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Welcome!

Welcome to the Woodward Academy Troop 631 United website!  We welcome young men and women Grade 6 to age 18 to join our Team delivering the Scouting America program. (We also invite Fifth Graders after March 1 of Fifth Grade Year -- before that Fifth Grade boys and girls should join our affiliated Cub Scout Pack 631.)

For an overview of Scouting, watch this video.  Or this one.  For contact information, please see About Us and How to Join on the menu bar on the left side of the page.  Interested in Joining?  You can contact the Scoutmaster or Troop Committee Chair.  In a Scouts BSA Troop, recognition is gained through leadership in the troop, attending and participating in its activities, living the ideals of Scouting, and proficiency in activities related to outdoor life, useful skills, and career exploration.  The methods of Scouting are Living the Ideals (like the Scout Oath and Law), Working and Leading in Patrols, Outdoor Programs, Advancement, Association with Adults, Personal Growth, Leadership Development and the Uniform, and each is important.  See our Troop Operating Manual for How We Scout in Troop 631.

Once you Login, you can access calendar information among other benefits.  Troop events for the 2024-25 program year will include a Rafting Day in August, a September Campout at Red Top Mountain with Orienteering, September Day Hike at FD Roosevelt State Park, October Campout with Backpacking intro at FDR State Park, Providence Canyon Backpacking Campout in November, and more monthly Campouts, Skills sessions, Community Service and more.  To the right is a photo of Youth and Adult Leaders from our September 2022 Court of Honor.  Many photos at this photo site.  Also at our Facebook Page.  

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Register for Troop Activities

Posted on Nov 13 2024 - 7:00pm

Selected events upcoming include (click links for more information - if you need a login reminder, email webmaster@atlanta631.mytroop.us) -- we need your RSVP -- Yes, No, or "Maybe" - to confirm whether it is worthwhile to complete the event plan – stated another way, Troop Leaders need to see if enough Scouts want to go and that’s why we have Event Registration (to see if anyone wants to go) and that's why YOU need to Register either Yes, No, or "Maybe".  More in the Troop Program Elements section of the Troop Operating Manual:

More to be added ...
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Scouting America National Fee Payment Emails

Posted on Nov 13 2024 - 6:56pm

As announced several times here in the "Two Annual Scouting Payments" announcement and in our "2024-25 Youth Troop Registration and Troop Dues" page, there are now two parts of payment to be in Troop 631 annually.  One is our Local Troop Program Fees (a/k/a "Dues") paid by (for) each Scout for the school year -- this can be paid now on this page, and the second is Scouting America (f/k/a BSA) National Registration Fee paid by (for) each Scout and each Leader directly to the Scouting America (BSA) National organization for the next 12 months -- these can only be paid within 60 days of your "Anniversary Date" (more below).

Many of you are now receiving emails from Boy Scouts of America <noreply@scouting.org> entitled "Your BSA Membership is up for renewal". Please follow the instructions in that email to pay that second amount directly to the Scouting America National Organization.  If you have questions after review of that email and the "Two Annual Scouting Payments" announcement, contact your Troop Chair Bert Bender. 

Advancement in Troop 631

Posted on Nov 13 2024 - 6:56pm

See this page for how Scouts BSA Troop 631 applies the Advancement Method of the Scouting program.

Key Topics are Listed below -- click on the link to jump to that Section:

Here is the beginning of the content of this Section of the Troop 631 Operating Handbook:

Advancement Overview.  Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them – skills to learn and master – through the advancement method.  Scouts plan their own advancement and progress at their own pace as they meet each challenge.  Scouts are recognized and rewarded for each achievement, which helps them gain self-confidence.  The steps in the advancement system help a Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.  The Scouts BSA advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at the Scout’s own pace.  A Scout is assisted by and supported by the Troop in acquiring these skills and moving up through a series of ranks for which badges are awarded.  Upon joining the Troop, one may work not only on the Scout rank, but also Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class because there are similar skill elements at each level; after First Class, a Scout works in sequence towards Star, Life, and, eventually, Eagle.  The higher the Scout climbs, the more challenging the tasks, and the more rewarding it becomes.  All advancement must be completed before the Scout’s eighteenth birthday. 

The Advancement method includes:

  • Learning skills that enable the Scout to experience Scouting’s more exciting outdoor challenges.
  • Developing body and mind, growing self-confidence, and helping younger Scouts climb the advancement ladder.
  • Discovering how it feels to go further than you ever thought you could.
  • Becoming a true leader. 

Advancement is a natural outcome of a planned, quality Troop program.  And Advancement is but one method of Scouting, no more important than the Ideals, the Patrol method, Leadership Development, and the Outdoor Program, all of which help meet the aims of Scouting.  

There are four steps of advancement:

1)    The Scout learns

  • The Scout learns by doing, and as they learn, they grow in the ability to do their part as a member of the Patrol and Troop.  
  • As they develop knowledge and skill, they are asked to teach others, and by this the Scout learns about developing leadership.

2)    The Scout is tested

  • The Scout approaches a qualified adult to sign-off on specific requirements.  
  • Unit leaders such as the Scoutmaster and trained Assistant Scoutmasters test and pass the Scout on rank requirements.  
  • Merit Badge Counselors teach and test them on requirements for Merit Badges.  

3)    The Scout is reviewed

  • After a Scout has completed all requirements for a rank, the Scout meets with the Scoutmaster for a Scoutmaster Conference.  
  • Once this is completed, the Scout requests a Board of Review with the Advancement Team – the Scout may sign up for a Board of Review (often, on the Troop Website).  

4)    The Scout is recognized

  • When a Scout’s advancement has been approved by a Board of Review, the Scout deserves recognition as soon as possible.  This is typically done at the next Troop meeting or event.  
  • The certificate for their new rank will be presented later, during a formal Troop Court of Honor.   

More on advancement is found in the links above and in the Advancement Files and Advancement Links on the Troop Website, and in this BSA National page on Advancement and Awards. 

Photos of What We Do and Will Do

Posted on Nov 6 2024 - 3:55pm

See this Photo Page for Galleries of Troop Members in Action and this page for both the Pack and Troop together.  Got Pix?  See "Photo Uploads" for a list of Upload Links for quick and easy uploading. Recent galleries that could use Photos include ... 

Questions?  Want a new Gallery?  Trying to alter / delete / create Galleries?  Email webmaster@atlanta631.mytroop.us. 

Camping and Backpacking Resources Or I Know There Were Emails About This But I Can't Find Them And Who Reads Emails Amirite

Posted on Nov 6 2024 - 3:51pm

With the 2024 interest in more backpacking and the information shared at and after the October Troop Meetings, see this Camping and Backpacking Resources page under our Menu to the left of our Website that collects the various and sundry emails plus other information that may be useful about camping generally as well as backpacking.  So yes you can literally text https://atlanta631.mytroop.us/node/10781 to share that information.

Ways Adults Can Help Scouts In The Troop

Posted on Oct 30 2024 - 3:47pm

See the Help Wanted Page, which will show you who is doing what and where we have nobody doing the tasks (or someone who is doing too many tasks so a Parent needs to step up), and that page will link you to details about how to do the job and succeed at the job, from the Troop Operating Manual.  Wanna help?  Email bert.bender@alston.com.  Here is what is on the Help Wanted Page today:  

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