Check out our Eagle Scout page on this site. It becomes very obvious that we have a strong advancement program at Troop Six. Our philosophy of having boys leading boys under the guidance of adults has a testimony of more Eagle Scouts than any other Troop in Narragansett Council. We provide Scouts a safe environment to become young men that have strong character, dedicated citizenship, and develop mental and physical fitness.
There are three different groups of Scouts, though the boundaries between any two tend to blur. The New Scout is fresh to the Troop and typically needs to learn some of the essentials of Scouting. Mid-Year Scouts are well on their way toward earning the more senior ranks in Scouting. Older Scouts have accomplished much of what they have been called upon for. Now they are working to improve their leadership skills and assist the younger Scouts in their road to adventure.
Our most important player in all this is the new Scout. He represents the future of the Troop. Junior Leaders are taught this from the time that they, too, were new Scouts. The boy leaders of the Troop make a concerted effort to ensure that all new Scouts feel welcome in the family and there is no sign of harassment or ridicule in the environment. Typically, new Scouts are formed into one or two new patrols with a Patrol Leader that is just a couple of years ahead of them. They are also assigned a Troop Guide who is about the same age or a little older than the Patrol Leader. One of the new Scout dads is recruited to be an Assistant Scoutmaster with specific duties to the new patrol. Usually by the time summer camp rolls around each Scout has already made not only Scout, but Tenderfoot rank. They will continue under a formal program until they reach the rank of First Class.
After reaching First Class, Scouts enroll in merit badge classes twice a year: once in the Fall and again in late January. These classes are presented during the skills instruction portion of the Troop meeting when the younger Scouts are learning essential Scouting skills. The merit badges are taught on a rotating basis and include the nine required Eagle merit badges that lend themselves to this type of scenario: Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Emergency Preparedness, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management. All this prepares them to advance through the ranks, perhaps one day to stand proud as an Eagle Scout.
Older Scouts have their own roles here. As they progress through the higher ranks of Star and Life, the Scouts are called upon to teach basic Scout skills to the new Scouts. They also improve their leadership skills by assuming greater responsibility within the Troop by managing the Troop's equipment, writing and editing the Troop's weekly newsletter, and various other duties that may arise. Some may aspire to the most important junior leader role in Scouting: Senior Patrol Leader.