in their lives. Adults should show respect by not interrupting or criticizing the youth leadership during a Troop meeting, no matter how badly things may be going. Instead, the adults should praise youth leaders in public when they do well, which helps boost both their confidence and the Troop’s faith in them. If the Troop believes in their Senior Patrol Leader, they will treat him with respect and listen to him more readily, which in turn makes the Troop run more smoothly. The time for critique is after the meeting, in private. The Troop Committee, led by the Committee Chair: From The Fast Start Guide to Scouting: “If you haven't been involved in Scouting, you may think that the whole organization is the Scoutmaster and the youth members. The truth is, the success of the Troop depends on a lot of adult volunteers who work behind the scenes to make it all happen. The Troop committee is like a support committee —volunteers who actually handle the business end of running the Troop.” The Troop Committee oversees the program being provided to the Scouts by working with the Scoutmaster. As a parent, what can I do? This is not the normal call for volunteers that you might hear from other organizations. You are reading this because you see value in the Scouting program for your son. The program can only be provided by adults taking care of the tasks that the Scouts cannot do. Some tasks take only a few minutes and minimal effort. Scouts get the most out of the program when they see their parents’ commitment to the Troop by being involved. Asking “How can I help” will directly and immediately increase your son’s positive attitude and commitment to Scouting. |