Finding a Venture Crew

[Karen_216 10]

Hi,

I'm a CM for cub scouts and do all the fun stuff with my son-actually most outings my whole family goes which includes my 13 year old daughter. She has also helped in the past at den meetings- taught the tigers about the weather and then some sort of game. We did the brownie thing in 2nd and 3rd grade and then her troop dissolved and I did not persue another troop for her or form one as i was kind of disapointed in the GS program-- that's another story.

To cut to the chase since she likes hiking and Kayaking (not w/ the cubs!!), is interested in paleontolgy and geology and has been on some family camping and even did a week at girl scout camp, I wanted to persue Venturing. I spoke with her about it and she seemed to be interested (or as interested as she at 13 shows anything .

We are lucky to have a number of crews in our area.The council has been having V weeks and other venturing specific events, I know they need to be 14 and finished 8th grade to start-- how soon is it to start looking around and what do we look for in a crew??

Also- do they have ranks or just the few awards they can earn??

 

[John-in-KC 311]

You didn't mention where she was in terms of finishing 8th grade. I'd let that be the trigger. I believe also there is a 15 and no grade option as well (emb021, can you validate??)...

 

I'd let her see the various Crews now. Get her ready.

 

Advancement is not a Method of Venturing. Recognition is. The awards are more focused than the ranks of Boy Scouting, and imo, they can be more difficult to attain. Much depends on whether a Crew uses the BSA system of recognition. Some Crews are tied into other activities, and there is an already existing recognition system. They end up using that.

 

Here's to her having fun on the trail

[Karen_216 10]

She'll be in 8th grade NEXT year. Her birthday is in April. They finish up in June. I've been seeing so many advertisings around and I see Venturers at some council evetns and round table. I was going to talk to a fellow I see around at he last Rt but the scouters split up before I could.

My nephew who's in Boy Scouts is training for Philmont w/ a venture crew right now.

[John-in-KC 311]

I'd say about the time of her 14th birthday, which is as they school year is hitting its high points before year-end, is a good target for her.

[emb021 16]

AFAIK, the requirements to join is 14 and finished 8th grade OR 15.

 

There are no 'ranks' in Venturing. Venturing does have an advancement program and several awards, but unlike Boy Scouts (or Cub Scouts) we really don't build our program around getting the awards or push them like those programs do. We would rather encourage the awards and just make sure the kids are aware of them.

 

The basic advancement program consists of the Bronze, Gold, and Silver. Silver is the highest Venturing award, so it gets a knot. There are 5 different Bronze awards for the different speciality groups within Venturing: Outdoor, Arts & Hobbies, Sports, Religious Life, and Sea Scouts. Crews can modify the requirements for A&H, Sports, and RL WITHIN CERTAIN BOUNDS to make it more relavent to their crew specialty. Yes, a Venturers can earn all 5 Bronze if they want.

 

In addition there are 3 "expert" awards that build of one of the Bronzes. There is Ranger, which builds off the Outdoor Bronze (which is half the award); Quest which builds off the Sports Bronze; and TRUST which builds off the Religious Life Bronze.

 

In addition, there are other Venturing awards such as their own World Conservation Award (different patch and different requirements then the one for Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts), Venturing Shooting Sports Award (builds off that requirement in Ranger), and various awards available to both Venturers as well as Boy Scouts.

 

 

Also, ps, our program is "Venturing", not "venture", so its "Venturing Crew", not "venture crew".

[Karen_216 10]

Graet info and thanks for the correction .

She will be happy to hear how well rounded the program is (as well as myself) and what it offers. I can't wait to look around with her!!