CONNECTICUT – Wednesday September 14, 2016 marks the beginning of the statewide fall recruiting season for scouts.
Lion Cubs, a new Boy Scouts of America pilot program for kindergarten boys, will begin in Connecticut this year—2016! We had a successful local pilot this spring and are expanding Lion Cubs to all towns in Connecticut Rivers Council. This fall all new Cub Scouts, including Lion Cubs will receive a rocket kit when they attend one of six rocket launch events around the state.
Research shows that a child’s development accelerates at age 4 and 5 — about the time these youngsters begin their formal education in kindergarten. The kindergarten-age boys will enjoy exploring the world around them with friends. Lions promises to expand imaginations, spark creativity and amplify fun. At the end of the Lion year, boys will graduate to Tiger and advance through Cub Scouting.
Boys from Kindergarten up to fifth grade are eligible for Cub Scouts. Sixth grade to age 17 will be Boy Scouts. Venturing is for young men and women who are 14 (and have finished the eighth grade) through 20 years old. Venturing has six experience areas: social, citizenship, service, leadership, fitness, and outdoor. The activities in Venturing help young people become adults, follow their special interests, get skills as leaders, and become good citizens. Exploring is a hands-on program open to young men and women from 6th grade to 20 years old with an interest in learning more about a specific career. The most popular career fields are Police, Fire & EMS, other interests include: Arts & Humanities, Aviation, Business, Communications, Engineering & Technology, Health Care, Government, Science, Skilled Trades and Social Services.
The Connecticut Rivers Council is one of New England’s largest private youth-serving organizations; they deliver Scouting programs that develop character, citizenship, fitness, and leadership skills to more than 32,000 youth and nearly 9,000 adult volunteers in 127 cities and towns in Connecticut. The Boy Scouts of America collaborates with hundreds of churches, school affiliated groups and other community organizations that organize and operate local Scout groups. It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America and the Connecticut Rivers Council 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.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Charlie Copeland at 860-688-3366 or email at charles.copeland@scouting.org.