Scout Led, Scout Run: 

Scouting is intended to be a "Scout led & Scout run" program. This means that the Scouts lead the troop, choose and organize their activities, run their own meetings, and are as self-sufficient as they can reasonably be on outings. Scouts are expected to set up their camp, organize into patrols, establish duty rosters, cook for themselves, build their own campfires, lead hikes, etc. 

Adult leaders provide assistance, support, and supervision as needed. 

Our Scouting Goals: 

The troop's goal is to provide our Scouts with a healthy and safe scouting program, guided by traditional scouting ideals and principles, with an emphasis on... 

• • Having fun! 

  • Making friends. 

  • Learning social, leadership, and teamwork skills. 

  • Developing good character and citizenship, and enhancing mental and physical fitness. 

  • Acquiring a broad base of knowledge and abilities by participation in scout activities and merit badge programs. 

  • Advancing through the scout ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Star, Life... and hopefully Eagle. 

  • Participating in camping trips, hikes, and other outdoor adventures that scouts might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. 

  • Developing closer family bonds by providing opportunities for scouts and their parents/guardians to join together in activities. 

Parent / Guardian Involvement: 

The success of the troop depends on the active participation of each Scout's parent or guardian. It is our hope that each adult will be involved in the troop and will agree to take on the responsibility of at least one volunteer position. Contact the Parent Committee Chair for more information. 

All parents/guardians are urged to attend our Parent Committee Meetings (PCM), generally held on the last Monday of each month. At this meeting, parents/guardians plan and organize the troop support system to provide adult supervision and assistance needed for a successful Scouting program. 

Two Deep Leadership / YPT / Camping Protections: 

Scouting is designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for youth, and to protect scouts against any type of potential abuse or abusive situations. All adult leaders are required to be trained in BSA's Youth Protection Training (YPT), which is a program that alerts them to recognize signs of abuse, shows how to keep children safe from abuse, and how to properly deal with abuse if it occurs. 

In addition, BSA policy requires two-deep leadership, which means that two registered adult leaders or one registered adult leader and a parent (one being at least age 21) are required to be on all Scout trips and outings. And, of appropriate gender to the youth in question. (ex: At least 1 registered adult female must be in attendance for any girl at an event. And same for boys.) 

One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is prohibited. Also, BSA policy requires adult leaders to respect the privacy of the Scouts in situations such as changing clothes or taking showers at camp, so that an intrusion upon privacy will not occur unless required for health and safety reasons. 

When camping in a place where separate shower/toilet facilities are not available, policy requires separate times for male and female, and for youth and adult, to be scheduled and posted. 

When camping, no youth is permitted to sleep in the tent of an adult other than his own parent or guardian. Any hazing activity is strictly prohibited at all times. 

Communication: 

• • Announcements are made at the beginning and end of weekly troop meetings. 

  • Parent Committee Meetings held every other month and are open to all troop adults.  These meetings are an outstanding way to give input on troop activities. 

(If you can't make the meeting, minutes are distributed via email.) 

• • Check throughout this website. 

  • Contact the Scoutmaster, Parent Committee Chair, or any of our adult leaders. 

  • Ask a Scoutmaster or Committee Chair to join our Troop on the Band app. 

  • Find us on social media- Facebook & Instagram. 

  • Log on to the San Diego-Imperial Council's website at www.sdicbsa.org. 

Troop Organization: 

Troop 319 is technically, legally made of 2 troops. 319B- boys and 319G - girls. These troops are linked by shared adult leadership and participate in all the same activites. 

Each troop is divided into groups called Patrols. Generally, there are 5 to 7 Scouts in a patrol. Each Patrol has a rotating Patrol Leader, who serves for six months. 

The troop itself is led by a Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) elected by the Scouts and approved by the Scoutmaster. The SPL is a Scout who is at least 13 years old and has gone through the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) course. He is assisted by one or more Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders, who are qualified to step in as SPL in his absence. 

There are various other leadership positions in the troop for the boys, including Scribe, Quartermaster, Troop Instructor, Librarian, Historian, Webmaster, and Newsletter Staff. 

All scout troop officers serve for 6 months. The SPL, Assistant SPLs, Patrol Leaders, and Scribe form a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC), which meets once a month with the Scoutmaster to plan troop activities and meetings. 

Once a year the Scouts have an Annual Planning Meeting, where they vote on outings they would like to schedule over the coming year. 

Scout Meetings: 

The Troop meets weekly on Monday nights from 7:00pm to 8:15pm (6:45 to set up). The meeting opens and closes with a flag ceremony, presided over by the Senior Patrol Leader. After announcements about upcoming or past events, the scouts will join with one another for whatever activity has been planned for the meeting by their Patrol Leaders Council, such as learning/practicing scout skills, working on merit badge requirments, coordinating an upcoming trip, etc.. Before the meeting closes, scouts will usually group to play a fun game involving scout skills or teamwork. 

Troop Outings: 

Troop outings and meetings are posted on our website Calendar. Check out our social media to see what our scouts have been up to. 

Scout Ranks: 

New troop members start out with the rank of Scout, but generally quickly progress to Tenderfoot. Troop leaders assist and encourage Scouts to complete rank requirements in an attempt to help each reach the 1st Class rank by the end of his first year with the troop. 

Requirements for these rank advancements are set forth in the Scout Handbook and involve mastering certain scout skills and knowledge; going on troop camp outs; showing improvement in areas of physical fitness; learning first aid skills; and adherence to scout ideals. 

Once a Scout earns the rank of 1st Class, the emphasis shifts to earning merit badges and serving in leadership positions in the troop. To advance further to the ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle, a Scout needs to earn a specified number of merit badges, including select "Eagle-Required" badges. The scout also needs to participate in service projects, and must serve as a troop officer. 

Courts of Honor 

Every four months Troop 319 holds a Court of Honor, which takes place on a Monday night in lieu of the regular scout meeting. 

At this ceremony, scouts are recognized for their rank advancement progress and merit badge accomplishments, and are presented with commensurate awards, patches, or other uniform insignia. 

The troop Parent Committee traditionally hosts a potluck dinner or only desserts at each Court of Honor. 

Buddy System for Scouts: 

While participating in a scouting activity, a scout is required to have a "buddy" with them wherever they go. The buddy will be a fellow scout of the same gender; never an adult. 

Leave No Trace:  

In keeping with Scout "Leave No Trace" policy, we strive to maintain a clean environment by always picking up after ourselves on campouts and other outings, and try to avoid disturbing flora and fauna wherever we are. Scouts must leave the surroundings of a camp or outing in at least as clean and pristine a condition as when the troop arrived.

Adult Training Opportunities: 

There are many adult training programs available through our Council office. Parents/guardians are urged to take advantage of these training opportunities, which properly prepare adults to assume a leadership role in the troop. 

Some basic training programs, such as YPT and Hazardous Weather Training, can be completed online. A brief guide to adult training opportunities is included in the Parent Information Guide, and additional information can be found at the San Diego-Imperial Council website at www.sdicbsa.org.