GirlScouts+and+BoyScouts

The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts teach many skills to young people so they can be good citizens and help their community. Many students at Sloatsburg School are in the Scouts. Sir Robert Baden-Powell started the Boy Scouts in 1908 in England. Before that, he had been a general in the English army. He wanted to train boys with the skills to survive if they went to war when they grew up. Ray Silcox started the Boy Scouts in Sloatsburg in 1916. He died in the war and his father "Pop" Silcox took over. A teacher named Miss Alta Toepp bought Girl Scouts to Sloatsburg in 1928 or 1929. Boy Scouts starts with Cub Scouts in first grade until the boys turn 10. Then they are Boy Scouts until they are 18. After that, they become Rover Scouts up until their 20s. Girl Scouts starts with Daisies (5-6 years old), then Brownies (6-8 years old), then Junior Girl Scouts (8-11 years old), and finally Girl Scouts (11-18 years old). Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are similar because they both teach kids to be leaders and cooperate as a team and help others, but Boy Scouts do more nature activities and Girl Scouts do more community service. Both of them earn patches and awards for doing projects and helping the community and the Boy Scouts also earn beads that go on a pin, but they have different uniforms and different symbols. The Boy Scouts always wear their uniforms to all their meetings and events and the Girl Scouts usually wear their vests only at special meetings or community events. Boy Scouts sell popcorn to raise money for activities and Girl Scouts sell cookies. Boy Scouts do a lot of outdoor activities like camping and hiking to help them feel confident in themselves, be responsible citizens, to be physically fit, and to do things on their own. In Sloatsburg, each pack of kids the same age meets twice each month at the Fire House and they do crafts, games and activities like treasure hunts that teach them team work and to be leaders. The first thing they learn is the Cub Scout salute, handshake and sign. Older Boy Scouts help out younger Boy Scouts at their Cub meetings. They are called Den Chiefs. The whole pack (which includes all the Boy Scouts in Sloatsburg) meets one time each month at the Sloatsburg School cafeteria. They learn skills like first-aid, how to tie knots, and what to pack for a hike. All the Boy Scouts participate in the Sloatsburg Halloween Parade and the Memorial Day parade. Some things they do for Sloatsburg are planting bulbs at the school and making holiday cards for old people. Each troop of girls in the same grade of the Girl Scouts in Sloatsburg meets two times each month in the art room at the Elementary School. All the Girl Scouts meet at the beginning and end of the year for the Investiture and Rededication ceremony where each group moves to the next level and girls get patches and rewards for their hard work. Every time the Girl Scouts meet, they say the Girl Scout Promise ("On my honor I will try to serve God and my country to help people at all times and to live by the Girl Scout law"). Girl Scouts do a lot to help the community of Sloatsburg. They have clean-up days to clean up all the garbage. Girl Scouts also make Easter and Passover baskets for people in need in our community. They donate food to the poor and cheer up old people by caroling at their home and make ornaments for the village Christmas tree. Girls Scouts also make Valentine’s Day cards for the seniors and veterans, and they helped fix up Harmony Hall. Some events are just for fun and to be together, like putting on shows and all the Girl Scouts going on the Camporee camping trip. I am a Junior Girl Scout. I want to be one because I love helping people. I also love to make crafts and projects and to be with all my friends, and make new ones.