Grades K–5 · Boys and girls
Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts is where most families start. Scouts belong to a pack,
which splits into small dens by grade — Lions in
kindergarten, then Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos.
The programme is deliberately family-shaped: a parent or other caring adult takes
part alongside the youngest Scouts. Expect a weekly or fortnightly den meeting, a
monthly pack gathering, the Pinewood Derby, day hikes, and a first taste of
camping with the family close by.
Find a pack near you
Ages 11–17 · Separate troops for boys and girls
Scouts BSA
At eleven, or after finishing fifth grade, Scouts move up to a
troop. The shift is significant: troops are
youth-led. Scouts elect their own senior patrol leader, plan
their own calendar and run their own meetings, with adults there to keep it safe
rather than to direct it.
This is where the outdoor programme opens up — monthly campouts, backpacking,
canoeing, a week at summer camp, and more than a hundred merit badges. It is also
the path to Eagle Scout, earned by only a small fraction of
Scouts and recognised for life.
Find a troop near you
Ages 14–20 · Young men and women together
Venturing
Venturing crews are for older teenagers and young adults who want
to go further. Each crew chooses its own focus — backpacking, climbing,
shooting sports, scuba, service, the arts — and the members themselves decide
what the year looks like.
Young people can join a crew whether or not they were ever Cub Scouts, and many
Scouts stay in their troop while also belonging to a crew.
Find a crew near you
Ages 14–20 · Young men and women together
Sea Scouts
Sea Scout ships put the programme on the water: sailing,
powerboating, navigation, seamanship and long-cruise voyages. In East Texas that
means our lakes and, for the ambitious, the Gulf coast.
Find a ship near you
Career-focused · Run with local employers
Exploring
Exploring is career education. Posts are hosted by local fire
departments, police departments, hospitals, law firms and businesses, and give
young people a genuine look at a profession before they choose one.
Because posts are tied to particular employers, availability varies across the
council. Call the service center on 903-597-7201
to ask what is running near you.
