The Scoutmaster and the 11 Year Old Patrol

The Church's scouting program for 11-year-olds is a part of the activity program of the Primary and is under the direction of the Ward Primary President. The Scouting program for 11-year-olds incorporates the standard aims of scouting--building character, citizenship, and fitness--with the primary purposes of helping boys live the gospel and to prepare to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. It is not a Priesthood program but a Priesthood-preparation program.

However, from the vantage of its affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America, the 11-year-old patrol is a part of the troop program. These scouts are registered with the troop. Adult 11-year-old scouting leaders are registered as Assistant Scoutmasters. The overall troop leader is the Scoutmaster. A single Troop Committee supports scout programs for all boys ages 11-13.

The preference of the Primary Association of the Church is that the 11-year-old scouting program be a separate patrol of the troop, which generally holds separate, preferably daytime, scout meetings, and does not participate regularly with the program for the Deacon-age scouts. Eleven-year-old scouting leaders are asked to limit the number of planned overnight camps per year to the number needed for boys to advance to First Class (that is, three). When circumstances demand, a Bishop may direct that the 11-year-old scouting program to be integrated fully into the program for the 12 and 13 year olds. However this arrangement should not be encouraged unless the ward has difficulty in operating these programs separately.  If this combined arrangement exists, troop leaders should continue to honor the recommended limitations on overnight camps per year for the 11-year-olds and be extra careful not to have these young men away from their homes late at night or to subject them to strenuous activities which are more demanding than they are capable of handling and enjoying.

When operated as a separate program, the quality and accomplishments of the 11-year-old program still have a very substantial effect on the Scouting program for Deacons. A strong scouting program for 11-year-olds which captures and maintains the their interest and enables the majority to achieve First Class rank provides the basis for a good scouting experience for boys as they advance into the program for 12 and 13 year olds. Therefore, it is very important for the Aaronic Priesthood scouting leaders to invest in the scouting program for 11-year-olds and make sure that it is effective.  While not having a direct supervisory relationship over the 11-year-old program, here are some things that Aaronic Priesthood scouting leaders may do to support 11-year-old scouting:

1. Insist that there be two-deep leadership associated with all 11-year-old scouting activities. Provide back-up if needed.

2. If the leader of the 11-year-old scout patrol is a woman, arrange for males to supervise overnight camping experiences for these young men.

3.Encourage scout leader training for the leaders of the 11-year-old patrol (Fast Start, Basic, Wood Badge) and Round Table attendance.

4.Encourage 11-year-old leaders to set the goal to have the majority of their young men advance to First Class before age 12.  Also encourage and assist these leaders to introduce the earning of merit badges, by pursuing a limited number ( perhaps 2 or 3 per year) of non-required and relatively easy merit badges in their meetings, for example, Truck Transportation, Firemanship, Fingerprinting.

5.Assist 11-year-old scouting leaders to provide training to their patrol leaders--Introduction to Leadership for New Boy Leaders.

6.Finds ways to promote the full uniforming of boys of their patrol.

7.Assist 11-year-old scouting leaders to develop their own program plan and calendar by adapting Troop Planning Program Planning methodologies.

8.For months where the 11-year-old scouts are not camping, encourage the calendaring of a monthly day camp or other significant outdoor activity such as a hike.

9.Invite 11-year-old scouting leaders to Troop committee meetings to report their plans and needs. Consider their needs for support equally with the 12/13-year-old program.

10.Encourage weekly meetings of the 11-year-old patrol, to keep up scouting momentum in the year between Cubs and regular scouting.

11.Include needs of the 11-year-old scouting program in troop budget and fund-raising.

12.Scoutmaster attends 11-year-old patrol meetings and activities occasionally, to get acquainted with these young men and encourage them in scouting.

13.Set standards for advancement record-keeping for the 11-year-old scouts (preferably, use the Individual Scout Record form and keep an accurate record of over-night camps by boy).

14.Schedule Boards of Review when needed for advancement by the 11-year-old scouts.

15.Eleven-year-old scouting leaders do Scoutmaster conferences for advancement, introduce their young men to Boards of Review, present awards.

16.Eleven-year-old scouts should participate equally in Courts of Honor as part of the troop.

Robert Lewis