It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, to prepare them to make ethical choices during their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Law.
The Scout Oath or Promise
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight
The Scout Law
A Scout is:
- Trustworthy,
- Loyal,
- Helpful,
- Friendly,
- Courteous,
- Kind,
- Obedient,
- Cheerful,
- Thrifty,
- Brave,
- Clean,
- and Reverent
The Scout Motto
- Be Prepared!
The Scout Slogan
- Do a Good Turn Daily!
The Outdoor Code
As an American, I will do my best to:
Be clean in my outdoor manners
Be careful with fire
Be considerate in the outdoors, and
Be conservation minded.
Aims
Boy Scouting works towards three aims:
- Growth in moral strength and character
- Participating citizenship
- Development in physical, mental, and emotional fitness
First is growth in moral strength and character. We may define this as what the boy is himself; his personal qualities, his values, his outlook.A second is participating citizenship. Used broadly, citizenship means the boy's relationship to others. He comes to learn obligations to other people, to the society he lives in, and to the government that presides over that society.A third aim of Boy Scouting is development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Fitness includes the body (well-tuned and healthy), the mind (able to think and solve problems), and the emotions (self-control, courage, and self-respect).The methods are designed to accomplish these aims. Thus it is important that you know and use the methods of Boy Scouting. Other methods are good, but they may bring different results -- results quite different than we are seeking.