Joining Paperwork and Forms
Welcome to the Boy Scouts of America and to St. Thomas Troop 8! We hope you will decide to become a member of our organization, and join us for meetings, activities, outings, and a lot of fun. By now we expect you’ve read all the other information on our program, and you know all about our extensive outings, the kinds of things we can help you learn about the outdoors and other fun hobbies, and the sort of service work we perform. If you’re still interested, we’d like to welcome you aboard!
In order to do that, though, we have to ask you to take care of some paperwork and agree to a few things which we feel are important to what we do. Don’t worry, they’re not too hard! And if you have any questions, call us!
The requirements
In order to join Troop 8 and the Boy Scouts, you must be nearly done with 5th grade and fulfill each of the following requirements (see the Scout Handbook). Troop 8 generally accepts new scouts only in the spring (or early fall for older boys). Troop 8 does not accept transfer ranks above First Class. To participate in ANY outing while you work on finishing the requirements, you MUST have the first two steps completed and returned to the scoutmaster:
- Turn in a health report & medical history form signed by your parent.
- Have your parent sign and return an outings permission slip.
- Turn in a completed and signed Boy Scout application form. Make sure both you and your parents sign!
- Your parents must come to an orientation meeting for new parents, and read through the document Notes on Religious Values in Scouting.
- After you have done all of the steps above, have a personal meeting with the scoutmaster called a “scoutmaster’s conference.”
Boys who are joining Boy Scouts for the first time (as opposed to transferring from another troop) must also do the following (which webelos scouts will recognize from the Arrow of Light requirements).
- With your parent(s), complete the exercises on protecting yourself from child abuse and drug abuse.
- Repeat the Pledge of Allegiance
- Demonstrate the Scout salute, sign, and handshake.
- Show how to tie a square knot.
- Understand, be able to explain, and agree to live by the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout motto, the Scout slogan, and the Outdoor Code.
- Describe the Scout badge and what it means.
At your scoutmaster conference, the scoutmaster will ask you about these things as part of the conference. You should also bring your Scout Handbook, so it can be signed officially!
