Troop 103 has earned GOLD status for the “Scouting’s Journey to Excellence” Award. The award is the BSA’s council performance recognition program designed to encourage and reward success and measure the performance of our units, districts, and councils. It is meant to encourage excellence in providing a quality program at all levels of the BSA.
The Troop has qualified for the Journey to Excellence Award each year since its inception and for many, many consecutive years prior with the Quality Unit Award that was replaced by the Journey to Excellence Award.
Troop 103 is proud of providing and offering an excellent Scouting Program that provides opportunities to our youth to experience the outdoors and grow both morally and physically into strong leaders of the future. This scout led program is a partnership of both youth and adults.
In 2018, the Troop excelled in the following award objectives:
- Planning and Budgeting: The scouts plan activities for the entire year at a planning outing each year. Our planning calendar is published on our website.
- Retention of scouts in the troop (85%
- Long-Term Camping Participation (60% participation rate)
- Advancement: 80% of our scouts advanced a rank this past year including 2 scouts that earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
- Service Projects: The Troop Participated in at least 6 Service projects that benefited the community or parish without any financial benefit to the Troop or scouts.
- Following the Patrol Method: The troop has patrols, and each has a patrol leader. Our Troop’s youth leadership includes a Senior Patrol Leader and his assistant, We have patrols that are led by a Patrol Leader. The Troop also elects many other officers including the Scribe, Quartermaster, Librarian, etc.. The youth leadership (Patrol Leaders Council) meets each month.
- Leadership and Family Engagement: In addition to the Scoutmaster, the troop had 4 Assistant Scoutmasters, 10 Committee Members, and at least 7 other supporting adults. The Troop held 2 Courts of Honor for scouts this past year. We present the annual Troop Calendar to parents each year outlining the plans of the troop for the upcoming year.
- Trained Adult Leaders: All adult leaders including all committee members are fully trained in their positions. Three members of our leadership have also taken a week-long Wood-badge training. Multiple members of the committee support the district in planning and executing district activities.
Despite receiving the GOLD status, the Troop can still improve in the following objective areas.
- Membership Growth: Improve scout membership numbers. Conduct Improved membership drives. Better interact with the Webelos and the Cub Pack and retain more Webelos that cross-over to the Troop.
- Short-Term Camping: Including more tent camping opportunities vs. cabin camping.
Here is the official Troop 103 – 2018 JTE Scorecard (PDF)